Now is Cupid like a child of conscience--he makes
restitution.--SHAKESPEARE.
Mr. Duncan Macwheeble, no longer Commissary or Bailie, though still
enjoying the empty name of the latter dignity, had escaped
proscription by an early secession from the insurgent party and by his
insignificance.
Edward found him in his office, immersed among papers and accounts.
Before him was a large bicker of oatmeal-porridge, and at the side
thereof, a horn-spoon and a bottle of two-penny. Eagerly running his eye
over a voluminous law-paper, he from time to time shovelled an
immense spoonful of these nutritive viands into his capacious mouth. A
pot-bellied Dutch bottle of brandy which stood by, intimated either that
this honest limb of the law had taken his morning already, or that
he meant to season his porridge with such digestive; or perhaps
both circumstances might reasonably be inferred. His night-cap and
morning-gown had whilome been of tartan, but, equally cautious and
frugal, the honest Bailie had got them dyed black, lest their original
ill-omened colour might remind his visitors of his unlucky excursion to
Derby. To sum up the picture, his face was daubed with snuff up to the
eyes, and his fingers with ink up to the knuckles. He looked dubiously
at Waverley as he approached the little green rail which fenced his desk
and stool from the approach of the vulgar. Nothing could give the Bailie
more annoyance than the idea of his acquaintance being claimed by any
of the unfortunate gentlemen who were now so much more likely to
need assistance than to afford profit. But this was the rich young
Englishman--who knew what might be his situation?--he was the Baron's
friend too--what was to be done?
While these reflections gave an air of absurd perplexity to the poor
man's visage, Waverley, reflecting on the communication he was about to
make to him, of a nature so ridiculously contrasted with the appearance
of the individual, could not help bursting out a-laughing, as he checked
the propensity to exclaim with Syphax--
Cato's a proper person to entrust
A love-tale with.
As Mr. Macwheeble had no idea of any person laughing heartily who was
either encircled by peril or oppressed by poverty, the hilarity of
Edward's countenance greatly relieved the embarrassment of his own, and,
giving him a tolerably hearty welcome to Little Veolan, he asked what
he would choose for breakfast. His visitor had, in the first place,
something for his private ear, and begged leave to bolt the door.
Duncan by no means liked this precaution, which savoured of danger to be
apprehended; but he could not now draw back.
Convinced he might trust this man, as he could make it his interest
to be faithful, Edward communicated his present situation and future
schemes to Macwheeble. The wily agent listened with apprehension when
he found Waverley was still in a state of proscription--was somewhat
comforted by learning that he had a passport--rubbed his hands with glee
when he mentioned the amount of his present fortune--opened huge eyes
when he heard the brilliancy of his future expectations; but when
he expressed his intention to share them with Miss Rose Bradwardine,
ecstasy had almost deprived the honest man of his senses. The Bailie
started from his three-footed stool like the Pythoness from her tripod;
flung his best wig out of the window, because the block on which it was
placed stood in the way of his career; chucked his cap to the ceiling,
caught it as it fell; whistled Tullochgorum; danced a Highland fling
with inimitable grace and agility; and then threw himself exhausted into
a chair, exclaiming, 'Lady Wauverley!--ten thousand a year, the least
penny!--Lord preserve my poor understanding!'
'Amen, with all my heart,' said Waverley;--'but now, Mr. Macwheeble, let
us proceed to business.' This word had a somewhat sedative effect, but
the Bailie's head, as he expressed himself, was still 'in the bees.'
He mended his pen, however, marked half a dozen sheets of paper with an
ample marginal fold, whipped down Dallas of St. Martin's STYLES from
a shelf, where that venerable work roosted with Stair's INSTITUTIONS,
Dirleton's DOUBTS, Balfour's PRACTIQUES, and a parcel of old
account-books-opened the volume at the article Contract of Marriage, and
prepared to make what he called a 'sma' minute, to prevent parties frae
resiling.
With some difficulty, Waverley made him comprehend that he was going a
little too fast. He explained to him that he should want his assistance,
in the first place, to make his residence safe for the time, by writing
to the officer at Tully-Veolan, that Mr. Stanley, an English gentleman,
nearly related to Colonel Talbot, was upon a visit of business at
Mr. Macwheeble's, and, knowing the state of the country, had sent his
passport for Captain Foster's inspection. This produced a polite answer
from the officer, with an invitation to Mr. Stanley to dine with him,
which was declined (as may easily be supposed), under pretence of
business.
Waverley's next request was, that Mr. Macwheeble would dispatch a man
and horse to --, the post-town, at which Colonel Talbot was to address
him, with directions to wait there until the post should bring a letter
for Mr. Stanley, and then to forward it to Little Veolan with all speed.
In a moment, the Bailie was in search of his apprentice (or servitor, as
he was called Sixty Years since), Jock Scriever, and in not much greater
space of time, Jock was on the back of the white pony.
'Tak care ye guide him weel, sir, for he's aye been short in the wind
since--ahem--lord be gude to me!' (in a low voice) 'I was gaun to come
out wi'--since I rode whip and spur to fetch the Chevalier to redd
Mr. Wauverley and Vich Ian Vohr; and an uncanny coup I gat for my
pains.--Lord forgie your honour! I might hae broken my neck--but troth
it was in a venture, mae ways nor ane; but this maks amends for a'. Lady
Wauverley!--ten thousand a year!--Lord be gude unto me!'
'But you forget, Mr. Macwheeble, we want the Baron's consent--the
lady's--'
'Never fear, I'se be caution for them--I'se gie you my personal
warrandice--ten thousand a year! it dings Balmawhapple out and out--a
year's rent's worth a' Balmawhapple, fee and life-rent! Lord make us
thankful!'
To turn the current of his feelings, Edward inquired if he had heard
anything lately of the Chieftain of Glennaquoich?
'Not one word,' answered Macwheeble, 'but that he was still in Carlisle
Castle, and was soon to be panelled for his life. I dinna wish the young
gentleman ill,' he said, 'but I hope that they that hae got him will
keep him, and no let him back to this Hieland border to plague us wi'
blackmail, and a' manner o' violent, wrongous, and masterfu' oppression
and spoliation, both by himself and others of his causing, sending, and
hounding out:--and he couldna tak care o' the siller when he had gotten
it neither, but flung it a' into yon idle quean's lap at Edinburgh--but
light come light gane. For my part, I never wish to see a kilt in the
country again, nor a red-coat, nor a gun, for that matter, unless it
were to shoot a paitrick:--they're a' tarr'd wi' ae stick. And when
they have done ye wrang, even when ya hae gotten decreet of spuilzie,
oppression, and violent profits against them, what better are ye?--they
hae na a plack to pay ye; ye need never extract it.'
With such discourse, and the intervening topics of business, the time
passed until dinner, Macwheeble meanwhile promising to devise some mode
of introducing Edward at the Duchran, where Rose at present resided,
without risk of danger or suspicion; which seemed no very easy
task, since the laird was a very zealous friend to Government.--The
poultry-yard had been laid under requisition, and cockyleeky and Scotch
collops soon reeked in the Bailie's little parlour. The landlord's
corkscrew was just introduced into the muzzle of a pint-bottle of claret
(cribbed possibly from the cellars of Tully-Veolan), when the sight of
the grey pony, passing the window at full trot, induced the Bailie,
but with due precaution, to place it aside for the moment. Enter Jock
Scriever with a packet for Mr. Stanley: it is Colonel Talbot's seal; and
Edward's fingers tremble as he undoes it. Two official papers, folded,
signed, and sealed in all formality, drop out. They were hastily picked
up by the Bailie, who had a natural respect for everything resembling
a deed, and, glancing slily on their titles, his eyes, or rather
spectacles, are greeted with 'Protection by His Royal Highness to the
person of Cosmo Comyne Bradwardine, Esq. of that ilk, commonly
called Baron of Bradwardine, forfeited for his accession to the late
rebellion.' The other proves to be a protection of the same tenor in
favour of Edward Waverley, Esq. Colonel Talbot's letter was in these
words:--
'MY DEAR EDWARD,
'I am just arrived here, and yet I have finished my business; it has
cost me some trouble though, as you shall hear. I waited upon his Royal
Highness immediately on my arrival, and found him in no very good humour
for my purpose. Three or four Scotch gentlemen were just leaving his
levee. After he had expressed himself to me very courteously; "Would
you think it," he said, "Talbot? here have been half a dozen of the
most respectable gentlemen, and best friends to Government north of
the Forth,--Major Melville of Cairnvreckan, Rubrick of Duchran, and
others,--who have fairly wrung from me, by their downright importunity,
a present protection, and the promise of a future pardon, for that
stubborn old rebel whom they call Baron of Bradwardine. They allege that
his high personal character, and the clemency which he showed to such of
our people as fell into the rebels' hands, should weigh in his favour;
especially as the loss of his estate is likely to be a severe enough
punishment. Rubrick has undertaken to keep him at his own house till
things are settled in the country; but it's a little hard to be forced
in a manner to pardon such a mortal enemy to the House of Brunswick."
This was no favourable moment for opening my business:--however, I said
I was rejoiced to learn that his Royal Highness was in the course of
granting such requests, as it emboldened me to present one of the like
nature in my own name. He was very angry, but I persisted;--I mentioned
the uniform support of our three votes in the House, touched modestly
on services abroad, though valuable only in his Royal Highness's having
been pleased kindly to accept them, and founded pretty strongly on his
own expressions of friendship and goodwill. He was embarrassed, but
obstinate. I hinted the policy of detaching, on all future occasions,
the heir of such a fortune as your uncle's from the machinations of the
disaffected. But I made no impression. I mentioned the obligation which
I lay under to Sir Everard, and to you personally, and claimed, as the
sole reward of my services, that he would be pleased to afford me the
means of evincing my gratitude. I perceived that he still meditated a
refusal, and, taking my commission from my pocket, I said (as a last
resource), that as his Royal Highness did not, under these pressing
circumstances, think me worthy of a favour which he had not scrupled
to grant to other gentlemen, whose services I could hardly judge more
important than my own, I must beg leave to deposit, with all humility,
my commission in his Royal Highness's hands, and to retire from the
service. He was not prepared for this;--he told me to take up my
commission; said some handsome things of my services, and granted my
request. You are therefore once more a free man, and I have promised for
you that you will be a good boy in future, and remember what you owe to
the lenity of Government. Thus you see MY PRINCE can be as generous as
YOURS. I do not pretend, indeed, that he confers a favour with all the
foreign graces and compliments of your Chevalier errant; but he has a
plain English manner, and the evident reluctance with which he grants
your request, indicates the sacrifice which he makes of his own
inclination to your wishes. My friend, the adjutant-general, has
procured me a duplicate of the Baron's protection (the original being in
Major Melville's possession), which I send to you, as I know that if you
can find him you will have pleasure in being the first to communicate
the joyful intelligence. He will of course repair to the Duchran without
loss of time, there to ride quarantine for a few weeks. As for you, I
give you leave to escort him thither, and to stay a week there, as
I understand a certain fair lady is in that quarter. And I have the
pleasure to tell you, that whatever progress you can make in her good
graces will be highly agreeable to Sir Everard and Mrs. Rachel, who will
never believe your view and prospects settled, and the three ermines
passant in actual safety, until you present them with a Mrs. Edward
Waverley. Now, certain love-affairs of my own--a good many years
since--interrupted some measures which were then proposed in favour of
the three ermines passant; so I am bound in honour to make them amends.
Therefore make good use of your time, for when your week is expired, it
will be necessary that you go to London to plead your pardon in the law
courts.
'Ever, dear Waverley, yours most truly,
'PHILIP TALBOT.'