第27章

Waverleyfeltaninvoluntaryshuddercreepoverhimatthemysteriouslanguageheldbythisoutlawedandlawlessbandit，which，indespiteofhisattemptstomasterit，deprivedhimofthepowertoaskthemeaningofhisinsinuations。Aheathpallet，withtheflowersstuckuppermost，hadbeenpreparedforhiminarecessofthecave，andhere，coveredwithsuchspareplaidsascouldbemustered，helayforsometimewatchingthemotionsoftheotherinhabitantsofthecavern。SmallpartiesoftwoorthreeenteredorlefttheplacewithoutanyotherceremonythanafewwordsinGaelictotheprincipaloutlaw，and，whenhefellasleep，toatallHighlanderwhoactedashislieutenant，andseemedtokeepwatchduringhisrepose。Thosewhoentered，seemedtohavereturnedfromsomeexcursion，ofwhichtheyreportedthesuccess，andwentwithoutfartherceremonytothelarder，where，cuttingwiththeirdirkstheirrationsfromthecarcasseswhichweretheresuspended，theyproceededtobroilandeatthemattheirownpleasureandleisure。Theliquorwasunderstrictregulation，beingservedouteitherbyDonaldhimself，hislieutenant，orthestrappingHighlandgirlaforesaid，whowastheonlyfemalethatappeared。

Theallowanceofwhisky，however，wouldhaveappearedprodigaltoanybutHighlanders，who，livingentirelyintheopenair，andinaverymoistclimate，canconsumegreatquantitiesofardentspiritswithouttheusualbanefuleffectseitheruponthebrainorconstitution。

Atlengththefluctuatinggroupsbegantoswimbeforetheeyesofourheroastheygraduallyclosed；nordidhere-openthemtillthemorningsunwashighonthelakewithout，thoughtherewasbutafaintandglimmeringtwilightintherecessesofUaimhanRi，ortheKing’sCavern，astheabodeofDonaldBeanLeanwasproudlydenominated。

CHAPTEREIGHTEENTH。

WAVERLEYPROCEEDSONHISJOURNEY。

WhenEdwardhadcollectedhisscatteredrecollection，hewassurprisedtoobservethecaverntotallydeserted。Havingarisenandputhisdressinsomeorder，helookedmoreaccuratelyroundhim；butallwasstillsolitary。Ifithadnotbeenforthedecayedbrandsofthefire，nowsunkintogreyashes，andtheremnantsofthefestival，consistingofboneshalfburntandhalfgnawed，andanemptykegortwo，thereremainednotracesofDonaldandhisband。WhenWaverleysalliedforthtotheentranceofthecave，heperceivedthatthepointofrock，onwhichremainedthemarksoflastnight’sbeacon，wasaccessiblebyasmallpath，eithernatural，orroughlyhewnintherock，alongthelittleinletofwaterwhichranafewyardsupintothecavern，where，asinawet-dock，theskiffwhichbroughthimtherethenightbeforewasstilllyingmoored。Whenhereachedthesmallprojectingplatformonwhichthebeaconhadbeenestablished，hewouldhavebelievedhisfurtherprogressbylandimpossible，onlythatitwasscarceprobablebutwhattheinhabitantsofthecavernhadsomemodeofissuingfromitotherwisethanbythelake。Accordingly，hesoonobservedthreeorfourshelvingsteps，orledgesofrock，attheveryextremityofthelittleplatform；and，makinguseofthemasastaircase，heclamberedbytheirmeansaroundtheprojectingshoulderofthecragonwhichthecavernopened，and，descendingwithsomedifficultyontheotherside，hegainedthewildandprecipitousshoresofaHighlandloch，aboutfourmilesinlength，andamileandahalfacross，surroundedbyheathyandsavagemountains，onthecrestsofwhichthemorningmistwasstillsleeping。

Lookingbacktotheplacefromwhichhecame，hecouldnothelpadmiringtheaddresswhichhadadoptedaretreatofsuchseclusionandsecrecy。Therock，roundtheshoulderofwhichhehadturnedbyafewimperceptiblenotches，thatbarelyaffordedplaceforthefoot，seemed，inlookingbackuponit，ahugeprecipice，whichbarredallfurtherpassagebytheshoresofthelakeinthatdirection。Therecouldbenopossibility，thebreadthofthelakeconsidered，ofdescryingtheentranceofthenarrowandlow-browedcavefromtheotherside；

sothat，unlesstheretreathadbeensoughtforwithboats，ordisclosedbytreachery，itmightbeasafeandsecretresidencetoitsgarrisonaslongastheyweresuppliedwithprovisions。

Havingsatisfiedhiscuriosityintheseparticulars，WaverleylookedaroundforEvanDhuandhisattendants，who，herightlyjudged，wouldbeatnogreatdistance，whatevermighthavebecomeofDonaldBeanLeanandhisparty，whosemodeoflifewas，ofcourse，liabletosudde