第31章

whosevoicewasheardaround，Loudasatrumpetwithasilversound。

ThatofFlora，onthecontrary，wassoftandsweet，-anexcellentthinginwoman；’’yet，inurginganyfavouritetopic，whichsheoftenpursuedwithnaturaleloquence，itpossessedaswellthetoneswhichimpressaweandconviction，asthoseofpersuasiveinsinuation。Theeagerglanceofthekeenblackeye，whichintheChieftainseemedimpatientevenofthematerialobstaclesitencountered，had，inhissister，acquiredagentlepensiveness。Hislooksseemedtoseekglory，power，allthatcouldexalthimaboveothersintheraceofhumanity；

whilethoseofhissister，asifshewerealreadyconsciousofmentalsuperiority，seemedtopity，ratherthanenvy，thosewhowerestrugglingforanyfartherdistinction。Hersentimentscorrespondedwiththeexpressionofhercountenance。Earlyeducationhadimpresseduponhermind，aswellasonthatoftheChieftain，themostdevotedattachmenttotheexiledfamilyofStuart。Shebelieveditthedutyofherbrother，ofhisclan，ofeverymaninBritain，atwhateverpersonalhazard，tocontributetothatrestorationwhichthepartizansoftheChevalierdeSt。Georgehadnotceasedtohopefor。Forthisshewaspreparedtodoall，tosufferall，tosacrificeall。Butherloyalty，asitexceededherbrother’sinfanaticism，excelleditalsoinpurity。Accustomedtopettyintrigue，andnecessarilyinvolvedinathousandpaltryandselfishdiscussions，ambitiousalsobynature，hispoliticalfaithwastinctured，atleast，ifnottainted，bytheviewsofinterestandadvancementsoeasilycombinedwithit；andatthemomentheshouldunsheathehisclaymore，itmightbedifficulttosaywhetheritwouldbemostwiththeviewofmakingJamesStuartaking，orFergusMac-Ivoranearl。This，indeed，wasamixtureoffeelingwhichhedidnotavoweventohimself，butitexisted，nevertheless，inapowerfuldegree。

InFlora’sbosom，onthecontrary，thezealofloyaltyburntpureandunmixedwithanyselfishfeeling；shewouldhaveassoonmadereligionthemaskofambitiousandinterestedviews，ashaveshroudedthemundertheopinionswhichshehadbeentaughttothinkpatriotism。SuchinstancesofdevotionwerenotuncommonamongthefollowersoftheunhappyraceofStuart，ofwhichmanymemorableproofswillrecurtothemindofmostofmyreaders。ButpeculiarattentiononthepartoftheChevalierdeSt。GeorgeandhisprincesstotheparentsofFergusandhissister，andtothemselveswhenorphans，hadrivettedtheirfaith。Fergus，uponthedeathofhisparents，hadbeenforsometimeapageofhonourinthetrainoftheChevalier’slady，and，fromhisbeautyandsprightlytemper，wasuniformlytreatedbyherwiththeutmostdistinction。ThiswasalsoextendedtoFlora，whowasmaintainedforsometimeataconventofthefirstorder，attheprincess’sexpense，andremovedfromthenceintoherownfamily，whereshespentnearlytwoyears。Bothbrotherandsisterretainedthedeepestandmostgratefulsenseofherkindness。

HavingthustouchedupontheleadingprincipleofFlora’scharacter，Imaydismisstherestmoreslightly。Shewashighlyaccomplished，andhadacquiredthoseelegantmannerstobeexpectedfromonewho，inearlyyouth，hadbeenthecompanionofaprincess；yetshehadnotlearnedtosubstitutetheglossofpolitenessfortherealityoffeeling。WhensettledinthelonelyregionsofGlennaquoich，shefoundthatherresourcesinFrench，English，andItalianliterature，werelikelytobefewandinterrupted；and，inordertofillupthevacanttime，shebestowedapartofituponthemusicandpoeticaltraditionsoftheHighlanders，andbeganreallytofeelthepleasureinthepursuit，whichherbrother，whoseperceptionsofliterarymeritweremoreblunt，ratheraffectedforthesakeofpopularitythanactuallyexperienced。Herresolutionwasstrengthenedintheseresearchesbytheextremedelightwhichherinquiriesseemedtoaffordthosetowhomsheresortedforinformation。

Herloveofherclan，anattachmentwhichwasalmosthereditaryinherbosom，was，likeherloyalty，amorepurepassionthanthatofherbrother。Hewastoothoroughapolitician，regardedhispatriarchalinfluencetoomuchasthemeansofaccomplishinghisownaggrandizement，thatweshouldtermhimthemodelofaHighlandChieftain。Florafeltthesameanxietyforcherishingandextendingtheirpatriarchalsway，butitwaswiththegenerousdesireofvindicatingfrompoverty，oratleastfromwantandforeignoppression，thosewhomherbrotherwasbybirth，accordingtothenotionsofthetimeandcountry，entitledtogovern。Thesavingsofherincome，forshehadasmallpensionfromthePrincessSobieski，werededicated，nottoaddtothecomfortsofthepeasantry，forthatwasawordwhichtheyneitherknewnorapparentlywishedtoknow，buttorelievetheirabsolutenecessities，wheninsicknessorextremeoldage。A