第32章

ItwasupthecourseofthislaststreamthatWaverley，likeaknightofromance，wasconductedbythefairHighlanddamsel，hissilentguide。Asmallpath，whichhadbeenrenderedeasyinmanyplacesforFlora’saccommodation，ledhimthroughsceneryofaverydifferentdescriptionfromthatwhichhehadjustquitted。Aroundthecastle，allwascold，bare，anddesolate，yettameevenindesolation；butthisnarrowglen，atsoshortadistance，seemedtoopenintothelandofromance。Therocksassumedathousandpeculiarandvariedforms。Inoneplaceacragofhugesizepresenteditsgiganticbulk，asiftoforbidthepassenger’sfartherprogress；anditwasnotuntilheapproacheditsverybase，thatWaverleydiscernedthesuddenandacuteturnbywhichthepathwaywheeleditscoursearoundthisformidableobstacle。Inanotherspot，theprojectingrocksfromtheoppositesidesofthechasmhadapproachedsoneartoeachother，thattwopine-treeslaidacross，andcoveredwithturf，formedarusticbridgeattheheightofatleastonehundredandfiftyfeet。Ithadnoledges，andwasbarelythreefeetinbreadth。

Whilegazingatthispassofperil，whichcrossed，likeasingleblackline，thesmallportionofblueskynotinterceptedbytheprojectingrocksoneitherside，itwaswithasensationofhorrorthatWaverleybeheldFloraandherattendantappear，likeinhabitantsofanotherregion，propped，asitwere，inmidair，uponthistremblingstructure。Shestoppeduponobservinghimbelow，andwithanairofgracefulease，whichmadehimshudder，wavedherhandkerchieftohimbywayofsignal。Hewasunable，fromthesenseofdizzinesswhichhersituationconveyed，toreturnthesalute：andwasnevermorerelievedthanwhenthefairapparitionpassedonfromtheprecariouseminencewhichsheseemedtooccupywithsomuchindifference，anddisappearedontheotherside。

Advancingafewyards，andpassingunderthebridgewhichhehadviewedwithsomuchterror，thepathascendedrapidlyfromtheedgeofthebrook，andtheglenwidenedintoasylvanamphitheatre，wavingwithbirch，youngoaks，andhazels，withhereandthereascatteredyew-tree。Therocksnowreceded，butstillshowedtheirgreyandshaggycrestsrisingamongthecopse-wood。Stillhigher，roseeminencesandpeaks，somebare，someclothedwithwood，someroundandpurplewithheath，andotherssplinteredintorocksandcrags。Atashortturning，thepath，whichhadforsomefurlongslostsightofthebrook，suddenlyplacedWaverleyinfrontofaromanticwaterfall。Itwasnotsoremarkableeitherforgreatheightorquantityofwater，asforthebeautifulaccompanimentswhichmadethespotinteresting。Afterabrokencataractofabouttwentyfeet，thestreamwasreceivedinalargenaturalbasinfilledtothebrimwithwater，which，whenthebubblesofthefallsubsided，wassoexquisitelyclear，that，althoughitwasofgreatdepth，theeyecoulddiscerneachpebbleatthebottom。Eddyingroundthisreservoir，thebrookfounditswayoverabrokenpartoftheledge，andformedasecondfall，whichseemedtoseektheveryabyss；then，wheelingoutbeneathfromamongthesmoothdarkrocks，whichithadpolishedforages，itwanderedmurmuringdowntheglen，formingthestreamupwhichWaverleyhadjustascended。<>ThebordersofthisromanticreservoirNoteO。Waterfall。’’<！p153>

correspondedinbeauty；butitwasbeautyofasternandcommandingcast，asifintheactofexpandingintograndeur。

Mossybanksofturfwerebrokenandinterruptedbyhugefragmentsofrock，anddecoratedwithtreesandshrubs，someofwhichhadbeenplantedunderthedirectionofFlora，butsocautiously，thattheyaddedtothegrace，withoutdiminishingtheromanticwildnessofthescene。

Here，likeoneofthoselovelyformswhichdecoratethelandscapesofPoussin，WaverleyfoundFloragazingonthewaterfall。TwopacesfurtherbackstoodCathleen，holdingasmallScottishharp，theuseofwhichhadbeentaughttoFlorabyRoryDall，oneofthelastharpersoftheWesternHighlands。

Thesun，nowstoopinginthewest，gavearichandvarie