第33章

AsFloraconcludedhersong，Fergusstoodbeforethem。I

knewIshouldfindyouhere，evenwithouttheassistanceofmyfriendBran。Asimpleandunsublimedtastenow，likemyown，wouldpreferajetd’eauatVersaillestothiscascadewithallitsaccompanimentsofrockandroar；butthisisFlora’sParnassus，CaptainWaverley，andthatfountainherHelicon。Itwouldbegreatlyforthebenefitofmycellarifshecouldteachhercoadjutor，Mac-Murrough，thevalueofitsinfluence：hehasjustdrunkapintofusquebaughtocorrect，hesaid，thecoldnessoftheclaret-Letmetryitsvirtues。’’Hesippedalittlewaterinthehollowofhishand，andimmediatelycommenced，withatheatricalair，-

OLadyofthedesert，hail！

Thatlov’sttheharpingoftheGael，Throughfairandfertileregionsborne，Whereneveryetgrewgrassorcorn。

ButEnglishpoetrywillneversucceedundertheinfluenceofaHighlandHelicon-_Allonscourage！_-

Ovous，quibuvez，tassepleine，Acetteheureusefontaine，Oonnevoit，surlerivage，Quequelquesvilainstroupeaux，Suivisdenymphesdevillage，Quilesescortentsanssabots’’

Atruce，dearFergus！spareusthosemosttediousandinsipidpersonsofallArcadia，Donot，forheaven’ssake，bringdownCorridonandLindoruponus。’’

Nay，ifyoucannotrelish_lahouletteetlechalumeau，_havewithyouinheroicstrains。’’

DearFergus，youhavecertainlypartakenoftheinspirationofMac-Murrough’scupratherthanofmine。’’

Idisclaimit，_mabelledemoiselle，_althoughIprotestitwouldbethemorecongenialofthetwo。Whichofyourcrack-brainedItalianromancersisitthatsays，Iod’EliconanienteMicuro，infediDio，che’lbered’acque(Beachibernevuol)sempremespiacque！<>

Goodsooth，IrecknotofyourHelicon；

Drinkwaterwhosowill，infaithIwilldrinknone。

ButifyouprefertheGaelic，CaptainWaverley，hereislittleCathleenshallsingyouDrimmindhu-Come，Cathleen，_astore_

(_i。e。_mydear)，begin；noapologiestothe_Ceankinn。_’’

CathleensungwithmuchlivelinessalittleGaelicsong，theburlesqueelegyofacountrymanonthelossofhiscow，thecomictonesofwhich，thoughhedidnotunderstandthelanguage，madeWaverleylaughmorethanonce。<>

ThisancientGaelicdittyisstillwellknown，bothintheHighlandsandinIreland。ItwastranslatedintoEnglish，andpublished，ifImistakenot，undertheauspicesofthefacetiousTomD’Urfey，bythetitleofColley，myCow。’’

Admirable，Cathleen！’’criedtheChieftain；Imustfindyouahandsomehusbandamongtheclansmenoneofthesedays。’’

Cathleenlaughed，blushed，andshelteredherselfbehindhercompanion。

Intheprogressoftheirreturntothecastle，theChieftainwarmlypressedWaverleytoremainforaweekortwo，inordertoseeagrandhuntingparty，inwhichheandsomeotherHighlandgentlemenproposedtojoin。ThecharmsofmelodyandbeautyweretoostronglyimpressedinEdward’sbreasttopermithisdeclininganinvitationsopleasing。Itwasagreed，therefore，thatheshouldwriteanotetotheBaronofBradwardine，expressinghisintentiontostayafortnightatGlennaquoich，andrequestinghimtoforwardbythebearer(a_gilly_oftheChieftain’s)anyletterswhichmighthavearrivedforhim。

ThisturnedthediscourseupontheBaron，whomFergushighlyextolledasagentlemanandsoldier。HischaracterwastouchedwithyetmorediscriminationbyFlora，whoobservedthathewastheverymodeloftheoldScottishcavalier，withallhisexcellencesandpeculiarities。Itisacharacter，CaptainWaverley，whichisfastdisappearing；foritsbestpointwasaself-respect，whichwasneverlostsightoftillnow。Butinthepresenttimethegentlemenwhoseprinciplesdonotpermitthemtopaycourttotheexistinggovernmentareneglectedanddegraded，andmanyconductthemselvesaccordingly；and，likesomeofthepersonsyouhaveseenatTully-Veolan，adopthabitsandcompanionsinconsistentwiththeirbirthandbreeding。Theruthlessproscriptionofpartyseemstodegradethevictimswhomitbrands，howeverunjustly。Butletushopethatabrighterdayisapproaching，whenaScottishcountry-gentlemanmaybeascholarwithoutthepedantryofourfriendtheBaron；asportsmanwithoutthelowhabitsofMr。Falconer；andajudiciousimproverofhisproperty，withoutbecomingaboorishtwo-leggedsteerlikeKillancureit。’’