第38章

spectbeforehim，heatlengtharrivednearthecascade，where，asFergushadaugured，hefoundFloraseated。

Shewasquitealone；and，assoonassheobservedhisapproach，shearose，andcametomeethim。Edwardattemptedtosaysomethingwithinthevergeofordinarycomplimentandconversation，butfoundhimselfunequaltothetask。Floraseemedatfirstequallyembarrassed，butrecoveredherselfmorespeedily，and(anunfavourableauguryforWaverley’ssuit)wasthefirsttoenteruponthesubjectoftheirlastinterview。Itistooimportant，ineverypointofview，Mr。Waverley，topermitmetoleaveyouindoubtonmysentiments。’’

Donotspeakthemspeedily，’’saidWaverley，muchagitated，unlesstheyaresuchas，Ifearfromyourmanner，Imustnotdaretoanticipate。Lettime-letmyfutureconduct-letyourbrother’sinfluence’’

Forgiveme，Mr。Waverley，’’saidFlora，hercomplexionalittleheightened，buthervoicefirmandcomposed。Ishouldincurmyownheavycensure，didIdelayexpressingmysincereconvictionthatIcanneverregardyouotherwisethanasavaluedfriend。IshoulddoyouthehighestinjusticedidI

concealmysentimentsforamoment。IseeIdistressyou，andIgrieveforit，butbetternowthanlater；andO，betterathousandtimes，Mr。Waverley，thatyoushouldfeelapresentmomentarydisappointment，thanthelongandheart-sickeninggriefswhichattendarashandill-assortedmarriage！’’

GoodGod！’’exclaimedWaverley，whyshouldyouanticipatesuchconsequencesfromaunionwherebirthisequal，wherefortuneisfavourable，where，ifImayventuretosayso，thetastesaresimilar，whereyouallegenopreferenceforanother，whereyouevenexpressafavourableopinionofhimwhomyoureject？’’

Mr。Waverley，I_have_thatfavourableopinion，’’answeredFlora；andsostrongly，thatthoughIwouldratherhavebeensilentonthegroundsofmyresolution，youshallcommandthem，ifyouexactsuchamarkofmyesteemandconfidence。’’

Shesatdownuponafragmentofrock，andWaverley，placinghimselfnearher，anxiouslypressedfortheexplanationsheoffered。

Idarehardly，’’shesaid，tellyouthesituationofmyfeelings，theyaresodifferentfromthoseusuallyascribedtoyoungwomenatmyperiodoflife；andIdarehardlytouchuponwhatIconjecturetobethenatureofyours，lestIshouldgiveoffencewhereIwouldwillinglyadministerconsolation。

Formyself，frommyinfancytillthisday，Ihavehadbutonewish-therestorationofmyroyalbenefactorstotheirrightfulthrone。Itisimpossibletoexpresstoyouthedevotionofmyfeelingstothissinglesubject；andIwillfranklyconfess，thatithassooccupiedmymindastoexcludeeverythoughtrespectingwhatiscalledmyownsettlementinlife。Letmebutlivetoseethedayofthathappyrestoration，andaHighlandcottage，aFrenchconvent，oranEnglishpalace，willbealikeindifferenttome。’’

But，dearestFlora，howisyourenthusiasticzealfortheexiledfamilyinconsistentwithmyhappiness？’’

Becauseyouseek，oroughttoseekintheobjectofyourattachment，aheartwhoseprincipaldelightshouldbeinaugmentingyourdomesticfelicity，andreturningyouraffection，eventotheheightofromance。Toamanoflesskeensensibility，andlessenthusiastictendernessofdisposition，FloraMac-Ivormightgivecontent，ifnothappiness；forweretheirrevocablewordsspoken，neverwouldshebedeficientinthedutieswhichshevowed。’’

Andwhy-why，MissMac-Ivor，shouldyouthinkyourselfamorevaluabletreasuretoonewhoislesscapableofloving，ofadmiringyou，thantome？’’

Simplybecausethetoneofouraffectionswouldbemoreinunison，andbecausehismorebluntedsensibilitywouldnotrequirethereturnofenthusiasmwhichIhavenottobestow。

Butyou，Mr。Waverley，wouldforeverrefertotheideaofdomestichappinesswhichyourimaginationiscapableofpainting，andwhateverfellshortofthatidealrepresentationwouldbeconstruedintocoolnessandindifference，whileyoumightconsidertheenthusiasmwithwhichIregardedthesuccessoftheroyalfamilyasdefraudingyouraffectionofitsduereturn。’’

Inotherwords，MissMac-Ivor，youcannotloveme？’’saidhersuitordejectedly。

Icouldesteemyou，Mr。Waverley，asmuch，perhapsmore，thananymanIhaveeverseen；butIcannotloveyouasyououghttobeloved。O！donot，foryourownsake，desiresohazardousanexperiment！Thewomanwhomyoumarryoughttohaveaffectionsandopinionsmouldeduponyours。Herstudiesoughttobeyourstudies；-herwishes，herfeelings，herhopes，herfears，shouldallminglewithyours。Sheshouldenhanceyourpleasures，shareyoursorrows，andcheeryourmelancholy。’’

Andwhywillnotyou，MissMac-Ivor，whocansowelldescribeahappyunion-whywillnotyoubeyourselfthepersonyoudescribe？’’

Isitpossibleyoudonotyetcomprehendme？’’answeredFlora。HaveInottoldyouthateverykeenersensationofmymindisbentexclusivelytowardsanevent，uponwhich，indeed，Ihavenopo