第42章

Gaehame，gudewife，’’quoththefarmeraforesaid。itwadbettersetyoutobenursingthegudeman’sbairnsthantobedeavingushere。’’

_His_bairns！’’retortedtheamazon，regardingherhusbandwithagrinofineffablecontempt-_His_bairns！

Oginyeweredead，gudeman，Andagreenturfonyourhead，gudeman！

ThenIwadwaremywidowhoodUponarantingHighlandman。’’

Thiscanticle，whichexcitedasuppressedtitteramongtheyoungerpartoftheaudience，totallyovercamethepatienceofhetauntedmanoftheanvil。DeilbeinmebutI’llputthishetgaddownherthroat！’’criedhe，inanecstasyofwrath，snatchingabarfromtheforge；andhemighthaveexecutedhisthreat，hadhenotbeenwithheldbyapartofthemob，whiletherestendeavouredtoforcethetermagantoutofhispresence。

Waverleymeditatedaretreatintheconfusion，buthishorsewasnowheretobeseen。Atlengthheobserved，atsomedistance，hisfaithfulattendant，Ebenezer，who，assoonashehadperceivedtheturnmatterswerelikelytotake，hadwithdrawnbothhorsesfromthepress，and，mountedontheone，andholdingtheother，answeredtheloudandrepeatedcallsofWaverleyforhishorse-Na，na！ifyearenaefriendtokirkandtheking，andaredetainedassiccanaperson，yemaunanswertohonestmenofthecountryforbreachofcontractandImaunkeepthenaigandthewalisefordamageandexpense，inrespectmyhorseandmysellwillloseto-morrow’sday’s-wark，besidestheafternoonpreaching。’’

Edward，outofpatience，hemmedinandhustledbytherabbleoneveryside，andeverymomentexpectingpersonalviolence，resolvedtotrymeasuresofintimidation，andatlengthdrewapocket-pistol，threatening，ontheonehand，toshootwhomsoeverdaredtostophim，and，ontheother，menacingEbenezerwithasimilardoom，ifhestirredafootwiththehorses。ThesapientPartridgesays，thatonemanwithapistolisequaltoahundredunarmed，because，thoughhecanshootbutoneofthemultitude，yetnooneknowsbutthathehimselfmaybethatlucklessindividual。The_levyenmasse_ofCairnvreckanwouldthereforeprobablyhavegivenway，norwouldEbenezer，whosenaturalpalenesshadwaxedthreeshadesmorecadaverous，haveventuredtodisputeamandatesoenforced，hadnottheVulcanofthevillage，eagertodischargeuponsomemoreworthyobjectthefurywhichhishelpmatehadprovoked，andnotillsatisfiedtofindsuchanobjectinWaverley，rushedathimwiththered-hotbarofiron，withsuchdeterminationasmadethedischargeofhispistolanactofself-defence。

Theunfortunatemanfell；andwhileEdward，thrilledwithanaturalhorrorattheincident，neitherhadpresenceofmindtounsheathehisswordnortodrawhisremainingpistol，thepopulacethrewthemselvesuponhim，disarmedhim，andwereabouttousehimwithgreatviolence，whentheappearanceofavenerableclergyman，thepastoroftheparish，putacurbontheirfury。

Thisworthyman(noneoftheGoukthrapplesorRentowels)

maintainedhischaracterwiththecommonpeople，althoughhepreachedthepracticalfruitsofChristianfaith，aswellasitsabstracttenets，andwasrespectedbythehigherorders，notwithstandinghedeclinedsoothingtheirspeculativeerrorsbyconvertingthepulpitofthegospelintoaschoolofheathenmorality。Perhapsitisowingtothismixtureoffaithandpracticeinhisdoctrinethat，althoughhismemoryhasformedasortoferaintheannalsofCairnvreckan，sothattheparishioners，todenotewhatbefellSixtyYearssince，stillsayithappenedingoodMr。Morton’stime，’’Ihaveneverbeenabletodiscoverwhichhebelongedto，theevangelicalorthemoderatepartyinthekirk。NordoIholdthecircumstanceofmuchmoment，since，inmyownremembrance，theonewasheadedbyanErskine，theotherbyaRobertson。<>

TheRev。JohnErskine，D。D。，aneminentScottishdivine，andamostexcellentman，headedtheEvangelicalpartyintheChurchofScotlandatthetimewhenthecelebratedDr。Robertson，thehistorian，wastheleaderoftheModerateparty。ThesetwodistinguishedpersonswerecolleaguesintheOldGrey-Friars’Church，Edinburgh；and，howevermuchtheydifferedinchurchpolitics，preservedthemostperfectharmonyasprivatefriends，andasclergymenservingthesamecure。

Mr。Mortonhadbeenalarmedbythedischargeofthepistol，andtheincreasinghubbubaroundthesmithy。Hisfirstattention，afterhehaddirectedthebystanderstodetainWaverley，buttoabstainfrominjuringhim，wasturnedtothebodyofMucklewrath，ove