第50章

wadneverhelpmetomysillerforsendingoutnaigsagainsttheGovernment，why，conscience！sir，Ithoughtmybestchanceforpaymentwase’ento_gaeout_<>mysell；andyemayTo_goout，_or_tohavebeenout，_inScotland，wasaconventionalphrasesimilartothatoftheIrishrespectingamanhavingbeen_up，_bothhavingreferencetoanindividualwhohadbeenengagedininsurrection。Itwasaccountedill-breedinginScotland，aboutfortyyearssince，tousethephrase_rebellion_or_rebel，_whichmightbeinterpretedbysomeofthepartiespresentasapersonalinsult。ItwasalsoesteemedmorepoliteevenforstaunchWhigstodenominateCharlesEdwardtheChevalier，thantospeakofhimasthePretender；andthiskindofaccommodatingcourtesywasusuallyobservedinsocietywhereindividualsofeachpartymixedonfriendlyterms。

judge，sir，asIhaedealta’mylifeinhalters，Ithinknamickleo’puttingmycraiginperilofaSt。Johnstone’stippet。’’<>

(_St。Johnstone’sTippet，_literallya_halter。_PerthwasformerlyknownasSt。John’sTown，fromthenameoftheTutelarySaint。InanoldpoembyH。Adamson，1638，thereoccurstheproverbialsaying-

Andincontempt，whenanyroguetheysee，Theysay，SaintJohnstone’sribbon’smeetforthee。’’

ThisProverb，saystheeditorofAdamsonin1774，iswellunderstoodinPerthandthroughtheshire。Itisappliedtopeoplewhodeservetobehanged)。

Youarenot，then，byprofessionasoldier？’’saidWaverley。

Na，na；thankGod，’’answeredthisdoughtypartisan，I

wasnabredatsaeshortatether；Iwasbroughtuptohackandmanger。Iwasbredahorse-couper，sir；andifImightlivetoseeyouatWhitson-tryst，oratStagshawbank，orthewinterfairatHawick，andyewantedaspankerthatwouldleadthefield，I’sebecautionIwouldserveyeeasy；forJamieJinkerwasne’ertheladtoimposeuponagentleman。Ye’reagentleman，sir，andshouldkenahorse’spoints；yeseethatthroughgaugingthingthatBalmawhapple’son；Iselledher’tillhim。

ShewasbredoutofLick-the-Ladle，thatwantheking’splateatCaverton-Edge，byDukeHamilton’sWhite-foot，’’etc。etc。etc。

ButasJinkerwasenteredfullsailuponthepedigreeofBalmawhapple’smare，havingalreadygotasfarasgreat-grand-sireandgreat-grand-dam，andwhileWaverleywaswatchingforanopportunitytoobtainfromhimintelligenceofmoreinterest，thenoblecaptaincheckedhishorseuntiltheycameup，andthen，withoutdirectlyappearingtonoticeEdward，saidsternlytothegenealogist，Ithought，lieutenant，myorderswerepreceese，thatnooneshouldspeaktotheprisoner？’’

Themetamorphosedhorse-dealerwassilencedofcourse，andslunktotherear，whereheconsoledhimselfbyenteringintoavehementdisputeuponthepriceofhaywithafarmer，whohadreluctantlyfollowedhislairdtothefield，ratherthangiveuphisfarm，whereoftheleasehadjustexpired。Waverleywasthereforeoncemoreconsignedtosilence，foreseeingthatfurtherattemptsatconversationwithanyofthepartywouldonlygiveBalmawhappleawished-foropportunitytodisplaytheinsolenceofauthority，andthesulkyspiteofatempernaturallydogged，andrenderedmoresobyhabitsoflowindulgenceandtheincenseofservileadulation。

Inabouttwohours’time，thepartywereneartheCastleofStirling，overwhosebattlementstheunionflagwasbrightenedasitwavedintheeveningsun。Toshortenhisjourney，orperhapstodisplayhisimportance，andinsulttheEnglishgarrison，Balmawhapple，incliningtotheright，tookhisroutethroughtheroyalparkwhichreachestoandsurroundstherockuponwhichthefortressissituated。

Withamindmoreatease，Waverleycouldnothavefailedtoadmirethemixtureofromanceandbeautywhichrendersinterestingthescenethroughwhichhewasnowpassingthefieldwhichhadbeenthesceneofthetournamentsofold-therockfromwhichtheladiesbeheldthecontest，whileeachmadevowsforthesuccessofsomefavouriteknight-thetowersoftheGothicchurch，wherethesevowsmightbepaid-and，surmountingall，thefortressitself，atonceacastleandpalace，wherevalourreceivedtheprizefromroyalty，andknightsanddamesclosedtheeveningamidtherevelryofthedance，thesong，andthefeast。Allthesewereobjectsfittedtoarouseandinterestaroman