第52章

recognisehishandparticularlyinthemodeofyourrescuefromthatcantingrascalGilfillan，andIhavelittledoubtthatDonaldhimselfplayedthepartofthepedlaronthatoccasion；buthowheshouldnothaveplunderedyou，orputyoutoransom，oravailedhimselfinsomewayorotherofyourcaptivityforhisownadvantage，passesmyjudgment。’’

Whenandhowdidyouheartheintelligenceofmyconfinement？’’

askedWaverley。

Theprincehimselftoldme，’’saidFergus，andinquiredveryminutelyintoyourhistory。Hethenmentionedyourbeingatthatmomentinthepowerofoneofournorthernparties-youknowIcouldnotaskhimtoexplainparticulars-

andrequestedmyopinionaboutdisposingofyou。Irecommendedthatyoushouldbebroughthereasaprisoner，becauseIdidnotwishtoprejudiceyoufartherwiththeEnglishGovernment，incaseyoupursuedyourpurposeofgoingsouthward。

Iknewnothing，youmustrecollect，ofthechargebroughtagainstyouofaidingandabettinghightreason，which，Ipresume，hadsomeshareinchangingyouroriginalplan。

Thatsullen，good-for-nothingbrute，Balmawhapple，wassenttoescortyoufromDoune，withwhathecallshistroopofhorse。

Astohisbehaviour，inadditiontohisnaturalantipathytoeverythingthatresemblesagentleman，IpresumehisadventurewithBradwardineranklesinhisrecollection，theratherthatI

daresayhismodeoftellingthatstorycontributedtotheevilreportswhichreachedyourquondamregiment。’’

Verylikely，’’saidWaverley；butnowsurely，mydearFergus，youmayfindtimetotellmesomethingofFlora。’’

Why，’’repliedFergus，Icanonlytellyouthatsheiswell，andresidingforthepresentwitharelationinthiscity。

Ithoughtitbettersheshouldcomehere，assinceoursuccessagoodmanyladiesofrankattendourmilitarycourt；andI

assureyou，thatthereisasortofconsequenceannexedtothenearrelativeofsuchapersonasFloraMac-Ivor；andwherethereissuchajustlingofclaimsandrequests，amanmustuseeveryfairmeanstoenhancehisimportance。’’

TherewassomethinginthislastsentencewhichgratedonWaverley’sfeelings。HecouldnotbearthatFlorashouldbeconsideredasconductingtoherbrother’spreferment，bytheadmirationwhichshemustunquestionablyattract；andalthoughitwasinstrictcorrespondencewithmanypointsofFergus’scharacter，itshockedhimasselfish，andunworthyofhissister’shighmind，andhisownindependentpride。Fergus，towhomsuchmanuvreswerefamiliar，astoonebroughtupattheFrenchcourt，didnotobservetheunfavourableimpressionwhichhehadunwarilymadeuponhisfriend’smind，andconcludedbysaying，thattheycouldhardlyseeFlorabeforetheevening，whenshewouldbeattheconcertandball，withwhichthePrince’spartyweretobeentertained。SheandIhadaquarrelabouthernotappearingtotakeleaveofyou。Iamunwillingtorenewit，bysolicitinghertoreceiveyouthismorning；andperhapsmydoingsomightnotonlybeineffectual，butpreventyourmeetingthisevening。’’

Whilethusconversing，Waverleyheardinthecourt，beforethewindowsoftheparlour，awell-knownvoice。Iavertoyou，myworthyfriend，’’saidthespeaker，thatitisatotalderelictionofmilitarydiscipline；andwereyounotasitwerea_tyro，_yourpurposewoulddeservestrongreprobation。Foraprisonerofwarisonnoaccounttobecoercedwithfetters，ordetained_inergastulo，_aswouldhavebeenthecasehadyouputthisgentlemanintothepitofthepeel-houseatBalmawhapple。

Igrant，indeed，thatsuchaprisonermayforsecuritybecoerced_incarcere，_thatis，inapublicprison。’’

ThegrowlingvoiceofBalmawhapplewasheardastakingleaveindispleasure，butthewordland-louper，’’alonewasdistinctlyaudible。HehaddisappearedbeforeWaverleyreachedthehouse，inordertogreettheworthyBaronofBradwardine。

Theuniforminwhichhewasnowattired，abluecoat，namely，withgoldlace，ascarletwaistcoatandbreeches，andimmensejack-boots，seemedtohaveaddedf