第54章

Itisbuttoowellknownhowmanygentlemenofrank，education，andfortune，tookaconcernintheill-fatedanddesperateundertakingof1745。Theladies，also，ofScotlandverygenerallyespousedthecauseofthegallantandhandsomeyoungPrince，whothrewhimselfuponthemercyofhiscountrymen，ratherlikeaheroofromancethanacalculatingpolitician。

Itisnot，therefore，tobewonderedthatEdward，whohadspentthegreaterpartofhislifeinthesolemnseclusionofWaverley-Honour，shouldhavebeendazzledatthelivelinessandeleganceofthescenenowexhibitedinthelong-desertedhallsoftheScottishpalace。Theaccompaniments，indeed，fellshortofsplendour，beingsuchastheconfusionandhurryofthetimeadmitted；still，however，thegeneraleffectwasstriking，andtherankofthecompanyconsidered，mightwellbecalledbrilliant。

Itwasnotlongbeforethelover’seyediscoveredtheobjectofhisattachment。FloraMac-Ivorwasintheactofreturningtoherseat，nearthetopoftheroom，withRoseBradwardinebyherside。Amongmucheleganceandbeauty，theyhadattractedagreatdegreeofthepublicattention，beingcertainlytwoofthehandsomestwomenpresent。ThePrincetookmuchnoticeofboth，particularlyofFlora，withwhomhedanced；apreferencewhichsheprobablyowedtoherforeigneducationandcommandoftheFrenchandItalianlanguages。

Whenthebustleattendingtheconclusionofthedancepermitted，Edward，almostintuitively，followedFergustotheplacewhereMissMac-Ivorwasseated。Thesensationofhopewithwhichhehadnursedhisaffectioninabsenceofthebelovedobjectseemedtovanishinherpresence，and，likeonestrivingtorecovertheparticularsofaforgottendream，hewouldhavegiventheworldatthatmomenttohaverecollectedthegroundsonwhichhehadfoundedexpectationswhichnowseemedsodelusive。HeaccompaniedFerguswithdowncasteyes，tinglingears，andthefeelingsofthecriminal，who，whilethemelancholycartmovesslowlythroughthecrowdsthathaveassembledtobeholdhisexecution，receivesnoclearsensationeitherfromthenoisewhichfillshisears，orthetumultonwhichhecastshiswanderinglook。

Floraseemedalittle-averylittle-affectedanddiscomposedathisapproach。IbringyouanadoptedsonofIvor，’’saidFergus。

AndIreceivehimasasecondbrother，’’repliedFlora。

Therewasaslightemphasisontheword，whichwouldhaveescapedeveryearbutonethatwasfeverishwithapprehension。

Itwas，however，distinctlymarked，and，combinedwithherwholetoneandmanner，plainlyintimated，IwillneverthinkofMr。Waverleyasamoreintimateconnexion。’’Edwardstopped，bowed，andlookedatFergus，whobithislip；amovementofanger，whichprovedthathealsohadputasinisterinterpretationonthereceptionwhichhissisterhadgivenhisfriend。Thisthenisanendofmyday-dream！’’SuchwasWaverley’sfirstthought，anditwassoexquisitelypainfulastobanishfromhischeekeverydropofblood。

GoodGod！’’saidRoseBradwardine，heisnotyetrecovered！’’

Thesewords，whichsheutteredwithgreatemotion，wereoverheardbytheChevalierhimself，whosteppedhastilyforward，andtakingWaverleybythehand，inquiredkindlyafterhishealth，andadded，thathewishedtospeakwithhim。Byastrongandsuddeneffort，whichthecircumstancesrenderedindispensable，WaverleyrecoveredhimselfsofarastofollowtheChevalierinsilencetoarecessintheapartment。

HerethePrincedetainedhimsometime，askingvariousquestionsaboutthegreatToryandCatholicfamiliesofEngland，theirconnexions，theirinfluence，andthestateoftheiraffectionstowardsthehouseofStuart。TothesequeriesEdwardcouldnotatanytimehavegivenmorethangeneralanswers，anditmaybesupposedthat，inthepresentstateofhisfeelings，hisresponseswereindistinct，eventoconfusion。TheChevaliersmiledonceortwiceattheincongruityofhisreplies，butcontinuedthesamestyleofconversation，althoughhefoundhimselfobligedtooccupytheprincipalshareofit，untilheperceivedthatWaverleyhadrecoveredhispresenceofmind。ItisprobablethatthislongaudiencewaspartlymeanttofurthertheideawhichthePrincedesiredshouldbeentertainedamonghisfollowers，thatWaverleywasacharacterofpoliticalinfluence。

Butitappearedfromhisconcludingexpressions，thathehadadifferentandgood-naturedmotive，personaltoourhero，forprolongingtheconference。Icannotresistthetemptation，’’

hesaid，ofboastingofmyowndiscretionasalady’sconfidant。

Yousee，Mr。Waverley，thatIknowall，andIassureyouI

amdeeplyinterestedintheaffair。But，mygoodyoungfriend，youmustputamoresever