第58章

buthispurposewasdeprecatedbyallaroundhim，andhewaswithdifficultyinducedtoabandonit。

Bothlineswerenowmovingforward，thefirstpreparedforinstantcombat。Theclansofwhichitwascomposed，formedeachasortofseparatephalanx，narrowinfront，andindepthten，twelve，orfifteenfiles，accordingtothestrengthofthefollowing。Thebest-armedandbest-born，forthewordsweresynonymous，wereplacedinfrontofeachoftheseirregularsubdivisions。Theothersintherearshoulderedforwardthefront，andbytheirpressureaddedbothphysicalimpulse，andadditionalardourandconfidence，tothosewhowerefirsttoencounterthedanger。

Downwithyourplaid，Waverley，’’criedFergus，throwingoffhisown；we’llwinsilksforourtartansbeforethesunisabovethesea。’’

Theclansmenoneverysidestripttheirplaids，preparedtheirarms，andtherewasanawfulpauseofaboutthreeminutes，duringwhichthemen，pullingofftheirbonnets，raisedtheirfacestoheaven，andutteredashortprayer；thenpulledtheirbonnetsovertheirbrows，andbegantomoveforwardatfirstslowly。Waverleyfelthisheartatthatmomentthrobasitwouldhaveburstfromhisbosom，Itwasnotfear，itwasnotardour，-itwasacompoundofboth，anewanddeeplyenergeticimpulse，thatwithitsfirstemotionchilledandastounded，thenfeveredandmaddenedhismind。Thesoundsaroundhimcombinedtoexalthisenthusiasm；thepipesplayed，andtheclansrushedforward，eachinitsowndarkcolumn。Astheyadvancedtheymendedtheirpace，andthemutteringsoundsofthementoeachotherbegantoswellintoawildcry。

Atthismomentthesun，whichwasnowrisenabovethehorizon，dispelledthemist。Thevapoursroselikeacurtain，andshowedthetwoarmiesintheactofclosing。ThelineoftheregularswasformeddirectlyfrontingtheattackoftheHighlanders；

itglitteredwiththeappointmentsofacompletearmy，andwasflankedbycavalryandartillery。Butthesightimpressednoterrorontheassailants。

Forward，sonsofIvor，’’criedtheirChief，ortheCameronswilldrawthefirstblood！’’-Theyrushedonwithatremendousyell。

Therestiswellknown。Thehorse，whowerecommandedtochargetheadvancingHighlandersintheflank，receivedanirregularfirefromtheirfuseesastheyranon，and，seizedwithadisgracefulpanic，wavered，halted，disbanded，andgallopedfromthefield。Theartillerymen，desertedbythecavalry，fledafterdischargingtheirpieces，andtheHighlanders，whodroppedtheirgunswhenfired，anddrewtheirbroadswords，rushedwithheadlongfuryagainsttheinfantry。

Itwasatthismomentofconfusionandterror，thatWaverleyremarkedanEnglishofficer，apparentlyofhighrank，standingaloneandunsupportedbyafield-piece，which，aftertheflightofthemenbywhomitwaswrought，hehadhimselflevelledanddischargedagainsttheclanofMac-Ivor，thenearestgroupofHighlanderswithinhisaim。Struckwithhistall，martialfigure，andeagertosavehimfrominevitabledestruction，Waverleyoutstrippedforaninstanteventhespeediestofthewarriors，and，reachingthespotfirst，calledtohimtosurrender。

Theofficerrepliedbyathrustwithhissword，whichWaverleyreceivedinhistarget，andinturningitasidetheEnglishman’sweaponbroke。Atthesametimethebattle-axeofDugaldMahonywasintheactofdescendingupontheofficer’shead。

Waverleyinterceptedandpreventedtheblow，andtheofficer，perceivingfurtherresistanceunavailing，andstruckwithEdward’sgenerousanxietyforhissafety，resignedthefragmentofhissword，andwascommittedbyWaverleytoDugald，withstrictchargetousehimwell，andnottopillagehisperson，promisinghim，atthesametime，fullindemnificationforthespoil。

OnEdward’sright，thebattleforafewminutesragedfierceandthick。TheEnglishinfantry，trainedinthewarsinFlanders，stoodtheirgroundwithgreatcourage。Buttheirextendedfileswerepiercedandbrokeninmanyplacesbytheclosemassesoftheclans；andinthepersonalstrugglewhichensued，thenatureoftheHighlanders’weapons，andtheirextraordinaryfiercenessandactivity，gavethemadecidedsuperiorityoverthosewhohadbeenaccustomedtotrustmuchtotheirarrayanddiscipline，andfeltthattheonewasbrokenandtheotheruseless。Waverley，ashecasthiseyestowardsthissceneofsmokeandslaughter，observedColonelGardiner，desertedbyhisownsoldiersinspiteofallhisattemptstorallythem，yetspurringhishorsethr