第61章

WhenWaverleyreturnedtoPreston，andrejoinedColonelTalbot，hefoundhimrecoveredfromthestrongandobviousemotionswithwhichaconcurrenceofunpleasingeventshadaffectedhim。Hehadregainedhisnaturalmanner，whichwasthatofanEnglishgentlemanandsoldier，manly，open，andgenerous，butnotunsusceptibleofprejudiceagainstthoseofadifferentcountry，orwhoopposedhiminpoliticaltenets。

WhenWaverleyacquaintedColonelTalbotwiththeChevalier’spurposetocommithimtohischarge，Ididnotthinktohaveowedsomuchobligationtothatyounggentleman，’’hesaid，asisimpliedinthisdestination。IcanatleastcheerfullyjoinintheprayerofthehonestPresbyterianclergyman，that，ashehascomeamongusseekinganearthlycrown，hislaboursmaybespeedilyrewardedwithaheavenlyone。<>IshallTheclergyman’snamewasMac-Vicar。ProtectedbythecannonoftheCastle，hepreachedeverySundayintheWestKirk，whiletheHighlanderswereinpossessionofEdinburgh；anditwasinpresenceofsomeoftheJacobitesthatheprayedforPrinceCharlesEdwardinthetermsquotedinthetext。

willinglygivemyparolenottoattemptanescapewithoutyourknowledge，since，infact，itwastomeetyouthatIcametoScotland；andIamgladithashappenedevenunderthispredicament。ButIsupposeweshallbebutashorttimetogether。

YourChevalier(thatisanamewemaybothgivetohim)，withhisplaidsandblue-caps，will，Ipresume，becontinuinghiscrusadesouthward？’’

NotasIhear；IbelievethearmymakessomestayinEdinburgh，tocollectreinforcements。’’

AndtobesiegetheCastle？’’saidTalbot，smilingsarcastically。

Well，unlessmyoldcommander，GeneralPreston，turnfalsemetal，ortheCastlesinkintotheNorthLoch，eventswhichIdeemequallyprobable，Ithinkweshallhavesometimetomakeupouracquaintance。IhaveaguessthatthisgallantChevalierhasadesignthatIshouldbeyourproselyte；

and，asIwishyoutobemine，therecannotbeamorefairproposalthantoaffordusfairconferencetogether。ButasI

spoketo-dayundertheinfluenceoffeelingsIrarelygivewayto，Ihopeyouwillexcusemyenteringagainuponcontroversytillwearesomewhatbetteracquainted。’’

ItisnotnecessarytorecordinthesepagesthetriumphantentranceoftheChevalierintoEdinburghafterthedecisiveaffairofPreston。Onecircumstance，however，maybenoticed，becauseitillustratesthehighspiritofFloraMac-Ivor。TheHighlanders，bywhomthePrincewassurrounded，inthelicenseandextravaganceofthisjoyfulmoment，firedtheirpiecesrepeatedly，andoneofthesehavingbeenaccidentallyloadedwithball，thebulletgrazedtheyounglady’stempleasshewavedherhandkerchieffromabalcony。<>Fergus，whobeheldNoteY。MissNairne。<！p322>

theaccident，wasathersideinaninstant；and，onseeingthatthewoundwastrifling，hedrewhisbroadsword，withthepurposeofrushingdownuponthemanbywhosecarelessnessshehadincurredsomuchdanger，when，holdinghimbytheplaid，Donotharmthepoorfellow，’’shecried；forHeaven’ssakedonotharmhim！butthankGodwithmethattheaccidenthappenedtoFloraMac-Ivor；forhaditbefallenaWhigtheywouldhavepretendedthattheshotwasfiredonpurpose。’’

Waverleyescapedthealarmwhichthisaccidentwouldhaveoccasionedtohim，ashewasunavoidablydelayedbythenecessityofaccompanyingColonelTalbottoEdinburgh。

Theyperformedthejourneytogetheronhorseback，andforsometime，asiftosoundeachother’sfeelingsandsentiments，theyconversedupongeneralandordinarytopics。

WhenWaverleyagainentereduponthesubjectwhichhehadmostatheart，thesituation，namely，ofhisfatherandhisuncle，ColonelTalbotseemednowratherdesiroustoalleviatethantoaggravatehisanxiety。ThisappearedparticularlytobethecasewhenheheardWaverley’shistory，whichhedidnotscrupletoconfidetohim。

Andso，’’saidtheColonel，therehasbeennomaliceprepense，aslawyers，Ithink，termit，inthisrashstepofyours；

andyouhavebeentrepannedintotheserviceofthisItalianknight-errantbyafewcivilspeechesfromhim，andoneortwoofhisHighlandrecruitingsergeants？Itissadlyfoolish，tobesure，butnotnearlysobadasIwasledtoexpect。However，youcannotdesert，evenfromthePretender，atthepre