第63章

YousawwhenCorrinaschianraisedhisvoiceingreatpassion，andlaidhishanduponhissword，Waverleyliftedhisheadasifhehadjustawakedfromadream，andasked，withgreatcomposure，whatthematterwas。’’

Well，anddidnotthelaughtertheyfellintoathisabsenceofmind，servebettertobreakoffthedisputethananythinghecouldhavesaidtothem？’’

True，mydear，’’answeredFlora；butnotquitesocreditablyforWaverleyasifhehadbroughtthemtotheirsensesbyforceofreason。’’

Wouldyouhavehimpeace-makergeneralbetweenallthegunpowderHighlandersinthearmy？Ibegyourpardon，Flora-yourbrother，youknow，isoutofthequestion；hehasmoresensethanhalfofthem。Butcanyouthinkthefierce，hot，furiousspirits，ofwhosebrawlsweseemuch，andhearmore，andwhoterrifymeoutofmylifeeverydayintheworld，areatalltobecomparedtoWaverley？’’

Idonotcomparehimwiththoseuneducatedmen，mydearRose。Ionlylament，that，withhistalentsandgenius，hedoesnotassumethatplaceinsocietyforwhichtheyeminentlyfithim，andthathedoesnotlendtheirfullimpulsetothenoblecauseinwhichhehasenlisted。AretherenotLochiel，andP，andM，andG，allmenofthehighesteducation，aswellasthefirsttalents？-whywillhenotstooplikethemtobealiveanduseful？-Ioftenbelievehiszealisfrozenbythatproudcold-bloodedEnglishman，whomhenowliveswithsomuch。’’

ColonelTalbot？-heisaverydisagreeableperson，tobesure。HelooksasifhethoughtnoScottishwomanworththetroubleofhandingheracupoftea。ButWaverleyissogentle，sowellinformed’’

Yes，’’saidFlora，smiling；hecanadmirethemoon，andquoteastanzafromTasso。’’

Besides，youknowhowhefought，’’addedMissBradwardine。

Formerefighting，’’answeredFlora，Ibelieveallmen(thatis，whodeservethename)areprettymuchalike；thereisgenerallymorecouragerequiredtorunaway。Theyhave，besides，whenconfrontedwitheachother，acertaininstinctforstrife，asweseeinothermaleanimals，suchasdogs，bulls，andsoforth。ButhighandperilousenterpriseisnotWaverley’sforte。HewouldneverhavebeenhiscelebratedancestorSirNigel，butonlySirNigel’seulogistandpoet。Iwilltellyouwherehewillbeathome，mydear，andinhisplace，-inthequietcircleofdomestichappiness，letteredindolence，andelegantenjoyments，ofWaverley-Honour。AndhewillrefittheoldlibraryinthemostexquisiteGothictaste，andgarnishitsshelveswiththerarestandmostvaluablevolumesandhewilldrawplansandlandscapes，andwriteverses，andreartemples，anddiggrottoes；-andhewillstandinaclearsummernightinthecolonnadebeforethehall，andgazeonthedeerastheystrayinthemoonlight，orlieshadowedbytheboughsofthehugeoldfantasticoaks；-andhewillrepeatversestohisbeautifulwife，whowillhanguponhisarm；-andhewillbeahappyman。’’

Andshewillbeahappywoman，’’thoughtpoorRose。Butsheonlysighed，anddroppedtheconversation。

Waverleyhad，indeed，ashelookedcloserintothestateoftheChevalier’sCourt，lessreasontobesatisfiedwithit。Itcontained，astheysayanacornincludesalltheramificationsofthefutureoak，asmanyseedsof_tracasserie_andintrigueasmighthavedonehonourtotheCourtofalargeempire。Everypersonofconsequencehadsomeseparateobject，whichhepursuedwithafurythatWaverleyconsideredasaltogetherdisproportionedtoitsimportance。Almostallhadtheirreasonsfordiscontent，althoughthemostlegitimatewasthatoftheworthyoldBaron，whowasonlydistressedonaccountofthecommoncause。

Weshallhardly，’’saidheonemorningtoWaverley，whentheyhadbeenviewingtheCastle，-weshallhardlygaintheobsidionalcrown，whichyouwotwellwasmadeoftherootsorgrainwhichtakesrootwithintheplacebesieged，oritmaybeoftheherbwoodbine，_paretaria，_orpellitory；weshallnot，I

say，gainitbythissameblockadeorleaguerofEdinburghCastle。’’Forthisopinionhegavemostlearnedandsatisfactoryreasons，thatthereadermaynotcaretohearrepeated。

Havingescapedfromtheoldgentleman，WaverleywenttoFergus’slodgingsbyappointmenttoawaithisreturnfromHolyrood-House。Iamtohaveaparticulara