第75章

themarvelofchildren(andofsomegrownpeopletoo，myselfforone)，whocanneithercomprehendthemysteryhowithasgotin，orhowitistobetakenout。Thecavewasverynarrow，toolowintherooftoadmitofhisstanding，oralmostofhissittingup，thoughhemadesomeawkwardattemptsatthelatterposture。HissoleamusementwastheperusalofhisoldfriendTitusLivius，variedbyoccasionallyscratchingLatinproverbsandtextsofScripturewithhisknifeontheroofandwallsofhisfortalice，whichwereofsandstone。Asthecavewasdry，andfilledwithcleanstrawandwitheredfern。itmade，’’ashesaid，coilinghimselfupwithanairofsnugnessandcomfortwhichcontrastedstrangelywithhissituation，unlesswhenthewindwasduenorth，averypassablegteforanoldsoldier。’’Neither，asheobserved，washewithoutsentriesforthepurposeofreconnoitring。Davieandhismotherwereconstantlyonthewatch，todiscoverandavertdanger；anditwassingularwhatinstancesofaddressseemeddictatedbytheinstinctiveattachmentofthepoorsimpleton，whenhispatron’ssafetywasconcerned。

WithJanet，Edwardnowsoughtaninterview。HehadrecognisedheratfirstsightastheoldwomanwhohadnursedhimduringhissicknessafterhisdeliveryfromGiftedGilfillan。Thehut，also，thoughalittlerepaired，andsomewhatbetterfurnished，wascertainlytheplaceofhisconfinement；andhenowrecollectedonthecommonmoorofTully-Veolanthetrunkofalargedecayedtree，calledthe_trysting-tree，_whichhehadnodoubtwasthesameatwhichtheHighlandersrendezvousedonthatmemorablenight。Allthishehadcombinedinhisimaginationthenightbefore；butreasons，whichmayprobablyoccurtothereader，preventedhimfromcatechizingJanetinthepresenceoftheBaron。

Henowcommencedthetaskingoodearnest；andthefirstquestionwas，Whowastheyoungladythatvisitedthehutduringhisillness？Janetpausedforalittle；andthenobserved，thattokeepthesecretnow，wouldneitherdogoodnorilltoanybody，Itwasjustaleddythathasnaherequalintheworld-MissRoseBradwardine。’’

ThenMissRosewasprobablyalsotheauthorofmydeliverance，’’

inferredWaverley，delightedattheconfirmationofanideawhichlocalcircumstanceshadalreadyinducedhimtoentertain。

Iwotweel，Mr。Wauverley，andthatwasshee’en；butsair，sairangryandaffrontedwadshehaebeen，puirthing，ifshehadthoughtyehadbeenevertokenawordaboutthematter；forshegar’dmespeakayeGaelicwhenyewasinhearing，tomaketrowwewereintheHielands。Icanspeakitweileneugh，formymotherwasaHielandwoman。’’

AfewmorequestionsnowbroughtoutthewholemysteryrespectingWaverley’sdeliverancefromthebondageinwhichheleftCairnvreckan。Neverdidmusicsoundsweetertoanamateur，thanthedrowsytautology，withwhicholdJanetdetailedeverycircumstance，thrilledupontheearsofWaverley。

Butmyreaderisnotalover，andImustsparehispatience，byattemptingtocondensewithinreasonablecompassthenarrativewhicholdJanetspreadthroughaharangueofnearlytwohours。

WhenWaverleycommunicatedtoFergustheletterhehadreceivedfromRoseBradwardine，byDavieGellatley，givinganaccountofTully-Veolanbeingoccupiedbyasmallpartyofsoldiers，thatcircumstancehadstruckuponthebusyandactivemindoftheChieftain。Eagertodistressandnarrowthepostsoftheenemy，desiroustopreventtheirestablishingagarrisonsonearhim，andwillingalsotoobligetheBaron，-forheoftenhadtheideaofmarriagewithRosefloatingthroughhisbrain，-heresolvedtosendsomeofhispeopletodriveoutthered-coats，andtobringRosetoGlennaquoich。ButjustashehadorderedEvanwithasmallpartyonthisduty，thenewsofCope’shavingmarchedintotheHighlandstomeetanddispersetheforcesoftheChevaliereretheycametoahead，obligedhimtojointhestandardwithhiswholeforces。

HesenttoorderDonaldBeantoattendhim；butthatcautiousfreebooter，whowellunderstoodthevalueofaseparatecommand，insteadofjoining，sentvariousapologieswhichthepressureofthetimescompelledFergustoadmitascurrent，thoughnotwithouttheinternalresolutionofbeingrevengedonhimforhisprocrastination，timeandplaceconvenient。