第78章

Andsometimes，ifpapaandmammawerenotinthewaytokeepthemontheirgoodbehaviour，theMisseswouldtitteralittle。TheoldLairdofDuchranwouldalsohavehisoccasionaljest，andtheoldladyherremark。EventheBaroncouldnotrefrain；buthereRoseescapedeveryembarrassmentbutthatofconjecture，forhiswitwasusuallycouchedinaLatinquotation。

Theveryfootmensometimesgrinnedtoobroadly，themaid-servantsgiggledmayhaptooloud，andaprovokingairofintelligenceseemedtopervadethewholefamily。AliceBean，theprettymaidofthecavern，who，afterherfather’s_misfortune，_

asshecalledit，hadattendedRoseasfille-de-chambre，smiledandsmirkedwiththebestofthem。RoseandEdward，however，enduredalltheselittlevexatiouscircumstancesasotherfolkshavedonebeforeandsince，andprobablycontrivedtoobtainsomeidemnification，sincetheyarenotsupposed，onthewhole，tohavebeenparticularlyunhappyduringWaverley’ssixdays’

stayattheDuchran。

ItwasfinallyarrangedthatEdwardshouldgotoWaverley-Honourtomakethenecessaryarrangementsforhismarriage，thencetoLondontotakethepropermeasuresforpleadinghispardon，andreturnassoonaspossibletoclaimthehandofhisplightedbride。HealsointendedinhisjourneytovisitColonelTalbot；butaboveall，itwashismostimportantobjecttolearnthefateoftheunfortunateChiefofGlennaquoich；tovisithimatCarlisle，andtotrywhetheranythingcouldbedoneforprocuring，ifnotapardon，acommutationatleast，oralleviation，ofthepunishmenttowhichhewasalmostcertainofbeingcondemned；-andincaseoftheworst，toofferthemiserableFloraanasylumwithRose，orotherwisetoassistherviewsinanymodewhichmightseempossible。ThefateofFergusseemedhardtobeaverted。EdwardhadalreadystriventointeresthisfriendColonelTalbotinhisbehalf；buthadbeengivendistinctlytounderstand，byhisreply，thathiscreditinmattersofthatnaturewastotallyexhausted。

TheColonelwasstillinEdinburgh，andproposedtowaitthereforsomemonthsuponbusinessconfidedtohimbytheDukeofCumberland。HewastobejoinedbyLadyEmily，towhomeasytravellingandgoat’swheywererecommended，andwhowastojourneynorthwardundertheescortofFrancisStanley。Edward，therefore，mettheColonelatEdinburgh，whowishedhimjoyinthekindestmanneronhisapproachinghappiness，andcheerfullyundertookmanycommissionswhichourherowasnecessarilyobligedtodelegatetohischarge。

ButonthesubjectofFergushewasinexorable。HesatisfiedEdward，indeed，thathisinterferencewouldbeunavailing；

butbesides，ColonelTalbotownedthathecouldnotconscientiouslyuseanyinfluenceinfavourofthatunfortunategentleman。

Justice，’’hesaid，whichdemandedsomepenaltyofthosewhohadwrappedthewholenationinfearandinmourning，couldnotperhapshaveselectedafittervictim。Hecametothefieldwiththefullestlightuponthenatureofhisattempt。

Hehadstudiedandunderstoodthesubject。Hisfather’sfatecouldnotintimidatehim；thelenityofthelawswhichhadrestoredtohimhisfather’spropertyandrightscouldnotmelthim。Thathewasbrave，generous，andpossessedmanygoodqualities，onlyrenderedhimthemoredangerous；thathewasenlightenedandaccomplishedmadehiscrimethelessexcusable；

thathewasanenthusiastinawrongcauseonlymadehimthemorefittobeitsmartyr。Aboveall，hehadbeenthemeansofbringingmanyhundredsofmenintothefieldwho，withouthim，wouldneverhavebrokenthepeaceofthecountry。’’

Irepeatit，’’saidtheColonel，thoughHeavenknowswithaheartdistressedforhimasanindividual，thatthisyounggentlemanhasstudiedandfullyunderstoodthedesperategamewhichhehasplayed。Hethrewforlifeordeath，acoronetoracoffin；andhecannotnowbepermitted，withjusticetothecountry，todrawstakesbecausethedicehavegoneagainsthim。’’

Suchwasthereasoningofthosetimes，heldevenbybraveandhumanementowardsavanquishedenemy。Letusdevoutlyhopethat，inthisrespectatleast，weshallneverseethescenes，orholdthesentiments，thatweregeneralinBritainSixtyYearssince。

CHAPTERSIXTY-EIGHTH。

To-morrow？Oh，that’ssudden！Sparehim！sparehim！

Shakspeare。

Edward，attendedbyhisformerservantAlickPolwarth，whohadre-enteredhisserviceatEdinburgh，reachedCarlislewhilethec