第82章

ForGod’ssake，tothepoint，sir-Ihaveallthatbyheart，’’

saidtheColonel。

ToCosmoComyneBradwardine，Esq。，’’pursuedtheBailie，hisheirsandassignees，simplyandirredeemably-tobeheldeither_ameveldeme_’’

Prayreadshort，sir。’’

Ontheconscienceofanhonestman，Colonel，Ireadasshortasisconsistentwithstyle-Uudertheburdenandreservationalways’’

Mr。Macwheeble，thiswouldoutlastaRussianwinter-Givemeleave。Inshort，Mr。Bradwardine，yourfamilyestateisyourownoncemoreinfullproperty，andatyourabsolutedisposal，butonlyburdenedwiththesumadvancedtorepurchaseit，whichIunderstandisutterlydisproportionedtoitsvalue。’’

Anauldsang-anauldsang，ifitpleaseyourhonours，’’

criedtheBailie，rubbinghishands；-lookattherental-book。’’

WhichsumbeingadvancedbyMr。EdwardWaverley，chieflyfromthepriceofhisfather’spropertywhichIboughtfromhim，issecuredtohisladyyourdaughter，andherfamilybythismarriage。’’

ItisaCatholicsecurity，’’shoutedtheBailie，toRoseComyneBradwardine，_alias_Wauverley，inliferent，andthechildrenofthesaidmarriageinfee；andImadeupaweebitminuteofanantenuptialcontract，_intuitumatrimonij，_soitcannotbesubjecttoreductionhereafter，asadonation_intervirumetuxorem。_’’

ItisdifficulttosaywhethertheworthyBaronwasmostdelightedwiththerestitutionofhisfamilyproperty，orwiththedelicacyandgenerositythatlefthimunfetteredtopursuehispurposeindisposingofitafterhisdeath，andwhichavoided，asmuchaspossible，eventheappearanceoflayinghimunderpecuniaryobligation。Whenhisfirstpauseofjoyandastonishmentwasover，histhoughtsturnedtotheunworthyheir-male，who，hepronounced，hadsoldhisbirthright，likeEsau，foramesso’pottage。’’

Butwhacookittheparritchforhim？’’exclaimedtheBailie；Iwadliketokenthat-whabutyourhonour’stocommand，DuncanMacwheeble？Hishonour，youngMr。

Wauverley，putita’intomyhandfraethebeginning-fraethefirstcallingo’thesummons，asImaysay。Icircumventedthem-Iplayedatbogleaboutthebushwi’them-Icajoledthem；andifIhavenagienInch-GrabbitandJamieHowieabonniebegunk，theykenthemselves。Himawriter！Ididnagaeslapdashtothemwi’ouryoungbra’bridegroom，togarthembaudupthemarket；na，na；Iscaredthemwi’ourwildtenantry，andtheMac-Ivors，thatarebutillsettledyet，tilltheydurstnaononyerrandwhatsoevergangowerthedoor-staneaftergloaming，forfearJohnHeatherblutter，orsomesiccandare-the-deil，shouldtakabaffatthem：then，ontheotherhand，Ibeflumm’dthemwi’ColonelTalbot-wadtheyoffertokeepupthepriceagain’theDuke’sfriend？didtheynakenwhawasmaster？hadtheynaseeneneugh，bythesadexampleofmonyapairmisguidedunhappybody’’

WhowenttoDerby，forexample，Mr。Macwheeble？’’saidtheColoneltohim，aside。

Owhisht，Colonel，fortheloveo’God！letthatfleesticki’thewa’。ThereweremonygoodfolkatDerby；andit’sillspeakingofhalters，’’-withaslycastofhiseyetowardtheBaron，whowasinadeepreverie。

Startingoutofitatonce，hetookMacwheeblebythebutton，andledhimintooneofthedeepwindowrecesses，whenceonlyfragmentsoftheirconversationreachedtherestoftheparty。

Itcertainlyrelatedtostamp-paperandparchment；fornoothersubject，evenfromthemouthofhispatron，andhe，oncemore，anefficientone，couldhavearrestedsodeeplytheBailie’sreverentandabsorbedattention。

Iunderstandyourhonourperfectly；itcanbeduneaseasyastakingoutadecreetinabsence。’’

Toherandhim，aftermydemise，andtotheirheirs-male，-

butpreferringthesecondson，ifGodshallblessthemwithtwo，whoistocarrythenameandarmsofBradwardineofthatIlk，withoutanyothernameorarmorialbearingswhatsoever。’’

Tut，yourhonour！’’whisperedtheBailie，I’llmakaslightjottingthemorn；itwillcostbutacharterofresignation_infavorem；_andI’llhaeitreadyforthenextterminExchequer。’’

Theirprivateconversationended，theBaronwasnowsummonedtodothehonoursofTully-Veolantonewguests。Thesewere，MajorMelvilleofCairnvreckan，andtheReverendMr。

Morton，followedbytwoorthreeothersoftheBaron’sacquaintances，whohadbeenmadeprivytohishavingagainacquiredtheestateofhisfathers。Thesh