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CHAPTER VI.

Fergus a suitor.

WAVERLEY had, indeed, as he looked closer upon the state of the Chevalier's court, less reason to be satisfied with it. It contained, as they say an acorn includes all the ramifications of the future oak, as many seeds of tracasserie and intrigue as might have done honour to the court of a large empire. Every person of importance had some separate object, which he pursued with a fury that Waverley considered as altogether disproportioned to its importance. Almost all had their causes of discontent, although the most legitimate was that of the worthy old Baron, who was only distressed on account of the common cause.

« We will hardly,» said he one morning to Waverley when they had been viewing the castle, << we will hardly gain the obsidional crown, which you wot well was made of the roots or grain which takes root within the place besieged, or it may be of the herb woodbind,

parietaria, or pellitory; we will not, I say, gain it by this same blockade or leaguer of Edinburgh Castle. For this opinion, he gave most learned and satisfactory reasons, that the reader may not care to hear repeated.

Having escaped from the old gentleman, Waverley went to Fergus's lodgings by appointment, to await his return from HolyroodHouse. << I am to have a particular audience to-morrow," said Fergus to Waverley, overnight, «and you must meet me to wish me joy of the success which I securely anticipate.»>

The morrow came, and in the Chief's apartment he found Ensign Maccombich waiting to make report of his turn of duty in a sort of ditch which they had dug across the Castle-hill, and called a trench. In a short time the Chief's voice was heard on the stair in a tone of impatient fury,—«Callum,—why, Callum Beg,Diaoul!" He entered the room with all the marks of a man agitated by a towering passion; and there were few upon whose features rage produced a more violent effect. The veins of his forehead swelled when he was in such agitation; his nostril became dilated; his cheek and eye inflamed; and his look that of a demoniac. These appearances of half-suppressed rage were the more frightful, because they were obviously caused by a strong effort to temper with discretion an almost ungovernable paroxysm of passion, and resulted from an internal con

flict of the most dreadful kind, which agitated his whole frame of mortality.

As he entered the apartment, he unbuckled his broadsword, and throwing it down with such violence that the weapon rolled to the other end of the room, «I know not what,» he exclaimed, «withholds me from taking a solemn oath that I will never more draw it in his cause; -load my pistols, Callum, and bring them hither instantly;-instantly!» Callum, whom nothing ever startled, dismayed, or disconcerted, obeyed very coolly. Evan Dhu upon whose brow the suspicion that his Chief had been insulted, called up a corresponding storm, swelled in sullen silence, awaiting to learn where or upon whom vengeance was to descend.

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So, Waverley, you are there,»-said the Chief, after a moment's recollection; «Yes, I remember I asked you to share my triumph, and you have come to witness my-disappointment, we shall call it." Evan now presented the written report he had in his hand, which Fergus threw from him with great passion. "I wish to God," he said, « the old den would tumble down upon the heads of the fools who attack, and the knaves who defend it. I see, Waverley, you think I am mad-leave us, Evan, but be within call.»

<< The Colonel's in an unco' kippage," said Mrs Flockhart to Evan as he descended; « I

wish he may be weel,-the very veins on his brent brow are swelled like whip-cord; wad he no tak something?»

<< He usually lets blood for these fits,» answered the Highland Ancient with great composure.

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When his officer left the room, the Chieftain gradually reassumed some degree of composure. << I know, Waverley," he said, «that Colonel Talbot has persuaded you to curse ten times a-day your engagement with us;—nay, never deny it, for I am at this momenttempted to curse my own. Would you believe it, I made this very morning two suits to the Prince, and he has rejected them both; what do you think of it?»

"What can I think till I know what your requests were?"

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Why, what signifies what they were, man? I tell you it was I that made them; I, to whom he owes more than to any three that have joined the standard, for I negotiated the whole business, and brought in all the Perthshire men when not one would have stirred.

I am not likely, I think, to ask any thing very unreasonable, and if I did, they might have stretched a point. Well, but you shall know all, now that I can draw my breath again with some freedom. -You remember my earl's patent; it is dated some years back, for services then rendered, and certainly my merit has not been dimi

nished, to say the least, by my subsequent behaviour. Now, Sir, I value this bauble of a coronet as little as you, or any philosopher on earth; for I hold that the chief of such a clan as the Sliochd nan Ivor is superior in rank to any earl in Scotland. But I had a particular

reason for assuming this cursed title at this time. You must know I learned accidentally that the Prince has been pressing that old foolish Baron of Bradwardine to disinherit his male heir, or nineteenth or twentieth cousin, who has taken a command in the Elector of Hanover's militia, and to settle his estate upon your pretty little friend, Rose; and this, as being the command of his king and overlord, who may alter the destination of a fief at pleasure, the old gentleman seems well reconciled to."

« And what becomes of the homage?»

«<Curse the homage!—I believe Rose is to pull off the queen's slipper on her coronation-day, or some such trash. Well, Sir, as Rose Bradwardine would always have made a suitable match for me, but for this idiotical predilection of her father for the heir-male, it occurred to me there now remained no obstacle, unless that the Baron might expect his daughter's husband to take the name of Bradwardine (which you know would be impossible in my case), and that this might be evaded by my assuming the title to which I had so good a

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