thinking, like a fool, that I should want your countenance as bride's-man. Well,-I state my pretensions-they are not denied -the promises so repeatedly made, and the patent granted-they are acknowledged. But I propose, as a natural consequence, to assume the rank which the patent bestowed.-I have the old story of the jealousy of C and M trumpt up against me. I resist this pretext, and offer to procure their written acquiescence, in virtue of the date of my patent as prior to their silly claims-I assure you I would have had such a consent from them, if it had been at point of the sword-And then out comes the real truth; and he dares to tell me, to my face, that my patent must be suppressed for the present, for fear of disgusting that rascally coward and faineant (naming the rival chief of his own clan) who has no better title to be a chieftain than I to be Emperor of China; and who is pleased to shelter his dastardly reluctance to come out agreeable to his promise twenty times pledged, under a pretended jealousy of the Prince's partiality to me. And, to leave this miserable driveller without a pretence for his cowardice, the Prince asks it as a personal favour of me, forsooth, not to press my just and seasonable request at this moment. After this put your faith in princes!" I "And did your audience end here ?" "End? O no: I was determined to leave him no pretence for his ingratitude, and I therefore stated, with all the composure I could muster, for I promise you I trembled with passion, the particular reasons I had for wishing that his Royal Highness would impose upon me any other mode of exhibiting my duty and devotion, as my views in life made, what would at any other time have been a mere trifle, at this crisis, a severe sacrifice; and then I explained to him. my full plan." "And what did the prince answer?" "Answer? why-it is well it is written, curse not the king, no, not in thy thought! -why, he answered, that truly he was glad I had made him my confidant to prevent more grievous disappointment, for he could assure me, upon the word of a Prince, that Miss Bradwardine's affections were engaged, and he was under a particular promise to favour them. So, my dear Fergus,' said he, with his most gra- "I'll tell you what I could have done at that moment-sold myself to the devil or the elector, which ever offered the dearest revenge. However, I am now cool. I know he intends to marry her to some of his rascally Frenchmen, or his Irish officers, but I will watch them close; and let the man that would supplant me look well to himself.-Bisogna coprersi, Signor.” After some further conversation, unnecessary to be detailed, Waverley took leave of the Chieftain, whose fury had now sub sided into a deep and strong desire of vengeance, and returned home, scarce able to analyze the mixture of feelings which the narrative had awakened in his own bosom. CHAPTER VII.: "To one thing constant never." "I AM the very child of caprice," said Waverley to himself, as he bolted the door of his apartment, and paced it with hasty steps-"What is it to me that Fergus Mac-Ivor should wish to marry Rose Bradwardine?—I love her not-I might have been loved by her perhaps-but I rejected her simple, natural, and affecting attachment, instead of cherishing it into tenderness, and dedicated myself to one who will never love mortal man, unless old Warwick, the King-maker, should arise from the dead. The Baron too-I would not have cared about his estate, and so the name would have been no stumbling-block. The devil might have taken the barren |