WAVERLEY

第31章

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第31章

WAVERLEY Sir Walter Scott

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WAVERLEY
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  whosevoicewasheardaround,Loudasatrumpetwithasilversound。

  ThatofFlora,onthecontrary,wassoftandsweet,-anexcellentthinginwoman;’’yet,inurginganyfavouritetopic,whichsheoftenpursuedwithnaturaleloquence,itpossessedaswellthetoneswhichimpressaweandconviction,asthoseofpersuasiveinsinuation。Theeagerglanceofthekeenblackeye,whichintheChieftainseemedimpatientevenofthematerialobstaclesitencountered,had,inhissister,acquiredagentlepensiveness。Hislooksseemedtoseekglory,power,allthatcouldexalthimaboveothersintheraceofhumanity;

  whilethoseofhissister,asifshewerealreadyconsciousofmentalsuperiority,seemedtopity,ratherthanenvy,thosewhowerestrugglingforanyfartherdistinction。Hersentimentscorrespondedwiththeexpressionofhercountenance。Earlyeducationhadimpresseduponhermind,aswellasonthatoftheChieftain,themostdevotedattachmenttotheexiledfamilyofStuart。Shebelieveditthedutyofherbrother,ofhisclan,ofeverymaninBritain,atwhateverpersonalhazard,tocontributetothatrestorationwhichthepartizansoftheChevalierdeSt。Georgehadnotceasedtohopefor。Forthisshewaspreparedtodoall,tosufferall,tosacrificeall。Butherloyalty,asitexceededherbrother’sinfanaticism,excelleditalsoinpurity。Accustomedtopettyintrigue,andnecessarilyinvolvedinathousandpaltryandselfishdiscussions,ambitiousalsobynature,hispoliticalfaithwastinctured,atleast,ifnottainted,bytheviewsofinterestandadvancementsoeasilycombinedwithit;andatthemomentheshouldunsheathehisclaymore,itmightbedifficulttosaywhetheritwouldbemostwiththeviewofmakingJamesStuartaking,orFergusMac-Ivoranearl。This,indeed,wasamixtureoffeelingwhichhedidnotavoweventohimself,butitexisted,nevertheless,inapowerfuldegree。

  InFlora’sbosom,onthecontrary,thezealofloyaltyburntpureandunmixedwithanyselfishfeeling;shewouldhaveassoonmadereligionthemaskofambitiousandinterestedviews,ashaveshroudedthemundertheopinionswhichshehadbeentaughttothinkpatriotism。SuchinstancesofdevotionwerenotuncommonamongthefollowersoftheunhappyraceofStuart,ofwhichmanymemorableproofswillrecurtothemindofmostofmyreaders。ButpeculiarattentiononthepartoftheChevalierdeSt。GeorgeandhisprincesstotheparentsofFergusandhissister,andtothemselveswhenorphans,hadrivettedtheirfaith。Fergus,uponthedeathofhisparents,hadbeenforsometimeapageofhonourinthetrainoftheChevalier’slady,and,fromhisbeautyandsprightlytemper,wasuniformlytreatedbyherwiththeutmostdistinction。ThiswasalsoextendedtoFlora,whowasmaintainedforsometimeataconventofthefirstorder,attheprincess’sexpense,andremovedfromthenceintoherownfamily,whereshespentnearlytwoyears。Bothbrotherandsisterretainedthedeepestandmostgratefulsenseofherkindness。

  HavingthustouchedupontheleadingprincipleofFlora’scharacter,Imaydismisstherestmoreslightly。Shewashighlyaccomplished,andhadacquiredthoseelegantmannerstobeexpectedfromonewho,inearlyyouth,hadbeenthecompanionofaprincess;yetshehadnotlearnedtosubstitutetheglossofpolitenessfortherealityoffeeling。WhensettledinthelonelyregionsofGlennaquoich,shefoundthatherresourcesinFrench,English,andItalianliterature,werelikelytobefewandinterrupted;and,inordertofillupthevacanttime,shebestowedapartofituponthemusicandpoeticaltraditionsoftheHighlanders,andbeganreallytofeelthepleasureinthepursuit,whichherbrother,whoseperceptionsofliterarymeritweremoreblunt,ratheraffectedforthesakeofpopularitythanactuallyexperienced。Herresolutionwasstrengthenedintheseresearchesbytheextremedelightwhichherinquiriesseemedtoaffordthosetowhomsheresortedforinformation。

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