第22章
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  althoughIconjecturethefollowingcopytohavebeensomewhatcorrectedbyWaverley,tosuitthetasteofthosewhomightnotrelishpureantiquity:-

  St。Swithin’sChair。

  OnHallow-MassEve,ereyebouneyetorest,Everbewarethatyourcouchbeblessed;

  Signitwithcross,andsainitwithbead,SingtheAve,andsaytheCreed。

  ForonHallow-MassEvetheNight-Hagwillride,Andallhernine-foldsweepingonbyherside,Whetherthewindsinglowlyorloud,Sailingthroughmoonshineorswathedinthecloud。

  TheLadyshesatinSt。Swithin’sChair,Thedewofthenighthasdampedherhair:

  Hercheekwaspale-butresolvedandhighWasthewordofherlipandtheglanceofhereye。

  ShemutteredthespellofSwithinbold,Whenhisnakedfoottracedthemidnightwold,WhenhestoppedtheHagassherodethenight,Andbadeherdescend,andherpromiseplight。

  HethatdaresitonSt。Swithin’sChair,WhentheNight-Hagwingsthetroubledair,Questionsthree,whenhespeaksthespell,Hemayask,andshemusttell。

  TheBaronhasbeenwithKingRoberthisliege,Thesethreelongyearsinbattleandsiege;

  Newsatetherenoneofhiswealorhiswoe,AndfaintheLadyhisfatewouldknow。

  Sheshuddersandstopsasthecharmshespeaks;-

  Isitthemoodyowlthatshrieks?

  Orisitthatsound,betwixtlaughterandscream,ThevoiceoftheDemonwhohauntsthestream?

  Themoanofthewindsunksilentandlow,Andtheroaringtorrentceasedtoflow;

  Thecalmwasmoredreadfulthanragingstorm,Whenthecoldgreymistbroughttheghastlyform!

  Iamsorrytodisappointthecompany,especiallyCaptainWaverley,wholistenswithsuchlaudablegravity;itisbutafragment,althoughIthinkthereareotherverses,describingthereturnoftheBaronfromthewars,andhowtheladywasfoundclay-colduponthegrounsillledge。’’

  Itisoneofthosefigments,’’observedMr。Bradwardine,withwhichtheearlyhistoryofdistinguishedfamilieswasdeformedinthetimesofsuperstition;asthatofRome,andotherancientnations,hadtheirprodigies,sir,thewhichyoumayreadinancienthistories,orinthelittleworkcompiledbyJuliusObsequens,andinscribedbythelearnedScheffer,theeditor,tohispatron,BenedictusSkytte,BaronofDudershoff。’’

  Myfatherhasastrangedefianceofthemarvellous,CaptainWaverley,’’observedRose,andoncestoodfirmwhenawholesynodofPresbyteriandivineswereputtotheroutbyasuddenapparitionofthefoulfiend。’’

  Waverleylookedasifdesiroustohearmore。

  MustItellmystoryaswellassingmysong?-Well-

  Onceuponatimetherelivedanoldwoman,calledJanetGellatley,whowassuspectedtobeawitch,ontheinfalliblegroundsthatshewasveryold,veryugly,verypoor,andhadtwosons,oneofwhomwasapoet,andtheotherafool,whichvisitation,alltheneighbourhoodagreed,hadcomeuponherforthesinofwitchcraft。Andshewasimprisonedforaweekinthesteepleoftheparishchurch,andsparinglysuppliedwithfood,andnotpermittedtosleep,untilsheherselfbecameasmuchpersuadedofherbeingawitchasheraccusers;andinthislucidandhappystateofmindwasbroughtforthtomakeacleanbreast,thatis,tomakeopenconfessionofhersorceries,beforealltheWhiggentryandministersinthevicinity,whowerenoconjurorsthemselves。Myfatherwenttoseefairplaybetweenthewitchandtheclergy;forthewitchhadbeenbornonhisestate。AndwhilethewitchwasconfessingthattheEnemyappeared,andmadehisaddressestoherasahandsomeblackman,-which,ifyoucouldhaveseenpooroldblear-eyedJanet,reflectedlittlehonouronApollyon’staste,-andwhiletheauditorslistenedwithastonishedears,andtheclerkrecordedwithatremblinghand,she,allofasudden,changedthelowmumblingtonewithwhichshespokeintoashrillyell,andexclaimed,`Looktoyourselves!looktoyourselves!IseetheEvilOnesittinginthemidstofye。’Thesurprisewasgeneral,andterrorandflightitsimmediateconsequences。Happywerethosewhowerenextthedoor;andmanywerethedisastersthatbefellhats,bands,cuffs,andwigs,beforetheycouldgetoutofthechurch,wheretheylefttheobstinateprelatisttosettlematterswiththewitchandheradmirer,athisownperilorpleasure。’’

  _Risusolvunturtabul,_’’saidtheBaron:whentheyrecoveredtheirpanictrepidation,theyweretoomuchashamedtobringanywakeningoftheprocessagainstJanetGellatley。’’

  ThestorylasttoldwassaidtohavehappenedinthesouthofScotland;

  but_cedantarmatog_-andletthegownhaveitsdues。Itwasanoldclergyman,whohadwisdomandfirmnessenoughtoresistthepanicwhichseizedhisbrethren,whowasthemeansofrescuingapoorinsanecreaturefromthecruelfatewhichwouldotherwisehaveovertakenher。TheaccountsofthetrialsforwitchcraftformoneofthemostdeplorablechaptersinScottishstory。

  ThisanecdoteledtoalongdiscussionofAllthoseidlethoughtsandfantasies,Devices,dreams,opinionsunsound,Shows,visions,soothsays,andprophecies,Andallthatfeignedis,asleasings,tales,andlies。

  Withsuchconversation,andtheromanticlegendswhichitproduced,closedourhero’ssecondeveninginthehouseofTully-Veolan。

  ThenextdayEdwardarosebetimes,andinamorningwalkaroundthehouseanditsvicinity,camesuddenlyuponasmallcourtinfrontofthedog-kennel,wherehisfriendDaviewasemployedabouthisfour-footedcharge。OnequickglanceofhiseyerecognisedWaverley,when,instantlyturninghisback,asifhehadnotobservedhim,hebegantosingpartofanoldballad:-

  Youngmenwilllovetheemorefairandmorefast_Heardyesomerrythelittlebirdsing?_

  Oldmen’slovethelongestwilllast,_Andthethrostle-cock’sheadisunderhiswing。_

  Theyoungman’swrathislikelightstrawonfire;

  _Heardyesomerrythelittlebirdsing?_

  Butlikered-hotsteelistheoldman’sire,_Andthethrostle-cock’sheadisunderhiswing。_

  Theyoungmanwillbrawlattheeveningboard;

  _Heardyesomerrythelittlebirdsing?_

  Buttheoldmanwilldrawatthedawningthesword,_Andthethrostle-cook’sheadisunderhiswing。_

  WaverleycouldnotavoidobservingthatDavielaidsomethinglikeasatiricalemphasisontheselines。Hethereforeapproached,andendeavoured,bysundryqueries,toelicitfromhimwhattheinnuendomightmean;butDaviehadnomindtoexplain,andhadwitenoughtomakehisfollycloakhisknavery。

  Edwardcouldcollectnothingfromhim,exceptingthattheLairdofBalmawhapplehadgonehomeyesterdaymorningwi’hisbootsfu’o’bluid。’’Inthegarden,however,hemettheoldbutler,whonolongerattemptedtoconcealthat,havingbeenbredinthenurserylinewithSumackandCo。ofNewcastle,hesometimeswroughtaturnintheflower-borderstoobligetheLairdandMissRose。Byaseriesofqueries,Edwardatlengthdiscovered,withapainfulfeelingofsurpriseandshame,thatBalmawhapple’ssubmissionandapologyhadbeentheconsequenceofarencontrewiththeBaronbeforehisguesthadquittedhispillow,inwhichtheyoungercombatanthadbeendisarmedandwoundedinthesword-arm。

  Greatlymortifiedatthisinformation,Edwardsoughtouthisfriendlyhost,andanxiouslyexpostulatedwithhimupontheinjusticehehaddonehiminanticipatinghismeetingwithMr。

  Falconer,acircumstancewhich,consideringhisyouthandtheprofessionofarmswhichhehadjustadopted,wascapableofbeingrepresentedmuchtohisprejudice。TheBaronjustifiedhimselfatgreaterlengththanIchoosetorepeat。Heurgedthatthequarrelwascommontothem,andthatBalmawhapplecouldnot,bythecodeofhonour,_vite_givingsatisfactiontoboth,whichhehaddoneinhiscasebyanhonourablemeeting,andinthatofEdwardbysucha_palinode_asrenderedtheuseoftheswordunnecessary,andwhich,beingmadeandaccepted,mustnecessarily_sopite_thewholeaffair。

  WiththisexcuseorexplanationWaverleywassilenced,ifnotsatisfied;buthecouldnothelptestifyingsomedispleasureagainsttheBlessedBearwhichhadgivenrisetothequarrel,norrefrainfromhintingthatthesanctifiedepithetwashardlyappropriate。TheBaronobserved,hecouldnotdenythattheBear,thoughallowedbyheraldsasamosthonourableordinary,had,nevertheless,somewhatfierce,churlish,andmoroseinhisdispositionasmightbereadinArchibaldSimson,pastorofDalkeith’s_HieroglyphicaAnimalium_,andhadthusbeenthetypeofmanyquarrelsanddissensionswhichhadoccurredinthehouseofBradwardine;ofwhich,’’hecontinued,Imightcommemoratemineownunfortunatedissensionwithmythirdcousinbythemother’sside,SirHewHalbert,whowassounthinkingastoderidemyfamilyname,asifithadbeen_quasiBear-warden;_amostunciviljest,sinceitnotonlyinsinuatedthatthefounderofourhouseoccupiedsuchameansituationastobeacustodierofwildbeasts,achargewhich,yemusthaveobserved,isonlyentrustedtotheverybasestplebeians,but,moreover,seemedtoinferthatourcoat-armourhadnotbeenachievedbyhonourableactionsinwar,butbestowedbywayof_paranomasia,_orpunuponourfamilyappellation-asortofbearingwhichtheFrenchcall_armoiresparlantes;_theLatins,_armacantatia;_andyourEnglishauthorities,cantingheraldry;beingindeedaspeciesofemblazoningmorebefittingcanters,gaberlunzies,andsuchlikemendicants,whosegibberishisformeduponplayingupontheword,thanthenoble,honourable,andusefulscienceofheraldry,whichassignsarmorialbearingsastherewardofnobleandgenerousactions,andnottotickletheearwithvainquodlibets,suchasarefoundinjest-books。’’

  Althoughcantingheraldryisgenerallyreprobated,itseemsneverthelesstohavebeenadoptedinthearmsandmottoesofmanyhonourablefamilies。ThusthemottooftheVernons,_Vernonsemperviret,_isaperfectpun,andsoisthatoftheOnslows,_Festinalente。_The_Periissemniperiissem_

  oftheAnstruthersisliabletoasimilarobjection。Oneofthatancientrace,findingthatanantagonist,withwhomhehadfixedafriendlymeeting,wasdeterminedtotaketheopportunityofassassinatinghim,preventedthehazardbydashingouthisbrainswithabattle-axe。Twosturdyarmsbrandishingsuchaweaponformtheusualcrestofthefamily,withtheabovemotto-_Periissemniper-iissem_-Ihaddied,unlessIhadgonethroughwithit。

  OfhisquarrelwithSirHew,hesaidnothingmorethanthatitwassettledinafittingmanner。

  HavingbeensominutewithrespecttothediversionsofTully-Veolan,onthefirstdaysofEdward’sarrival,forthepurposeofintroducingitsinmatestothereader’sacquaintance,itbecomeslessnecessarytotracetheprogressofhisintercoursewiththesameaccuracy。Itisprobablethatayoungmanaccustomedtomorecheerfulsocietywouldhavetiredoftheconversationofsoviolentanassertoroftheboastofheraldry’’

  astheBaron;butEdwardfoundanagreeablevarietyinthatofMissBradwardine,wholistenedwitheagernesstohisremarksuponliterature,andshowedgreatjustnessoftasteinheranswers。

  Thesweetnessofherdispositionhadmadehersubmitwithcomplacency,andevenpleasure,tothecourseofreadingprescribedbyherfather,althoughitnotonlycomprehendedseveralheavyfoliosofhistory,butcertaingigantictomesinhighchurchpolemics。InheraldryhewasfortunatelycontentedtogiveheronlysuchaslighttinctureasmightbeacquiredbyperusalofthetwofoliovolumesofNisbet。Rosewasindeedtheveryappleofherfather’seye。Herconstantliveliness,herattentiontoallthoselittleobservancesmostgratifyingtothosewhowouldneverthinkofexactingthem,herbeauty,inwhichherecalledthefeaturesofhisbelovedwife,herunfeignedpiety,andthenoblegenerosityofherdisposition,wouldhavejustifiedtheaffectionofthemostdotingfather。

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