Inthemeanwhile，WaverleyturnedtheinstructionshehadreceivedwhileinGardiner’sdragoonstosomeaccount，andassistedtheBaroninhiscommandasasortofadjutant。
_Parmilesaveuglesunborgneestroi，_’’saystheFrenchproverb；
andthecavalry，whichconsistedchieflyofLowlandgentlemen，theirtenantsandservants，formedahighopinionofWaverley’sskill，andagreatattachmenttohisperson。ThiswasindeedpartlyowingtothesatisfactionwhichtheyfeltatthedistinguishedEnglishvolunteer’sleavingtheHighlanderstorankamongthem；fortherewasalatentgrudgebetweenthehorseandfoot，notonlyowingtothedifferenceoftheservices，butbecausemostofthegentlemen，livingneartheHighlands，hadatonetimeorotherhadquarrelswiththetribesintheirvicinity，andallofthemlookedwithajealouseyeontheHighlanders’avowedpretensionstosuperiorvalour，andutilityinthePrince’sservice。
ItwasWaverley’scustomsometimestoridealittleapartfromthemainbody，tolookatanyobjectofcuriositywhichoccurredonthemarch。TheywerenowinLancashire，when，attractedbyacastellatedoldhall，heleftthesquadronforhalf-an-hour，totakeasurveyandslightsketchofit。Ashereturneddowntheavenue，hewasmetbyEnsignMaccombich。ThismanhadcontractedasortofregardforEdwardsincethedayofhisfirstseeinghimatTully-Veolan，andintroducinghimtotheHighlands。
Heseemedtoloiter，asifonpurposetomeetwithourhero。Yet，ashepassedhim，heonlyapproachedhisstirrup，andpronouncedthesinglewordBeware！’’andthenwalkedswiftlyon，shunningallfurthercommunication。
Edward，somewhatsurprisedatthishint，followedwithhiseyesthecourseofEvan，whospeedilydisappearedamongthetrees。Hisservant，AlickPolwarth，whowasinattendance，alsolookedaftertheHighlander，andthenridingupclosetohismaster，said，Thene’erbeinme，sir，ifIthinkyou’resafeamongthaeHighlandrinthereouts。’’
Whatdoyoumean，Alick？’’saidWaverley。
TheMac-Ivors，sir，haegottenitintotheirheads，thatyehaeaffrontedtheiryoungleddy，MissFlora；andIhaeheardmaethananesay，theywadnatakmuckletomakeablack-cocko’ye；andyekenweeleneughthere’smonyo’themwadnamindabawbeetheweisingaballthroughthePrincehimsell，antheChiefgaethemthewink-orwhetherhedidorno，-
iftheythoughtitathingthatwouldpleasehimwhenitwasdune。’’
Waverley，thoughconfidentthatFergusMac-Ivorwasincapableofsuchtreachery，wasbynomeansequallysureoftheforbearanceofhisfollowers。Heknew，thatwherethehonouroftheChieforhisfamilywassupposedtobetouched，thehappiestmanwouldbehethatcouldfirstavengethestigma；
andhehadoftenheardthemquoteaproverb，Thatthebestrevengewasthemostspeedyandmostsafe。’’CouplingthiswiththehintofEvan，hejudgeditmostprudenttosetspurstohishorse，andridebrisklybacktothesquadron。Erehereachedtheendofthelongavenue，however，aballwhistledpasthim，andthereportofapistolwasheard。
Itwasthatdeevil’sbuckie，CallumBeg，’’saidAlick；I
sawhimwhiskawaythroughamangthereises。’’
Edward，justlyincensedatthisactoftreachery，gallopedoutoftheavenue，andobservedthebattalionofMac-Ivoratsomedistancemovingalongthecommon，inwhichitterminated。
Healsosawanindividualrunningveryfasttojointheparty；
thisheconcludedwastheintendedassassin，who，byleapinganenclosure，mighteasilymakeamuchshorterpathtothemainbodythanhecouldfindonhorseback。Unabletocontainhimself，hecommandedAlicktogototheBaronofBradwardine，whowasattheheadofhisregimentabouthalfamileinfront，andacquainthimwithwhathadhappened。HehimselfimmediatelyrodeuptoFergus’sregiment。TheChiefhimselfwasintheactofjoiningthem。Hewasonhorseback，havingreturnedfromwaitingonthePrince。OnperceivingEdwardapproaching，heputhishorseinmotiontowardshim。
ColonelMac-Ivor，’’saidWaverley，withoutanyfarthersalutation，Ihavetoinformyouthatoneofyourpeoplehasthisinstantfiredatmefromalurking-place。’’
Asthat，’’answeredMac-Ivor，exceptingthecircumstanceofalurking-place，isapleasurewhichIpresentlyproposetomyself，Ishouldbegladtoknowwhichofmyclansmendaredtoanticipateme。’’
Ishallcertainlybeatyourcommandwheneveryouplease；-
thegentlemanwhotookyourofficeuponhimselfisyourpagethere，CallumBeg。’’
Standforthfromtheranks，Callum！DidyoufireatMr。
Waverley？’’
No，’’answeredtheunblushingCallum。
Youdid，’’saidAlickPolwarth，whowasalreadyreturned，havingmetatrooperbywhomhedespatchedanaccountofwhatwasgoingforwardtotheBaronofBradwardine，whilehehimselfreturnedtohismasteratfullgallop，neithersparingtherowelsofhisspurs，northesidesofhishorse。Youdid；I
sawyouasplainlyasIeversawtheauldkirkatCoudingham。’’
Youlie，’’repliedCallum，withhisusualimpenetrableobstinacy。
Thecombatbetweentheknightswouldcertainly，asinthedaysofchivalry，havebeenprecededbyanencounterbetweenthesquiresforAlickwasastoutheartedMerseman，andfearedthebowofCupidfarmorethanaHighlander’sdirkorclaymore，butFergus，withhisusualtoneofdecision，demandedCallum’spistol。Thecookwasdown，thepanandmuzzlewereblackwiththesmoke；ithadbeenthatinstantfired。
Takethat，’’saidFergus，strikingtheboyupontheheadwiththeheavypistol-buttwithhiswholeforce，takethatforactingwithoutorders，andlyingtodisguiseit。’’Callumreceivedtheblowwithoutappearingtoflinchfromit，andfellwithoutsignoflife。Standstill，uponyourlives！’’
saidFergustotherestoftheclan；IblowoutthebrainsofthefirstmanwhointerferesbetweenMr。Waverleyandme。’’Theystoodmotionless；EvanDhualoneshowedsymptomsofvexationandanxiety。Callumlayonthegroundbleedingcopiously，butnooneventuredtogivehimanyassistance。Itseemedasifhehadgottenhisdeath-blow。
Andnowforyou，Mr。Waverley；pleasetoturnyourhorsetwentyyardswithmeuponthecommon。’’Waverleycomplied；
andFergus，confrontinghimwhentheywerealittlewayfromthelineofmarch，said，withgreataffectedcoolness，Icouldnotbutwonder，sir，attheficklenessoftastewhichyouwerepleasedtoexpresstheotherday。Butitwasnotanangel，asyoujustlyobserved，whohadcharmsforyou，unlessshebroughtanempireforherfortune。Ihavenowanexcellentcommentaryuponthatobscuretext。’’
Iamatalosseventoguessatyourmeaning，ColonelMac-Ivor，unlessitseemsplainthatyouintendtofastenaquarreluponme。’’
Youraffectedignoranceshallnotserveyou，sir。ThePrince，-thePrincehimself，hasacquaintedmewithyourmanuvres。IlittlethoughtthatyourengagementswithMissBradwardinewerethereasonofyourbreakingofyourintendedmatchwithmysister。IsupposetheinformationthattheBaronhadalteredthedestinationofhisestate，wasquiteasufficientreasonforslightingyourfriend’ssister，andcarryingoffyourfriend’smistress。’’
DidthePrincetellyouIwasengagedtoMissBradwardine？’’
saidWaverley。Impossible。’’
Hedid，sir，’’answeredMac-Ivor；so，eitherdrawanddefendyourself，orresignyourpretensionstothelady。’’
Thisisabsolutemadness，’’exclaimedWaverley，orsomestrangemistake！’’
O！noevasion！drawyoursword！’’saidtheinfuriatedChieftain，-hisownalreadyunsheathed。
MustIfightinamadman’squarrel？’’
Thengiveupnow，andforever，allpretensionstoMissBradwardine’shand。’’
Whattitlehaveyou，’’criedWaverley，utterlylosingcommandofhimself，-Whattitlehaveyou，oranymanliving，todictatesuchtermstome？’’Andhealsodrewhissword。
AtthismomenttheBaronofBradwardine，followedbyseveralofhistroop，cameuponthespur，somefromcuriosity，otherstotakepartinthequarrel，whichtheyindistinctlyunderstoodhadbrokenoutbetweentheMac-Ivorsandtheircorps。Theclan，seeingthemapproach，putthemselvesinmotiontosupporttheirChieftain，andasceneofconfusioncommenced，whichseemedlikelytoterminateinbloodshed。Ahundredtongueswereinmotionatonce。TheBaronlectured，theChieftainstormed，theHighlandersscreamedinGaelic，thehorsemencursedandsworeinLowlandScotch。Atlengthmatterscametosuchapass，thattheBaronthreatenedtochargetheMac-Ivorsunlesstheyresumedtheirranks，andmanyofthem，inreturn，presentedtheirfirearmsathimandtheothertroopers。
TheconfusionwasprivatelyfosteredbyoldBallenkeiroch，whomadenodoubtthathisowndayofvengeancewasarrived，when，behold！acryaroseofRoom！makeway！-_place
Monseigneur！placeMonseigneur！_’’ThisannouncedtheapproachofthePrince，whocameupwithapartyofFitz-James’sforeigndragoonsthatactedashisbodyguard。Hisarrivalproducedsomedegreeoforder。TheHighlandersreassumedtheirranks，thecavalryfellinandformedsquadron，andtheBaronandChieftainweresilent。
ThePrincecalledthemandWaverleybeforehim。HavingheardtheoriginalcauseofthequarrelthroughthevillanyofCallumBeg，heorderedhimintocustodyoftheprovost-marshalforimmediateexecution，intheeventofhissurvivingthechastisementinflictedbyhisChieftain。Fergus，however，inatonebetwixtclaimingarightandaskingafavour，requestedhemightbelefttohisdisposal，andpromisedhispunishmentshouldbeexemplary。Todenythis，mighthaveseemedtoencroachonthepatriarchalauthorityoftheChieftains，ofwhichtheywereveryjealous，andtheywerenotpersonstobedisobliged。
Callumwasthereforelefttothejusticeofhisowntribe。
ThePrincenextdemandedtoknowthenewcauseofquarrelbetweenColonelMac-IvorandWaverley。Therewasapause。
BothgentlemenfoundthepresenceoftheBaronofBradwardineforbythistimeallthreehadapproachedtheChevalierbyhiscommandaninsurmountablebarrieragainstenteringuponasubjectwherethenameofhisdaughtermustunavoidablybementioned。Theyturnedtheireyesontheground，withlooksinwhichshameandembarrassmentweremingledwithdispleasure。
Theprince，whohadbeeneducatedamongstthediscontentedandmutinousspiritsofthecourtofSt。Germains，wherefeudsofeverykindwerethedailysubjectofsolicitudetothedethronedsovereign，hadservedhisapprenticeship，asoldFrederickofPrussiawouldhavesaid，tothetradeofroyalty。
Topromoteorrestoreconcordamonghisfollowerswasindispensable。
Accordinglyhetookhismeasures。
MonsieurdeBeaujeu！’’
Monseigneur！’’saidaveryhandsomeFrenchcavalryofficer，whowasinattendance。
Ayezlabontd’allignercesmontagnardsl，ainsiquelacavalerie，s’ilvousplait，etdelesremettrelamarche。Vousparlezsibienl’Anglois，celanevousdonneroitpasbeaucoupdopeine。’’
Ah！pasdutout，Monseigneur，’’repliedMons。leComtedeBeaujeu，hisheadbendingdowntotheneckofhislittleprancinghighly-managedcharger。Accordinglyhe_piaffed_away，inhighspiritsandconfidence，totheheadofFergus’sregiment，althoughunderstandingnotawordofGaelic，andverylittleEnglish。
MessieurslessauvagesEcossois-datis-gentilmanssavages，havethegoodnessd’arrangervous。’’
Theclan，comprehendingtheordermorefromthegesturethanthewords，andseeingthePrincehimselfpresent，hastenedtodresstheirranks。
Ah！verwell！datisfortbien！’’saidtheCountdeBeaujeu。
Gentilmanssauvages-maistrsbien-Ehbien！-Qu’est-cequevousappelezvisage，Monsieur？’’toaloungingtrooperwhostoodbyhim。Ah，oui！_face_-Jevousremercie，Monsieur-
Gentilshommes，havedegoodnesstomakedefacetoderightparfile，datis，byfiles-Marsh！-Maistrsbien-encore，Messieurs；ilfautvousmettrelamarche……Marchezdonc，aunomdeDieu，parcequej’aioublilemotAnglois-