Waverley; Or, 'Tis Sixty Years Since — Volume 2

by Walter Scott

  CHAPTER LIX

  A SKIRMISH

  Theeader need hardly be reminded that, after a council of warheld at Derby on the 5th of December, the Highlanders relinquishedtheir desperate attempt to penetrate farther into England, and,greatly to the dissatisfaction of their young and daring leader,positively determined to return northward. They commenced theirretreat accordingly, and, by the extreme celerity of theirmovements, outstripped the motions of the Duke of Cumberland, whonow pursued them with a very large body of cavalry.

  This retreat was a virtual resignation of their towering hopes.None had been so sanguine as Fergus MacIvor; none, consequently,was so cruelly mortified at the change of measures. He argued, orrather remonstrated, with the utmost vehemence at the council ofwar; and, when his opinion was rejected, shed tears of grief andindignation. From that moment his whole manner was so much alteredthat he could scarcely have been recognised for the same soaringand ardent spirit, for whom the whole earth seemed too narrow buta week before. The retreat had continued for several days, whenEdward, to his surprise, early on the 12th of December, received avisit from the Chieftain in his quarters, in a hamlet about half-way between Shap and Penrith.

  Having had no intercourse with the Chieftain since their rupture,Edward waited with some anxiety an explanation of this unexpectedvisit; nor could he help being surprised, and somewhat shocked,with the change in his appearance. His eye had lost much of itsfire; his cheek was hollow, his voice was languid, even his gaitseemed less firm and elastic than it was wont; and his dress, towhich he used to be particularly attentive, was now carelesslyflung about him. He invited Edward to walk out with him by thelittle river in the vicinity; and smiled in a melancholy mannerwhen he observed him take down and buckle on his sword.

  As soon as they were in a wild sequestered path by the side of thestream, the Chief broke out--'Our fine adventure is now totallyruined, Waverley, and I wish to know what you intend to do;--nay,never stare at me, man. I tell you I received a packet from mysister yesterday, and, had I got the information it containssooner, it would have prevented a quarrel which I am always vexedwhen I think of. In a letter written after our dispute, Iacquainted her with the cause of it; and she now replies to methat she never had, nor could have, any purpose of giving youencouragement; so that it seems I have acted like a madman. PoorFlora! she writes in high spirits; what a change will the news ofthis unhappy retreat make in her state of mind!'

  Waverley, who was really much affected by the deep tone ofmelancholy with which Fergus spoke, affectionately entreated himto banish from his remembrance any unkindness which had arisenbetween them, and they once more shook hands, but now with sincerecordiality. Fergus again inquired of Waverley what he intended todo. 'Had you not better leave this luckless army, and get downbefore us into Scotland, and embark for the Continent from some ofthe eastern ports that are still in our possession? When you areout of the kingdom, your friends will easily negotiate yourpardon; and, to tell you the truth, I wish you would carry RoseBradwardine with you as your wife, and take Flora also under yourjoint protection.'--Edward looked surprised.--'She loves you, andI believe you love her, though, perhaps, you have not found itout, for you are not celebrated for knowing your own mind verypointedly.' He said this with a sort of smile.

  'How,' answered Edward, 'can you advise me to desert theexpedition in which we are all embarked?'

  'Embarked?' said Fergus; 'the vessel is going to pieces, and it isfull time for all who can to get into the long-boat and leaveher.'

  'Why, what will other gentlemen do?' answered Waverley, 'and whydid the Highland Chiefs consent to this retreat if it is soruinous?'

  'O,' replied Mac-Ivor, 'they think that, as on former occasions,the heading, hanging, and forfeiting will chiefly fall to the lotof the Lowland gentry; that they will be left secure in theirpoverty and their fastnesses, there, according to their proverb,"to listen to the wind upon the hill till the waters abate." Butthey will be disappointed; they have been too often troublesome tobe so repeatedly passed over, and this time John Bull has been tooheartily frightened to recover his good-humour for some time. TheHanoverian ministers always deserved to be hanged for rascals; butnow, if they get the power in their hands,--as, sooner or later,they must, since there is neither rising in England nor assistancefrom France,--they will deserve the gallows as fools if they leavea single clan in the Highlands in a situation to be againtroublesome to government. Ay, they will make root-and-branch-work, I warrant them.'

  'And while you recommend flight to me,' said Edward,--'a counselwhich I would rather die than embrace,--what are your own views?'

  'O,' answered Fergus, with a melancholy air, 'my fate is settled.Dead or captive I must be before tomorrow.'

  'What do you mean by that, my friend?' said Edward. 'The enemy isstill a day's march in our rear, and if he comes up, we are stillstrong enough to keep him in check. Remember Gladsmuir.'

  'What I tell you is true notwithstanding, so far as I amindividually concerned.'

  'Upon what authority can you found so melancholy a prediction?'asked Waverley.

  'On one which never failed a person of my house. I have seen,' hesaid, lowering his voice, 'I have seen the Bodach Glas.'

  'Bodach Glas?'

  'Yes; have you been so long at Glennaquoich, and never heard ofthe Grey Spectre? though indeed there is a certain reluctanceamong us to mention him.'

  'No, never.'

  'Ah! it would have been a tale for poor Flora to have told you.Or, if that hill were Benmore, and that long blue lake, which yousee just winding towards yon mountainous country, were Loch Tay,or my own Loch an Ri, the tale would be better suited withscenery. However, let us sit down on this knoll; even Saddlebackand Ulswater will suit what I have to say better than the Englishhedgerows, enclosures, and farmhouses. You must know, then, thatwhen my ancestor, Ian nan Chaistel, wasted Northumberland, therewas associated with him in the expedition a sort of SouthlandChief, or captain of a band of Lowlanders, called Halbert Hall. Intheir return through the Cheviots they quarrelled about thedivision of the great booty they had acquired, and came from wordsto blows. The Lowlanders were cut off to a man, and their chieffell the last, covered with wounds by the sword of my ancestor.Since that time his spirit has crossed the Vich Ian Vohr of theday when any great disaster was impending, but especially beforeapproaching death. My father saw him twice, once before he wasmade prisoner at Sheriff-Muir, another time on the morning of theday on which he died.'

  'How can you, my dear Fergus, tell such nonsense with a graveface?'

  ' I do not ask you to believe it; but I tell you the truth,ascertained by three hundred years' experience at least, and lastnight by my own eyes.'

  'The particulars, for heaven's sake!' said Waverley, witheagerness.

  'I will, on condition you will not attempt a jest on the subject.Since this unhappy retreat commenced I have scarce ever been ableto sleep for thinking of my clan, and of this poor Prince, whomthey are leading back like a dog in a string, whether he will orno, and of the downfall of my family. Last night I felt sofeverish that I left my quarters and walked out, in hopes the keenfrosty air would brace my nerves--I cannot tell how much I dislikegoing on, for I know you will hardly believe me. However--Icrossed a small footbridge, and kept walking backwards andforwards, when I observed with surprise by the clear moonlight atall figure in a grey plaid, such as shepherds wear in the southof Scotland, which, move at what pace I would, kept regularlyabout four yards before me.'

  'You saw a Cumberland peasant in his ordinary dress, probably.'

  'No; I thought so at first, and was astonished at the man'saudacity in daring to dog me. I called to him, but received noanswer. I felt an anxious throbbing at my heart, and to ascertainwhat I dreaded, I stood still and turned myself on the same spotsuccessively to the four points of the compass. By Heaven, Edward,turn where I would, the figure was instantly before my eyes, atprecisely the same distance! I was then convinced it was theBodach Glas. My hair bristled and my
knees shook. I manned myself,however, and determined to return to my quarters. My ghastlyvisitant glided before me (for I cannot say he walked) until hereached the footbridge; there he stopped and turned full round. Imust either wade the river or pass him as close as I am to you. Adesperate courage, founded on the belief that my death was near,made me resolve to make my way in despite of him. I made the signof the cross, drew my sword, and uttered, "In the name of God,Evil Spirit, give place!" "Vich Ian Vohr," it said, in a voicethat made my very blood curdle, "beware of to-morrow!" It seemedat that moment not half a yard from my sword's point; but thewords were no sooner spoken than it was gone, and nothing appearedfurther to obstruct my passage. I got home and threw myself on mybed, where I spent a few hours heavily enough; and this morning,as no enemy was reported to be near us, I took my horse and rodeforward to make up matters with you. I would not willingly falluntil I am in charity with a wronged friend.'

  Edward had little doubt that this phantom was the operation of anexhausted frame and depressed spirits, working on the beliefcommon to all Highlanders in such superstitions. He did not theless pity Fergus, for whom, in his present distress, he felt allhis former regard revive. With the view of diverting his mind fromthese gloomy images, he offered, with the Baron's permission,which he knew he could readily obtain, to remain in his quarterstill Fergus's corps should come up, and then to march with them asusual. The Chief seemed much pleased, yet hesitated to accept theoffer.

  'We are, you know, in the rear, the post of danger in a retreat.'

  'And therefore the post of honour.'

  'Well,' replied the Chieftain, 'let Alick have your horse inreadiness, in case we should be overmatched, and I shall bedelighted to have your company once more.'

  The rear-guard were late in making their appearance, having beendelayed by various accidents and by the badness of the roads. Atlength they entered the hamlet. When Waverley joined the clan Mac-Ivor, arm-in-arm with their Chieftain, all the resentment they hadentertained against him seemed blown off at once. Evan Dhureceived him with a grin of congratulation; and even Callum, whowas running about as active as ever, pale indeed, and with a greatpatch on his head, appeared delighted to see him.

  'That gallows-bird's skull,' said Fergus, 'must be harder thanmarble; the lock of the pistol was actually broken.'

  'How could you strike so young a lad so hard?' said Waverley, withsome interest.

  'Why, if I did not strike hard sometimes, the rascals would forgetthemselves.'

  They were now in full march, every caution being taken to preventsurprise. Fergus's people, and a fine clan regiment from Badenoch,commanded by Cluny Mac-Pherson, had the rear. They had passed alarge open moor, and were entering into the enclosures whichsurround a small village called Clifton. The winter sun had set,and Edward began to rally Fergus upon the false predictions of theGrey Spirit. 'The ides of March are not past,' said Mac-Ivor, witha smile; when, suddenly casting his eyes back on the moor, a largebody of cavalry was indistinctly seen to hover upon its brown anddark surface. To line the enclosures facing the open ground andthe road by which the enemy must move from it upon the village wasthe work of a short time. While these manoeuvres wereaccomplishing, night sunk down, dark and gloomy, though the moonwas at full. Sometimes, however, she gleamed forth a dubious lightupon the scene of action.

  The Highlanders did not long remain undisturbed in the defensiveposition they had adopted. Favoured by the night, one large bodyof dismounted dragoons attempted to force the enclosures, whileanother, equally strong, strove to penetrate by the highroad. Bothwere received by such a heavy fire as disconcerted their ranks andeffectually checked their progress. Unsatisfied with the advantagethus gained, Fergus, to whose ardent spirit the approach of dangerseemed to restore all its elasticity, drawing his sword andcalling out 'Claymore!' encouraged his men, by voice and example,to break through the hedge which divided them and rush down uponthe enemy. Mingling with the dismounted dragoons, they forcedthem, at the sword-point, to fly to the open moor, where aconsiderable number were cut to pieces. But the moon, whichsuddenly shone out, showed to the English the small number ofassailants, disordered by their own success. Two squadrons ofhorse moving to the support of their companions, the Highlandersendeavoured to recover the enclosures. But several of them,amongst others their brave Chieftain, were cut off and surroundedbefore they could effect their purpose. Waverley, looking eagerlyfor Fergus, from whom, as well as from the retreating body of hisfollowers, he had been separated in the darkness and tumult, sawhim, with Evan Dhu and Callum, defending themselves desperatelyagainst a dozen of horsemen, who were hewing at them with theirlong broadswords. The moon was again at that moment totallyoverclouded, and Edward, in the obscurity, could neither bring aidto his friends nor discover which way lay his own road to rejointhe rear-guard. After once or twice narrowly escaping being slainor made prisoner by parties of the cavalry whom he encountered inthe darkness, he at length reached an enclosure, and, clamberingover it, concluded himself in safety and on the way to theHighland forces, whose pipes he heard at some distance. For Fergushardly a hope remained, unless that he might be made prisonerRevolving his fate with sorrow and anxiety, the superstition ofthe Bodach Glas recurred to Edward's recollection, and he said tohimself, with internal surprise 'What, can the devil speak truth?'[Footnote: See Note 13.]