by Walter Scott
CHAPTER XXVII
UPON THE SAME SUBJECT
Fergus Mac-Ivor had too much tact and delicacy to renew thesubject which he had interrupted. His head was, or appeared to be,so full of guns, broadswords, bonnets, canteens, and tartan hosethat Waverley could not for some time draw his attention to anyother topic.
'Are you to take the field so soon, Fergus,' he asked, 'that youare making all these martial preparations?'
'When we have settled that you go with me, you shall know all; butotherwise, the knowledge might rather be prejudicial to you.'
'But are you serious in your purpose, with such inferior forces,to rise against an established government? It is mere frenzy.'
'Laissez faire a Don Antoine; I shall take good care of myself. Weshall at least use the compliment of Conan, who never got a strokebut he gave one. I would not, however,' continued the Chieftain,'have you think me mad enough to stir till a favourableopportunity: I will not slip my dog before the game's afoot. But,once more, will you join with us, and you shall know all?'
'How can I?' said Waverley; 'I, who have so lately held thatcommission which is now posting back to those that gave it? Myaccepting it implied a promise of fidelity, and an acknowledgmentof the legality of the government.'
'A rash promise,' answered Fergus, 'is not a steel handcuff, itmay be shaken off, especially when it was given under deception,and has been repaid by insult. But if you cannot immediately makeup your mind to a glorious revenge, go to England, and ere youcross the Tweed you will hear tidings that will make the worldring; and if Sir Everard be the gallant old cavalier I have heardhim described by some of our HONEST gentlemen of the year onethousand seven hundred and fifteen, he will find you a betterhorse-troop and a better cause than you have lost.'
'But your sister, Fergus?'
'Out, hyperbolical fiend!' replied the Chief, laughing; 'howvexest thou this man! Speak'st thou of nothing but of ladies?'
'Nay, be serious, my dear friend,' said Waverley; 'I feel that thehappiness of my future life must depend upon the answer which MissMac-Ivor shall make to what I ventured to tell her this morning.'
'And is this your very sober earnest,' said Fergus, more gravely,'or are we in the land of romance and fiction?'
'My earnest, undoubtedly. How could you suppose me jesting on sucha subject?'
'Then, in very sober earnest,' answered his friend, 'I am veryglad to hear it; and so highly do I think of Flora, that you arethe only man in England for whom I would say so much. But beforeyou shake my hand so warmly, there is more to be considered. Yourown family--will they approve your connecting yourself with thesister of a high-born Highland beggar?'
'My uncle's situation,' said Waverley, 'his general opinions, andhis uniform indulgence, entitle me to say, that birth and personalqualities are all he would look to in such a connection. And wherecan I find both united in such excellence as in your sister?'
'O nowhere! cela va sans dire,' replied Fergus, with a smile. 'Butyour father will expect a father's prerogative in beingconsulted.'
'Surely; but his late breach with the ruling powers removes allapprehension of objection on his part, especially as I amconvinced that my uncle will be warm in my cause.'
'Religion perhaps,' said Fergus, 'may make obstacles, though weare not bigotted Catholics.'
'My grandmother was of the Church of Rome, and her religion wasnever objected to by my family. Do not think of MY friends, dearFergus; let me rather have your influence where it may be morenecessary to remove obstacles--I mean with your lovely sister.'
'My lovely sister,' replied Fergus, 'like her loving brother, isvery apt to have a pretty decisive will of her own, by which, inthis case, you must be ruled; but you shall not want my interest,nor my counsel. And, in the first place, I will give you one hint--Loyalty is her ruling passion; and since she could spell anEnglish book she has been in love with the memory of the gallantCaptain Wogan, who renounced the service of the usurper Cromwellto join the standard of Charles II, marched a handful of cavalryfrom London to the Highlands to join Middleton, then in arms forthe king, and at length died gloriously in the royal cause. Askher to show you some verses she made on his history and fate; theyhave been much admired, I assure you. The next point is--I thinkI saw Flora go up towards the waterfall a short time since;follow, man, follow! don't allow the garrison time to strengthenits purposes of resistance. Alerte a la muraille! Seek Flora out,and learn her decision as soon as you can, and Cupid go with you,while I go to look over belts and cartouch-boxes.'
Waverley ascended the glen with an anxious and throbbing heart.Love, with all its romantic train of hopes, fears, and wishes, wasmingled with other feelings of a nature less easily defined. Hecould not but remember how much this morning had changed his fate,and into what a complication of perplexity it was likely to plungehim. Sunrise had seen him possessed of an esteemed rank in thehonourable profession of arms, his father to all appearancerapidly rising in the favour of his sovereign. All this had passedaway like a dream: he himself was dishonoured, his fatherdisgraced, and he had become involuntarily the confidant at least,if not the accomplice, of plans, dark, deep, and dangerous, whichmust infer either the subversion of the government he had solately served or the destruction of all who had participated inthem. Should Flora even listen to his suit favourably, whatprospect was there of its being brought to a happy terminationamid the tumult of an impending insurrection? Or how could he makethe selfish request that she should leave Fergus, to whom she wasso much attached, and, retiring with him to England, wait, as adistant spectator, the success of her brother's undertaking, orthe ruin of all his hopes and fortunes? Or, on the other hand, toengage himself, with no other aid than his single arm, in thedangerous and precipitate counsels of the Chieftain, to be whirledalong by him, the partaker of all his desperate and impetuousmotions, renouncing almost the power of judging, or deciding uponthe rectitude or prudence of his actions, this was no pleasingprospect for the secret pride of Waverley to stoop to. And yetwhat other conclusion remained, saving the rejection of hisaddresses by Flora, an alternative not to be thought of in thepresent high-wrought state of his feelings with anything short ofmental agony. Pondering the doubtful and dangerous prospect beforehim, he at length arrived near the cascade, where, as Fergus hadaugured, he found Flora seated.
She was quite alone, and as soon as she observed his approach sherose and came to meet him. Edward attempted to say somethingwithin the verge of ordinary compliment and conversation, butfound himself unequal to the task. Flora seemed at first equallyembarrassed, but recovered herself more speedily, and (anunfavourable augury for Waverley's suit) was the first to enterupon the subject of their last interview. 'It is too important, inevery point of view, Mr. Waverley, to permit me to leave you indoubt on my sentiments.'
'Do not speak them speedily,' said Waverley, much agitated,'unless they are such as I fear, from your manner, I must not dareto anticipate. Let time--let my future conduct--let your brother'sinfluence--'
'Forgive me, Mr. Waverley,' said Flora, her complexion a littleheightened, but her voice firm and composed. 'I should incur myown heavy censure did I delay expressing my sincere convictionthat I can never regard you otherwise than as a valued friend. Ishould do you the highest injustice did I conceal my sentimentsfor a moment. I see I distress you, and I grieve for it, butbetter now than later; and O, better a thousand times, Mr.Waverley, that you should feel a present momentary disappointmentthan the long and heart-sickening griefs which attend a rash andill-assorted marriage!'
'Good God!' exclaimed Waverley, 'why should you anticipate suchconsequences from a union where birth is equal, where fortune isfavourable, where, if I may venture to say so, the tastes aresimilar, where you allege no preference for another, where youeven express a favourable opinion of him whom you reject?'
'Mr. Waverley, I HAVE that favourable opinion,' answered Flora;'and so strongly that, though I would rather have been silent onthe grounds of my resolution, you shall command them
, if you exactsuch a mark of my esteem and confidence.'
She sat down upon a fragment of rock, and Waverley, placinghimself near her, anxiously pressed for the explanation sheoffered.
'I dare hardly,' she said, 'tell you the situation of my feelings,they are so different from those usually ascribed to young womenat my period of life; and I dare hardly touch upon what Iconjecture to be the nature of yours, lest I should give offencewhere I would willingly administer consolation. For myself, frommy infancy till this day I have had but one wish--the restorationof my royal benefactors to their rightful throne. It is impossibleto express to you the devotion of my feelings to this singlesubject; and I will frankly confess that it has so occupied mymind as to exclude every thought respecting what is called my ownsettlement in life. Let me but live to see the day of that happyrestoration, and a Highland cottage, a French convent, or anEnglish palace will be alike indifferent to me.'
'But, dearest Flora, how is your enthusiastic zeal for the exiledfamily inconsistent with my happiness?'
'Because you seek, or ought to seek, in the object of yourattachment a heart whose principal delight should be in augmentingyour domestic felicity and returning your affection, even to theheight of romance. To a man of less keen sensibility, and lessenthusiastic tenderness of disposition, Flora Mac-Ivor might givecontent, if not happiness; for, were the irrevocable words spoken,never would she be deficient in the duties which she vowed.'
'And why,--why, Miss Mac-Ivor, should you think yourself a morevaluable treasure to one who is less capable of loving, ofadmiring you, than to me?'
'Simply because the tone of our affections would be more inunison, and because his more blunted sensibility would not requirethe return of enthusiasm which I have not to bestow. But you, Mr.Waverley, would for ever refer to the idea of domestic happinesswhich your imagination is capable of painting, and whatever fellshort of that ideal representation would be construed intocoolness and indifference, while you might consider the enthusiasmwith which I regarded the success of the royal family asdefrauding your affection of its due return.'
'In other words, Miss Mac-Ivor, you cannot love me?' said hersuitor dejectedly.
'I could esteem you, Mr. Waverley, as much, perhaps more, than anyman I have ever seen; but I cannot love you as you ought to beloved. O! do not, for your own sake, desire so hazardous anexperiment! The woman whom you marry ought to have affections andopinions moulded upon yours. Her studies ought to be your studies;her wishes, her feelings, her hopes, her fears, should all minglewith yours. She should enhance your pleasures, share your sorrows,and cheer your melancholy.'
'And why will not you, Miss Mac-Ivor, who can so well describe ahappy union, why will not you be yourself the person youdescribe?'
'Is it possible you do not yet comprehend me?' answered Flora.'Have I not told you that every keener sensation of my mind isbent exclusively towards an event upon which, indeed, I have nopower but those of my earnest prayers?'
'And might not the granting the suit I solicit,' said Waverley,too earnest on his purpose to consider what he was about to say,'even advance the interest to which you have devoted yourself? Myfamily is wealthy and powerful, inclined in principles to theStuart race, and should a favourable opportunity--'
'A favourable opportunity!' said Flora--somewhat scornfully.'Inclined in principles! Can such lukewarm adherence be honourableto yourselves, or gratifying to your lawful sovereign? Think, frommy present feelings, what I should suffer when I held the place ofmember in a family where the rights which I hold most sacred aresubjected to cold discussion, and only deemed worthy of supportwhen they shall appear on the point of triumphing without it!'
'Your doubts,' quickly replied Waverley, 'are unjust as far asconcerns myself. The cause that I shall assert, I dare supportthrough every danger, as undauntedly as the boldest who drawssword in its behalf.'
'Of that,' answered Flora, 'I cannot doubt for a moment. Butconsult your own good sense and reason rather than a prepossessionhastily adopted, probably only because you have met a young womanpossessed of the usual accomplishments in a sequestered andromantic situation. Let your part in this great and perilous dramarest upon conviction, and not on a hurried and probably atemporary feeling.'
Waverley attempted to reply, but his words failed him. Everysentiment that Flora had uttered vindicated the strength of hisattachment; for even her loyalty, although wildly enthusiastic,was generous and noble, and disdained to avail itself of anyindirect means of supporting the cause to which she was devoted.
After walking a little way in silence down the path, Flora thusresumed the conversation.--'One word more, Mr. Waverley, ere webid farewell to this topic for ever; and forgive my boldness ifthat word have the air of advice. My brother Fergus is anxiousthat you should join him in his present enterprise. But do notconsent to this; you could not, by your single exertions, furtherhis success, and you would inevitably share his fall, if it beGod's pleasure that fall he must. Your character would also sufferirretrievably. Let me beg you will return to your own country;and, having publicly freed yourself from every tie to the usurpinggovernment, I trust you will see cause, and find opportunity, toserve your injured sovereign with effect, and stand forth, as yourloyal ancestors, at the head of your natural followers andadherents, a worthy representative of the house of Waverley.'
'And should I be so happy as thus to distinguish myself, might Inot hope--'
'Forgive my interruption,' said Flora. 'The present time only isours, and I can but explain to you with candour the feelings whichI now entertain; how they might be altered by a train of eventstoo favourable perhaps to be hoped for, it were in vain even toconjecture. Only be assured, Mr. Waverley, that, after mybrother's honour and happiness, there is none which I shall moresincerely pray for than for yours.'
With these words she parted from him, for they were now arrivedwhere two paths separated. Waverley reached the castle amidst amedley of conflicting passions. He avoided any private interviewwith Fergus, as he did not find himself able either to encounterhis raillery or reply to his solicitations. The wild revelry ofthe feast, for Mac-Ivor kept open table for his clan, served insome degree to stun reflection. When their festivity was ended, hebegan to consider how he should again meet Miss Mac-Ivor after thepainful and interesting explanation of the morning. But Flora didnot appear. Fergus, whose eyes flashed when he was told byCathleen that her mistress designed to keep her apartment thatevening, went himself in quest of her; but apparently hisremonstrances were in vain, for he returned with a heightenedcomplexion and manifest symptoms of displeasure. The rest of theevening passed on without any allusion, on the part either ofFergus or Waverley, to the subject which engrossed the reflectionsof the latter, and perhaps of both.
When retired to his own apartment, Edward endeavoured to sum upthe business of the day. That the repulse he had received fromFlora would be persisted in for the present, there was no doubt.But could he hope for ultimate success in case circumstancespermitted the renewal of his suit? Would the enthusiastic loyalty,which at this animating moment left no room for a softer passion,survive, at least in its engrossing force, the success or thefailure of the present political machinations? And if so, could hehope that the interest which she had acknowledged him to possessin her favour might be improved into a warmer attachment? He taxedhis memory to recall every word she had used, with the appropriatelooks and gestures which had enforced them, and ended by findinghimself in the same state of uncertainty. It was very late beforesleep brought relief to the tumult of his mind, after the mostpainful and agitating day which he had ever passed.
