she should come here, as since our success a good many ladies of rank attend our military court; and I assure you, that there is a sort of consequence annexed to the relatives of such a person as Flora MacIvor, and where there is such a justling of claims and requests a man must use every fair means to enhance his importance."

There was something in this last sentence which grated on Waverley's feelings. He could not bear that Flora should be considered as conducing to her brother's preferment, by the admiration which she must unquestionably attract; and although it was in strict correspondence with many points of Fergus's character, it shocked him as selfish, and unworthy of his sister's high mind and his own independent pride. Fergus, to whom such manœuvres were familiar, as to one brought up at the French court, did not observe the unfavourable impression which he had unwarily made upon his friend's mind, and concluded by saying, "that they would

hardly see Flora before the evening, when she would be at the concert and ball, with which the Prince's party were to be entertained. She and I had a quarrel about her not appearing to take leave of you. I am unwilling to renew it, by soliciting her to receive you this morning; and per haps my doing so might not only be ineffectual, but prevent your meeting this evening."

While thus conversing, Waverley heard in the court, before the windows of the parlour, a well-known voice. "I aver to you, my worthy friend," said the speaker, "that it is a total dereliction of military discipline; and were you not as it were a tyro, your purpose would deserve strong reprobation. For a prisoner of war is on no account to be coerced with fetters, or debinded in ergastulo, as would have been the case had you put this gentleman into the pit of the peel-house at Balmawhapple. I grant, indeed, that such a prisoner may

for security be coerced in carcere, that is,

in a public prison."

The growling voice of Balmawhapple was heard as taking leave in displeasure, but the word "land-louper" alone was distinctly audible. He had disappeared before Waverley had reached the court, in order to greet the worthy Baron. The uniform in which he was now attired seemed to have added fresh stiffness and rigidity to his tall perpendicular figure; and the consciousness of military command and authority had increased, in the same proportion, the self-importance of his demeanour, and dogmatism of his conversation.

He received Waverley with his usual kindness, and expressed immediate anxiety to hear an explanation of the circumstances attending the loss of his commission in G's dragoons; "not," he said, "that he had the least apprehension of his young friend having done aught which could merit such ungenerous treatment as he

had received from government, but because it was right and seemly that the Baron of Bradwardine should be, in point of trust and in point of power, fully able to refute all calumnies against the heir of Waverley-Honour, whom he had so much right to regard as his own son."

the

Fergus Mac-Ivor, who had now joined them, went hastily over the circumstances of Waverley's story, and concluded with the flattering reception he had met from young Chevalier. The Baron listened in silence, and at the conclusion shook Waverley heartily by the hand, and congratulated him upon entering the service of his lawful Prince. "For," continued he," although it has been justly held in all nations a matter of scandal and dishonour to infringe the sacramentum militare, and that whether it was taken by each soldier singly, whilk the Romans denominated per conjurationem, or by one soldier in name of the rest; yet no one ever doubted that the allegiance so sworn was dis

charged by the dimissio, or discharging of a soldier, whose case would be as hard as that of colliers, salters, and other slaves of the soil, were it to be accounted otherwise. This is something like the brocard expressed by the learned Sanchez' in his work De Jure-jurando, which you have questionless consulted upon this occasion. 'As for those who have calumniated you by leasing-making, I protest to Heaven I think they have justly incurred the pe ́nalty of the Memnonia lex, also called Lex Rhemnia, which is prelected upon by Tullius in his oration In Verrem. I should have deemed, however, Mr Waverley, that before destining yourself to any special service in the army of the Prince, ye might have enquired what rank the Baron of Bradwardine held there, and whether he would not have been peculiarly happy to have had your services in the regiment of horse which he is now about to levy.'

ม

Edward eluded this reproach by plead

ing the necessity of giving an immediate