Flora's poney, and ride with you as far as Bally-Brough.-Callum Beg, see that our horses are ready, with a poney for your self, to attend and carry, Mr Waverley's baggage as far as (naming a small town,) where he can have a horse and guide to Edinburgh. Put on a Lowland dress, Callum, and see you keep your tongue close, if you would not have me cut it out: Mr Waverley rides Dermid." Then turning to Edward, "You will take leave of my sister?” 1 "Surely, that is, if Miss Mac-Ivor will honour me so far." "Cathleen, let my sister know Mr Waverley wishes to bid her farewell before he leaves us. But Rose Bradwardine, her situation must be thought of-I wish she were here~And why should she not? -There are but four red coats at TullyVeolan, and their muskets would be very useful to us." To these broken remarks Edward made no answer; his ear indeed received them, but his soul was intent upon the expected entrance of Flora. The door openedIt was but Cathleen, with her lady's excuse, and wishes for Captain Waverley's health and happiness. CHAPTER VI. Waverley's Reception in the Lowlands after his It was noon when the two friends stood at the top of the pass of Bally-Brough. "I must go no farther," said Fergus MacIvor, who during this journey had in vain endeavoured to raise his friend's spirits. "If my cross-grained sister has any share in your dejection, trust me she thinks highly of you, though her present anxiety about the public cause prevents her listening to any other subject. Confide your interest to me; I will not betray it, providing you do not again assume that vile cockade." "No fear of that, considering the manner in which it has been recalled. Adieu, Fergus; do not permit your sister to forget me." "And adieu, Waverley; you may soon hear of her with a prouder title. Get home, write letters, and make friends as many and as fast as you can; there will speedily be unexpected guests on the coast of Suffolk, or my news from France has deceived me." Thus parted the friends. Fergus returning back to his castle, while Edward, followed by Callum Beg, the latter transformed from point to point into a Lowcountry groom, proceeded to the little town of Edward paced on under the painful, and yet not altogether embittered feelings, which separation and uncertainty produce in the mind of a youthful lover. I am not sure if the ladies understand the full value of the influence of absence, nor do I think it wise to teach it them, lest, like the Clelias and Mandanes of yore, they should resume the humour of sending their. lovers to banishment. Distance, in truth, produces in idea the same effect as in real perspective. Objects are softened, and rounded, and rendered doubly graceful; the harsher and more ordinary points of character are melted down, and those by which it is remembered are the more striking outlines that mark sublimity, grace, or beauty. There are mists too in the mental, as well as the natural horizon, to conceal what is less pleasing in distant objects, and there are happy lights, to stream in full glory upon those points which can profit by brilliant illumination. Waverley forgot Flora Mac-Ivor's prejudices in her magnanimity, and almost pardoned her indifference towards his affection, when he recollected the grand and decisive object which seemed to fill her whole soul. She, whose sense of duty so wholly engrossed her in the cause of a benefactor, what would be her feelings in favour of the happy individual who should be so fortunate as to awaken them? Then |