Waverley — Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 328 pages of information about Waverley — Volume 2.

Waverley — Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 328 pages of information about Waverley — Volume 2.

He led the way to another suite of apartments, and assumed the seat and canopy at the head of a long range of tables with an air of dignity, mingled with courtesy, which well became his high birth and lofty pretensions.  An hour had hardly flown away when the musicians played the signal for parting so well known in Scotland. [Footnote:  Which is, or was wont to be, the old air of ‘Good-night and joy be wi’ you a’.]

‘Good-night, then,’ said the Chevalier, rising; ’goodnight, and joy be with you!  Good-night, fair ladies, who have so highly honoured a proscribed and banished Prince!  Good-night, my brave friends; may the happiness we have this evening experienced be an omen of our return to these our paternal halls, speedily and in triumph, and of many and many future meetings of mirth and pleasure in the palace of Holyrood!’

When the Baron of Bradwardine afterwards mentioned this adieu of the Chevalier, he never failed to repeat, in a melancholy tone,

    ’Audiit, et voti Phoebus succedere partem
    Mente dedit; partem volucres dispersit in auras;

which,’ as he added, ’is weel rendered into English metre by my friend Bangour:—­

    Ae half the prayer wi’ Phoebus grace did find,
    The t’other half he whistled down the wind.’

CHAPTER XLIV

THE MARCH

The conflicting passions and exhausted feelings of Waverley had resigned him to late but sound repose.  He was dreaming of Glennaquoich, and had transferred to the halls of lan nan Chaistel the festal train which so lately graced those of Holyrood.  The pibroch too was distinctly heard; and this at least was no delusion, for the ‘proud step of the chief piper’ of the ’chlain MacIvor’ was perambulating the court before the door of his Chieftain’s quarters, and as Mrs. Flockhart, apparently no friend to his minstrelsy, was pleased to observe, ’garring the very stane-and-lime wa’s dingle wi’ his screeching.’  Of course it soon became too powerful for Waverley’s dream, with which it had at first rather harmonised.

The sound of Callum’s brogues in his apartment (for Mac-Ivor had again assigned Waverley to his care) was the next note of parting.  ’Winna yer honour bang up?  Vich lan Vohr and ta Prince are awa to the lang green glen ahint the clachan, tat they ca’ the King’s Park, [Footnote:  The main body of the Highland army encamped, or rather bivouacked, in that part of the King’s Park which lies towards the village of Duddingston.] and mony ane’s on his ain shanks the day that will be carried on ither folk’s ere night.’

Waverley sprung up, and, with Callum’s assistance and instructions, adjusted his tartans in proper costume.  Callum told him also,’ tat his leather dorlach wi’ the lock on her was come frae Doune, and she was awa again in the wain wi’ Vich Ian Vohr’s walise.’

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Waverley — Volume 2 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.