Like James the First, however, the present possessor of this authority was more pleased in talking about prerogative than in exercising it; and, excepting that he imprisoned two poachers in the dungeon of the old tower of Tully-Veolan, where they were sorely frightened by ghosts, and almost eaten by rats, and that he set an old woman in the JOUGS (or Scottish pillory) for saying ’there were mair fules in the laird’s ha’ house than Davie Gellatley,’ I do not learn that he was accused of abusing his high powers.  Still, however, the conscious pride of possessing them gave additional importance to his language and deportment.

At his first address to Waverley, it would seem that the hearty pleasure he felt to behold the nephew of his friend had somewhat discomposed the stiff and upright dignity of the Baron of Bradwardine’s demeanour, for the tears stood in the old gentleman’s eyes, when, having first shaken Edward heartily by the hand in the English fashion, he embraced him A la mode Francaise, and kissed him on both sides of his face; while the hardness of his grip, and the quantity of Scotch snuff which his accolade communicated, called corresponding drops of moisture to the eyes of his guest.

‘Upon the honour of a gentleman,’ he said, ’but it makes me young again to see you here, Mr. Waverley!’ A worthy scion of the old stock of Waverley-Honour—­SPES ALTERA, as Maro hath it—­and you have the look of the old line, Captain Waverley, not so portly yet as my old friend Sir Everard—­mais cela VIENDRA avec le TEMPS, as my Dutch acquaintance, Baron Kikkitbroeck, said of the SAGESSE of Madame son EPOUSE.—­And so ye have mounted the cockade?  Right, right; though I could have wished the colour different, and so I would ha’ deemed might Sir Everard.  But no more of that; I am old, and times are changed.—­And how does the worthy knight baronet, and the fair Mrs. Rachel?—­Ah, ye laugh, young man!  In troth she was the fair Mrs. Rachel in the year of grace seventeen hundred and sixteen; but time passes—­et SINGULA PRAEDANTUR ANNI—­that is most certain.  But once again, ye are most heartily welcome to my poor house of Tully-Veolan!—­Hie to the house, Rose, and see that Alexander Saunderson leaks out the old Chateau Margaux, which I sent from Bourdeaux to Dundee in the year 1713.’

Rose tripped off demurely enough till she turned the first corner, and then ran with the speed of a fairy, that she might gain leisure, after discharging her father’s commission, to put her own dress in order, and produce all her little finery, an occupation for which the approaching dinner hour left but limited time.

’We cannot rival the luxuries of your English table, Captain Waverley, or give you the EPULAE LAUTIORES of Wavery-Honour—­I say EPULAE rather than PRANDIUM, because the latter phrase is popular; EPULAE ad SENATUM, PRANDIUM Vero ad POPULUM ATTINET, says Suetonius Tranquillus.  But I trust ye will applaud my Bourdeaux; c’est d’une oreille, as Captain Vinsauf used to say—­VINUM PRIMAE NOTAE, the Principal of St. Andrews denominated it.  And, once more, Captain Waverley, right glad am I that ye are here to drink the best my cellar can make forthcoming.’