As Colonel Mac-Ivor’s regiment11 marched in the van of the clans12, he and Waverley, who now equalled any Highlander14 in the endurance of fatigue15, and was become somewhat acquainted with their language, were perpetually at its head. They marked the progress of the army, however, with very different eyes. Fergus, all air and fire, and confident against the world in arms, measured nothing but that every step was a yard nearer London. He neither asked, expected, nor desired any aid except that of the clans to place the Stuarts once more on the throne; and when by chance a few adherents16 joined the standard, he always considered them in the light of new claimants upon the favours of the future monarch17, who, he concluded, must therefore subtract for their gratification so much of the bounty18 which ought to be shared among his Highland13 followers19.
Edward’s views were very different. He could not but observe that in those towns in which they proclaimed James the Third, ‘no man cried, God bless him.’ The mob stared and listened, heartless, stupefied, and dull, but gave few signs even of that boisterous20 spirit which induces them to shout upon all occasions for the mere21 exercise of their most sweet voices. The Jacobites had been taught to believe that the north-western counties abounded22 with wealthy squires24 and hardy yeomen, devoted25 to the cause of the White Rose. But of the wealthier Tories they saw little. Some fled from their houses, some feigned26 themselves sick, some surrendered themselves to the government as suspected persons. Of such as remained, the ignorant gazed with astonishment27, mixed with horror and aversion, at the wild appearance, unknown language, and singular garb28 of the Scottish clans. And to the more prudent29 their scanty30 numbers, apparent deficiency in discipline, and poverty of equipment seemed certain tokens of the calamitous31 termination of their rash undertaking32. Thus the few who joined them were such as bigotry33 of political principle blinded to consequences, or whose broken fortunes induced them to hazard all on a risk so desperate.
The Baron34 of Bradwardine, being asked what he thought of these recruits, took a long pinch of snuff, and answered drily,‘that he could not but have an excellent opinion of them, since they resembled precisely35 the followers who attached themselves to the good King David at the cave of Adullam — videlicet, every one that was in distress36, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, which the vulgate renders bitter of soul; and doubtless,’ he said, ‘they will prove mighty men of their hands, and there is much need that they should, for I have seen many a sour look cast upon us.’
But none of these considerations moved Fergus. He admired the luxuriant beauty of the country, and the situation of many of the seats which they passed. ‘Is Waverley-Honour like that house, Edward?’
‘It is one-half larger.’
‘Is your uncle’s park as fine a one as that?’
‘It is three times as extensive, and rather resembles a forest than a mere park.’
‘Flora37 will be a happy woman.’
‘I hope Miss Mac-Ivor will have much reason for happiness unconnected with Waverley-Honour.’
‘I hope so too; but to be mistress of such a place will be a pretty addition to the sum total.’
‘An addition, the want of which, I trust, will be amply supplied by some other means.’
‘How,’ said Fergus, stopping short and turning upon Waverley — ‘how am I to understand that, Mr. Waverley? Had I the pleasure to hear you aright?’
‘Perfectly right, Fergus.’
‘And am I to understand that you no longer desire my alliance and my sister’s hand?’
‘Your sister has refused mine,’ said Waverley, ‘both directly and by all the usual means by which ladies repress undesired attentions.’
‘I have no idea,’ answered the Chieftain, ‘of a lady dismissing or a gentleman withdrawing his suit, after it has been approved of by her legal guardian38, without giving him an opportunity of talking the matter over with the lady. You did not, I suppose, expect my sister to drop into your mouth like a ripe plum the first moment you chose to open it?’
‘As to the lady’s title to dismiss her lover, Colonel,’ replied Edward, ‘it is a point which you must argue with her, as I am ignorant of the customs of the Highlands in that particular. But as to my title to acquiesce39 in a rejection40 from her without an appeal to your interest, I will tell you plainly, without meaning to undervalue Miss Mac-Ivor’s admitted beauty and accomplishments41, that I would not take the hand of an angel, with an empire for her dowry, if her consent were extorted42 by the importunity43 of friends and guardians44, and did not flow from her own free inclination45.’
‘An angel, with the dowry of an empire,’ repeated Fergus, in a tone of bitter irony46, ‘is not very likely to be pressed upon a —— shire squire23. But, sir,’ changing his tone, ‘if Flora Mac-Ivor have not the dowry of an empire, she is MY sister; and that is sufficient at least to secure her against being treated with anything approaching to levity47.’
‘She is Flora Mac-Ivor, sir,’ said Waverley, with firmness, ‘which to me, were I capable of treating ANY woman with levity, would be a more effectual protection.’
The brow of the Chieftain was now fully48 clouded; but Edward felt too indignant at the unreasonable49 tone which he had adopted to avert50 the storm by the least concession51. They both stood still while this short dialogue passed, and Fergus seemed half disposed to say something more violent, but, by a strong effort, suppressed his passion, and, turning his face forward, walked sullenly53 on. As they had always hitherto walked together, and almost constantly side by side, Waverley pursued his course silently in the same direction, determined54 to let the Chief take his own time in recovering the good-humour which he had so unreasonably55 discarded, and firm in his resolution not to bate56 him an inch of dignity.
After they had marched on in this sullen52 manner about a mile, Fergus resumed the discourse57 in a different tone. ‘I believe I was warm, my dear Edward, but you provoke me with your want of knowledge of the world. You have taken pet at some of Flora’s prudery, or high-flying notions of loyalty58, and now, like a child, you quarrel with the plaything you have been crying for, and beat me, your faithful keeper, because my arm cannot reach to Edinburgh to hand it to you. I am sure, if I was passionate59, the mortification60 of losing the alliance of such a friend, after your arrangement had been the talk of both Highlands and Lowlands, and that without so much as knowing why or wherefore, might well provoke calmer blood than mine. I shall write to Edinburgh and put all to rights; that is, if you desire I should do so; as indeed I cannot suppose that your good opinion of Flora, it being such as you have often expressed to me, can be at once laid aside.’
‘Colonel Mac-Ivor,’ said Edward, who had no mind to be hurried farther or faster than he chose in a matter which he had already considered as broken off, ‘I am fully sensible of the value of your good offices; and certainly, by your zeal61 on my behalf in such an affair, you do me no small honour. But as Miss Mac-Ivor has made her election freely and voluntarily, and as all my attentions in Edinburgh were received with more than coldness, I cannot, in justice either to her or myself, consent that she should again be harassed62 upon this topic. I would have mentioned this to you some time since, but you saw the footing upon which we stood together, and must have understood it. Had I thought otherwise I would have earlier spoken; but I had a natural reluctance63 to enter upon a subject so painful to us both.’
‘O, very well, Mr. Waverley,’ said Fergus, haughtily64, ‘the thing is at an end. I have no occasion to press my sister upon any man.’
‘Nor have I any occasion to court repeated rejection from the same young lady,’ answered Edward, in the same tone.
‘I shall make due inquiry65, however,’ said the Chieftain, without noticing the interruption, ‘and learn what my sister thinks of all this, we will then see whether it is to end here.’
‘Respecting such inquiries66, you will of course be guided by your own judgment,’ said Waverley. ‘It is, I am aware, impossible Miss Mac-Ivor can change her mind; and were such an unsupposable case to happen, it is certain I will not change mine. I only mention this to prevent any possibility of future misconstruction.’
Gladly at this moment would Mac-Ivor have put their quarrel to a personal arbitrement, his eye flashed fire, and he measured Edward as if to choose where he might best plant a mortal wound. But although we do not now quarrel according to the modes and figures of Caranza or Vincent Saviola, no one knew better than Fergus that there must be some decent pretext67 for a mortal duel68. For instance, you may challenge a man for treading on your corn in a crowd, or for pushing you up to the wall, or for taking your seat in the theatre; but the modern code of honour will not permit you to found a quarrel upon your right of compelling a man to continue addresses to a female relative which the fair lady has already refused. So that Fergus was compelled to stomach this supposed affront69 until the whirligig of time, whose motion he promised himself he would watch most sedulously70, should bring about an opportunity of revenge.
Waverley’s servant always led a saddle-horse for him in the rear of the battalion71 to which he was attached, though his master seldom rode. But now, incensed72 at the domineering and unreasonable conduct of his late friend, he fell behind the column and mounted his horse, resolving to seek the Baron of Bradwardine, and request permission to volunteer in his troop instead of the Mac-Ivor regiment.
‘A happy time of it I should have had,’ thought he, after he was mounted, ‘to have been so closely allied73 to this superb specimen74 of pride and self-opinion and passion. A colonel! why, he should have been a generalissimo. A petty chief of three or four hundred men! his pride might suffice for the Cham of Tartary — the Grand Seignior — the Great Mogul! I am well free of him. Were Flora an angel, she would bring with her a second Lucifer of ambition and wrath75 for a brother-in-law.’
The Baron, whose learning (like Sancho’s jests while in the Sierra Morena) seemed to grow mouldy for want of exercise, joyfully76 embraced the opportunity of Waverley’s offering his service in his regiment, to bring it into some exertion77. The good-natured old gentleman, however, laboured to effect a reconciliation78 between the two quondam friends. Fergus turned a cold ear to his remonstrances79, though he gave them a respectful hearing; and as for Waverley, he saw no reason why he should be the first in courting a renewal80 of the intimacy81 which the Chieftain had so unreasonably disturbed. The Baron then mentioned the matter to the Prince, who, anxious to prevent quarrels in his little army, declared he would himself remonstrate82 with Colonel Mac-Ivor on the unreasonableness83 of his conduct. But, in the hurry of their march, it was a day or two before he had an opportunity to exert his influence in the manner proposed.
In the meanwhile Waverley turned the instructions he had received while in Gardiner’s dragoons to some account, and assisted the Baron in his command as a sort of adjutant. ‘Parmi les aveugles un borgne est roi,’ says the French proverb; and the cavalry84, which consisted chiefly of Lowland gentlemen, their tenants85 and servants, formed a high opinion of Waverley’s skill and a great attachment86 to his person. This was indeed partly owing to the satisfaction which they felt at the distinguished87 English volunteer’s leaving the Highlanders to rank among them; for there was a latent grudge88 between the horse and foot, not only owing to the difference of the services, but because most of the gentlemen, living near the Highlands, had at one time or other had quarrels with the tribes in their vicinity, and all of them looked with a jealous eye on the Highlanders’ avowed89 pretensions90 to superior valour and utility in the Prince’s service.
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1
intrude
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| vi.闯入；侵入；打扰，侵扰 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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hardy
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| adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的 | |
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defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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wade
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| v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉 | |
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besieged
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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prosecuted
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| a.被起诉的 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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clans
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| 宗族( clan的名词复数 )； 氏族； 庞大的家族； 宗派 | |
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highland
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| n.(pl.)高地，山地 | |
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highlander
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| n.高地的人，苏格兰高地地区的人 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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adherents
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| n.支持者，拥护者( adherent的名词复数 )；党羽；徒子徒孙 | |
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monarch
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| n.帝王，君主，最高统治者 | |
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bounty
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| n.慷慨的赠予物，奖金；慷慨，大方；施与 | |
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followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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boisterous
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| adj.喧闹的，欢闹的 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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abounded
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| v.大量存在，充满，富于( abound的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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squires
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| n.地主，乡绅( squire的名词复数 ) | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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feigned
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| a.假装的，不真诚的 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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garb
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| n.服装，装束 | |
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prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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calamitous
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| adj.灾难的，悲惨的；多灾多难；惨重 | |
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undertaking
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| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
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bigotry
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| n.偏见，偏执，持偏见的行为[态度]等 | |
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baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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flora
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| n.(某一地区的)植物群 | |
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guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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acquiesce
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| vi.默许，顺从，同意 | |
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rejection
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| n.拒绝，被拒，抛弃，被弃 | |
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accomplishments
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| n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就 | |
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extorted
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| v.敲诈( extort的过去式和过去分词 )；曲解 | |
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importunity
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| n.硬要，强求 | |
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guardians
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| 监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者 | |
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inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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irony
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| n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄 | |
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levity
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| n.轻率，轻浮，不稳定，多变 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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unreasonable
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| adj.不讲道理的，不合情理的，过度的 | |
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avert
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| v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等) | |
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concession
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| n.让步，妥协；特许(权) | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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unreasonably
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| adv. 不合理地 | |
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bate
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| v.压制；减弱；n.（制革用的）软化剂 | |
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discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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mortification
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| n.耻辱，屈辱 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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harassed
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| adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词 | |
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reluctance
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| n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿 | |
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haughtily
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| adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地 | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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pretext
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| n.借口，托词 | |
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duel
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| n./v.决斗；(双方的)斗争 | |
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affront
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| n./v.侮辱，触怒 | |
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sedulously
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| ad.孜孜不倦地 | |
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battalion
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| n.营；部队；大队(的人) | |
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incensed
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| 盛怒的 | |
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allied
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| adj.协约国的；同盟国的 | |
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specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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exertion
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| n.尽力，努力 | |
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reconciliation
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| n.和解，和谐，一致 | |
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remonstrances
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| n.抱怨，抗议( remonstrance的名词复数 ) | |
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renewal
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| adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来 | |
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intimacy
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| n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行 | |
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remonstrate
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| v.抗议，规劝 | |
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unreasonableness
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| 无理性； 横逆 | |
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cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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tenants
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| n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者 | |
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attachment
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| n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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avowed
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| adj.公开声明的，承认的v.公开声明，承认( avow的过去式和过去分词) | |
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pretensions
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| 自称( pretension的名词复数 )； 自命不凡； 要求； 权力 | |
参考例句： |
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