Historical fiction; Jacobite Rebellion, 1745-1746 -- Fiction; Scotland -- History -- 18th century -- Fiction
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 came the
doubtful question, whether he might not be that happy man,--a question
which fancy endeavoured to answer in the affirmative, by conjuring up
all she had said in his praise, with the addition of a comment much more
flattering than the text warranted. All that was commonplace--all that
belonged to the everyday world--was melted away and obliterated in those
dreams of imagination, which only remembered with advantage the points
of grace and dignity that distinguished Flora, from the generality of
her sex, not the particulars which she held in common with them,
Edward was, in short, in the fair way of creating a goddess out of a
high-spirited, accomplished, and beautiful young woman; and the time was
wasted in castle-building, until, at the descent of a steep hill, he saw
beneath him the market-town of--.
The Highland politeness of Callum Beg--there are few nations, by the
way, who can boast of so much natural politeness as the Highlanders
[The Highlander, in former times, had always a high idea, of his own
gentility, and was anxious to impress the same upon those with whom
he conversed. His language abounded in the phrases of courtesy and
compliment; and the habit of carrying arms, and mixing with those
who did so, made if particularly desirable they should use cautious
politeness in their intercourse with each other.]--the Highland civility
of his attendant had not permitted him to disturb the reveries of our
hero. But observing him rouse himself at the sight of the village,
Callum pressed closer to his side, and hoped 'When they cam to the
public, his honour wad not say nothing about Vich Ian Vohr, for ta
people were bitter Whigs, deil burst tem.'
Waverley assured the prudent page that he would be cautious; and as he
now distinguished, not indeed the ringing of bells, but the tinkling
of something like a hammer against the side of an old messy, green,
inverted porridge-pot, that hung in an open booth, of the size and
shape of a parrot's cage, erected to grace the east end of a building
resembling an old barn, he asked Callum Beg if it were Sunday.
'Could na say just preceesely--Sunday seldom cam aboon the pass of
Bally-Brough.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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