Historical fiction; Jacobite Rebellion, 1745-1746 -- Fiction; Scotland -- History -- 18th century -- Fiction
'We are the more obliged to him,' said the Prince, 'for having reserved
for this evening qualities which even such intimate friends had not
discovered.--But come, gentlemen, the night advances, and the business
of to-morrow must be early thought upon. Each take charge of his fair
partner, and honour a small refreshment with your company.'
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.' [Which is, or was wont
to be, the old air of 'Good-night, and joy be with you a'!']
'Good-night, then, said the Chevalier, rising; 'Good-night, 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 volueres 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 Ian 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 Mac-Ivor' 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 harmonized.
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 yere
honour bang up? Vich Ian Vohr and ta Prince are awa to the lang green
glen ahint the clachan, tat they ca' the King's Park, and mony ane's on
his ain shanks the day, that will be carried on ither folk's ere night.'
[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.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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