Waverley; or, 'Tis sixty years since — CompleteScott, Walter
History
Waverley; or, 'Tis sixty years since — Complete
Scott, Walter
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 tomorrow 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. [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.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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