Waverley; or, 'Tis sixty years since — Volume 1Scott, Walter
History
Waverley; or, 'Tis sixty years since — Volume 1
Scott, Walter
Historical fiction; Jacobite Rebellion, 1745-1746 -- Fiction; Scotland -- History -- 18th century -- Fiction
'He is an innocent, sir,' said the butler; 'there is one such in
almost every town in the country, but ours is brought far ben.
[Footnote: See Note 8.] He used to work a day's turn weel
enough; but he helped Miss Rose when she was flemit with the Laird
of Killancureit's new English bull, and since that time we ca' him
Davie Do-little; indeed we might ca' him Davie Do-naething, for
since he got that gay clothing, to please his honour and my young
mistress (great folks will have their fancies), he has done
naething but dance up and down about the toun, without doing a
single turn, unless trimming the laird's fishing-wand or busking
his flies, or may be catching a dish of trouts at an orra time.
But here comes Miss Rose, who, I take burden upon me for her, will
be especial glad to see one of the house of Waverley at her
father's mansion of Tully-Veolan.'
But Rose Bradwardine deserves better of her unworthy historian
than to be introduced at the end of a chapter.
In the mean while it may be noticed, that Waverley learned two
things from this colloquy: that in Scotland a single house was
called a TOWN, and a natural fool an INNOCENT.
CHAPTER X
ROSE BRADWARDINE AND HER FATHER
Miss Bradwardine was but seventeen; yet, at the last races of the
county town of----, upon her health being proposed among a round
of beauties, the Laird of Bumperquaigh, permanent toast-master and
croupier of the Bautherwhillery Club, not only said MORE to the
pledge in a pint bumper of Bourdeaux, but, ere pouring forth the
libation, denominated the divinity to whom it was dedicated, 'the
Rose of Tully-Veolan'; upon which festive occasion three cheers
were given by all the sitting members of that respectable society,
whose throats the wine had left capable of such exertion. Nay, I
am well assured, that the sleeping partners of the company snorted
applause, and that although strong bumpers and weak brains had
consigned two or three to the floor, yet even these, fallen as
they were from their high estate, and weltering--I will carry the
parody no farther--uttered divers inarticulate sounds, intimating
their assent to the motion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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