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
As the guests had left their horses at the small inn, or change-
house, as it was called, of the village, the Baron could not, in
politeness, avoid walking with them up the avenue, and Waverley
from the same motive, and to enjoy after this feverish revel the
cool summer evening, attended the party. But when they arrived at
Luckie Macleary's the Lairds of Balmawhapple and Killancureit
declared their determination to acknowledge their sense of the
hospitality of Tully-Veolan by partaking, with their entertainer
and his guest Captain Waverley, what they technically called deoch
an doruis, a stirrup-cup, [Footnote 2: See Note 10] to the honour
of the Baron's roof-tree.
It must be noticed that the Bailie, knowing by experience that the
day's jovialty, which had been hitherto sustained at the expense
of his patron, might terminate partly at his own, had mounted his
spavined grey pony, and, between gaiety of heart and alarm for
being hooked into a reckoning, spurred him into a hobbling canter
(a trot was out of the question), and had already cleared the
village. The others entered the change-house, leading Edward in
unresisting submission; for his landlord whispered him, that to
demur to such an overture would be construed into a high
misdemeanour against the leges conviviales, or regulations of
genial compotation. Widow Macleary seemed to have expected this
visit, as well she might, for it was the usual consummation of
merry bouts, not only at Tully-Veolan, but at most other
gentlemen's houses in Scotland, Sixty Years Since. The guests
thereby at once acquitted themselves of their burden of gratitude
for their entertainer's kindness, encouraged the trade of his
change-house, did honour to the place which afforded harbour to
their horses, and indemnified themselves for the previous
restraints imposed by private hospitality, by spending what
Falstaff calls the sweet of the night in the genial license of a
tavern.
Accordingly, in full expectation of these distinguished guests,
Luckie Macleary had swept her house for the first time this
fortnight, tempered her turf-fire to such a heat as the season
required in her damp hovel even at Midsummer, set forth her deal
table newly washed, propped its lame foot with a fragment of turf,
arranged four or five stools of huge and clumsy form upon the
sites which best suited the inequalities of her clay floor; and
having, moreover, put on her clean toy, rokelay, and scarlet
plaid, gravely awaited the arrival of the company, in full hope of
custom and profit. When they were seated under the sooty rafters
of Luckie Macleary's only apartment, thickly tapestried with
cobwebs, their hostess, who had already taken her cue from the
Laird of Balmawhapple, appeared with a huge pewter measuring-pot,
containing at least three English quarts, familiarly denominated a
Tappit Hen, and which, in the language of the hostess, reamed
(i.e., mantled) with excellent claret just drawn from the cask.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account