Waverley; or, 'Tis sixty years since — Volume 2Scott, Walter
History
Waverley; or, 'Tis sixty years since — Volume 2
Scott, Walter
Historical fiction; Jacobite Rebellion, 1745-1746 -- Fiction; Scotland -- History -- 18th century -- Fiction
The Prince next demanded to know the new cause of quarrel between
Colonel Mac-Ivor and Waverley. There was a pause. Both gentlemen
found the presence of the Baron of Bradwardine (for by this time
all three had approached the Chevalier by his command) an
insurmountable barrier against entering upon a subject where the
name of his daughter must unavoidably be mentioned. They turned
their eyes on the ground, with looks in which shame and
embarrassment were mingled with displeasure. The Prince, who had
been educated amongst the discontented and mutinous spirits of the
court of St. Germains, where feuds of every kind were the daily
subject of solicitude to the dethroned sovereign, had served his
apprenticeship, as old Frederick of Prussia would have said, to
the trade of royalty. To promote or restore concord among his
followers was indispensable. Accordingly he took his measures.
'Monsieur de Beaujeu!'
'Monseigneur!' said a very handsome French cavalry officer who was
in attendance.
'Ayez la bonte d'aligner ces montagnards la, ainsi que la
cavalerie, s'il vous plait, et de les remettre a la marche. Vous
parlez si bien l'Anglois, cela ne vous donneroit pas beaucoup de
peine.'
'Ah! pas du tout, Monseigneur,' replied Mons. le Comte de Beaujeu,
his head bending down to the neck of his little prancing highly-
managed charger. Accordingly he piaffed away, in high spirits and
confidence, to the head of Fergus's regiment, although
understanding not a word of Gaelic and very little English.
'Messieurs les sauvages Ecossois--dat is, gentilmans savages, have
the goodness d'arranger vous.'
The clan, comprehending the order more from the gesture than the
words, and seeing the Prince himself present, hastened to dress
their ranks.
'Ah! ver well! dat is fort bien!' said the Count de Beaujeu.
'Gentilmans sauvages! mais, tres bien. Eh bien! Qu'est ce que vous
appelez visage, Monsieur?' (to a lounging trooper who stood by
him). 'Ah, oui! face. Je vous remercie, Monsieur. Gentilshommes,
have de goodness to make de face to de right par file, dat is, by
files. Marsh! Mais, tres bien; encore, Messieurs; il faut vous
mettre a la marche. ... Marchez done, au nom de Dieu, parceque
j'ai oublie le mot Anglois; mais vous etes des braves gens, et me
comprenez tres bien.'
The Count next hastened to put the cavalry in motion. 'Gentilmans
cavalry, you must fall in. Ah! par ma foi, I did not say fall off!
I am a fear de little gross fat gentilman is moche hurt. Ah, mon
Dieu! c'est le Commissaire qui nous a apporte les premieres
nouvelles de ce maudit fracas. Je suis trop fache, Monsieur!'
But poor Macwheeble, who, with a sword stuck across him, and a
white cockade as large as a pancake, now figured in the character
of a commissary, being overturned in the bustle occasioned by the
troopers hastening to get themselves in order in the Prince's
presence, before he could rally his galloway, slunk to the rear
amid the unrestrained laughter of the spectators.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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