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
'While I acknowledge my obligation to you, sir, for the
restoration of the badge of our family, I cannot but marvel that
you have nowhere established your own crest, whilk is, I believe,
a mastiff, anciently called a talbot; as the poet has it,
A talbot strong, a sturdy tyke.
At least such a dog is the crest of the martial and renowned Earls
of Shrewsbury, to whom your family are probably blood-relations.'
'I believe,' said the Colonel, smiling, 'our dogs are whelps of
the same litter; for my part, if crests were to dispute
precedence, I should be apt to let them, as the proverb says,
"fight dog, fight bear."'
As he made this speech, at which the Baron took another long pinch
of snuff, they had entered the house, that is, the Baron, Rose,
and Lady Emily, with young Stanley and the Bailie, for Edward and
the rest of the party remained on the terrace to examine a new
greenhouse stocked with the finest plants. The Baron resumed his
favourite topic--'However it may please you to derogate from the
honour of your burgonet, Colonel Talbot, which is doubtless your
humour, as I have seen in other gentlemen of birth and honour in
your country, I must again repeat it as a most ancient and
distinguished bearing, as well as that of my young friend Francis
Stanley, which is the eagle and child.'
'The bird and bantling they call it in Derbyshire, sir,' said
Stanley.
'Ye're a daft callant, sir,' said the Baron, who had a great
liking to this young man, perhaps because he sometimes teased him
--'Ye're a daft callant, and I must correct you some of these
days,' shaking his great brown fist at him. 'But what I meant to
say, Colonel Talbot, is, that yours is an ancient prosapia, or
descent, and since you have lawfully and justly acquired the
estate for you and yours which I have lost for me and mine, I wish
it may remain in your name as many centuries as it has done in
that of the late proprietor's.'
'That,' answered the Colonel, 'is very handsome, Mr. Bradwardine,
indeed.'
'And yet, sir, I cannot but marvel that you, Colonel, whom I noted
to have so much of the amor patritz when we met in Edinburgh as
even to vilipend other countries, should have chosen to establish
your Lares, or household gods, procul a patrice finibus, and in a
manner to expatriate yourself.'
'Why really, Baron, I do not see why, to keep the secret of these
foolish boys, Waverley and Stanley, and of my wife, who is no
wiser, one old soldier should continue to impose upon another. You
must know, then, that I have so much of that same prejudice in
favour of my native country, that the sum of money which I
advanced to the seller of this extensive barony has only purchased
for me a box in----shire, called Brere-wood Lodge, with about
two hundred and fifty acres of land, the chief merit of which is,
that it is within a very few miles of Waverley-Honour.'
'And who, then, in the name of Heaven, has bought this property?'
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