Ask her to show you some verses she made on his history and fate; they
have been much admired, I assure you. The next point is--I think I
saw Flora go up towards the waterfall a short time since--follow, man,
follow! don't allow the garrison time to strengthen its purposes of
resistance--ALERTE A LA MURAILLE! Seek Flora out, and learn her decision
as soon as you can--and Cupid go with you, while I go to look over belts
and cartouch-boxes.'
Waverley ascended the glen with an anxious and throbbing heart. Love,
with all its romantic train of hopes, fears, and wishes, was mingled
with other feelings of a nature less easily defined. He could not but
remember how much this morning had changed his fate, and into what a
complication of perplexity it was likely to plunge him. Sunrise had seen
him possessed of an esteemed rank in the honourable profession of
arms, his father to all appearance rapidly rising in the favour of
his sovereign;--all this had passed away like a dream--he himself was
dishonoured, his father disgraced, and he had become involuntarily the
confidant at least, if not the accomplice, of plans dark, deep, and
dangerous, which must infer either subversion of the government he had
so lately served, or the destruction of all who had participated in
them, Should Flora even listen to his suit favourably, what prospect was
there of its being brought to a happy termination, amid the tumult of
an impending insurrection? Or how could he make the selfish request that
she should leave Fergus, to whom she was so much attached, and, retiring
with him to England, wait, as a distant spectator, the success of her
brother's undertaking, or the ruin of all his hopes and fortunes!--Or,
on the other hand, to engage himself, with no other aid than his single
arm, in the dangerous and precipitate counsels of the Chieftain,--to be
whirled along by him, the partaker of all his desperate and impetuous
motions, renouncing almost the power of judging, or deciding upon the
rectitude or prudence of his actions,--this was no pleasing prospect for
the secret pride of Waverley to stoop to.
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