From this wight, who now and then dropped alongside of his horse,
Waverley hoped to acquire some information, or at least to beguile the
way with talk.
'A fine evening, sir,' was Edward's salutation.
'Ow, aye, sir! a bra' night,' replied the lieutenant, in broad Scotch of
the most vulgar description.
'And a fine harvest, apparently,' continued Waverley, following up his
first attack.
'Aye, the aits will be got bravely in: but the farmers, deil burst them,
and the corn-mongers will make the auld price gude against them as has
horses till keep.'
'You perhaps act as quarter-master, sir?'
'Aye, quarter-master, riding-master, and lieutenant,' answered this
officer of all work. 'And, to be sure, wha's fitter to look after the
breaking and the keeping of the poor beasts than mysell, that bought and
sold every ane o' them?'
'And pray, sir, if it be not too great a freedom, may I beg to know
where we are going just now?'
'A fule's errand, I fear,' answered this communicative personage.
'In that case,' said Waverley, determined not to spare civility, 'I
should have thought a person of your appearance would not have been
found on the road.
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