But I must go to head-quarters to
prepare the Prince for this extraordinary scene. My information will be
well taken, for it will give him a hearty laugh at present, and put him
on his guard against laughing, when it might be very MAL-A-PROPOS. So,
AU REVOIR, my dear Waverley.'
CHAPTER XLIX
THE ENGLISH PRISONER
The first occupation of Waverley, after he departed from the Chieftain,
was to go in quest of the officer whose life he had saved. He was
guarded, along with his companions in misfortune, who were very
numerous, in a gentleman's house near the field of battle.
On entering the room where they stood crowded together, Waverley easily
recognized the object of his visit, not only by the peculiar dignity
of his appearance, but by the appendage of Dugald Mahony, with his
battle-axe, who had stuck to him from the moment of his captivity, as
if he had been skewered to his side. This close attendance was, perhaps,
for the purpose of securing his promised reward from Edward, but it also
operated to save the English gentleman from being plundered in the scene
of general confusion; for Dugald sagaciously argued, that the amount of
the salvage which he might be allowed, would be regulated by the
state of the prisoner, when he should deliver him over to Waverley, He
hastened to assure Waverley, therefore, with more words than he usually
employed, that he had 'keepit ta SIDIER ROY haill, and that he wasna a
plack the waur since the fery moment when his honour forbad her to gie
him a bit clamhewit wi' her Lochaber-axe.
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