Had I thought
otherwise, I would have earlier spoken; but I had a natural reluctance
to enter upon a subject so painful to us both.'
'Oh, very well, Mr. Waverley,' said Fergus, haughtily, 'the thing is at
an end. I have no occasion to press my sister upon any man.'
'Nor have I any occasion to court repeated rejection from the same young
lady,' answered Edward, in the same tone.
'I shall make due inquiry, however,' said the Chieftain, without
noticing the interruption, 'and learn what my sister thinks of all this:
we will then see whether it is to end here.'
'Respecting such inquiries, you will of course be guided by your own
judgement,' said Waverley. 'It is, I am aware, impossible Miss Mac-Ivor
can change her mind; and were such an unsupposable case to happen, it
is certain I will not change mine. I only mention this to prevent any
possibility of future misconstruction.'
Gladly at this moment would Mac-Ivor have put their quarrel to a
personal arbitrament;--his eye flashed fire, and he measured Edward as
if to choose where he might best plant a mortal wound. But although
we do not now quarrel according to the modes and figures of Caranza or
Vincent Saviola, no one knew better than Fergus that there must be some
decent pretext for a mortal duel.
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