A SKIRMISH.
The reader need hardly be reminded, that, after a council of war held at Derby on the 5th of December, the Highlanders relinquished their desperate attempt to penetrate farther into England, and, greatly to the dissatisfaction of their young and daring leader, positively determined to return northward.They commenced their retreat accordingly, and by the extreme celerity of their movements, outstripped the motions of the Duke of Cumberland, who now pursued them with a very large body of cavalry.
This retreat was a virtual resignation of their towering hopes.
None had been so sanguine as Fergus Mac-Ivor; none, consequently, was so cruelly mortified at the change of measures.
He argued, or rather remonstrated, with the utmost vehemence at the council of war; and, when his opinion was rejected, shed tears of grief and indignation.From that moment his whole manner was so much altered, that he could scarcely have been recognised for the same soaring and ardent spirit, for whom the whole earth seemed too narrow but a week before.The retreat had continued for several days, when Edward, to his surprise, early on the 12th of December, received a visit from the Chieftain in his quarters, in a hamlet about half-way between Shap and Penrith.
Having had no intercourse with the Chieftain since their rupture, Edward waited with some anxiety an explanation of this unexpected visit; nor could he help being surprised, and somewhat shocked, with the change in his appearance.His eye had lost much of its fire; his cheek was hollow, his voice was languid; even his gait seemed less firm and elastic than it was wont; and his dress, to which he used to be particularly attentive, was now carelessly flung about him.He invited Edward to walk out with him by the little river in the vicinity;and smiled in a melancholy manner when he observed him take down and buckle on his sword.
As soon as they were in a wild, sequestered path by the side of the stream, the Chief broke out,---``Our fine adventure is now totally ruined, Waverley, and I wish to know what you intend to do:---nay, never stare at me, man.I tell you Ireceived a packet from my sister yesterday, and, had I got the information it contains sooner, it would have prevented a quarrel, which I am always vexed when I think of.In a letter written after our dispute, I acquainted her with the cause of it;and she now replies to me, that she never had, nor could have, any purpose of giving you encouragement; so that it seems Ihave acted like a madman.---Poor Flora! she writes in high spirits; what a change will the news of this unhappy retreat make in her state of mind!''
Waverley, who was really much affected by the deep tone of melancholy with which Fergus spoke, affectionately entreated him to banish from his remembrance any unkindness which had arisen between them, and they once more shook hands, but now with sincere cordiality.Fergus again inquired of Waverley what he intended to do.``Had you not better leave this luckless army, and get down before us into Scotland, and embark for the Continent from some of the eastern ports that are still in our possession? When you are out of the kingdom, your friends will easily negotiate your pardon; and, to tell you the truth, I wish you would carry Rose Bradwardine with you as your wife, and take Flora also under your joint protection.''---Edward looked surprised---``She loves you, and I believe you love her, though, perhaps, you have not found it out, for you are not celebrated for knowing your own mind very pointedly.''
He said this with a sort of smile.
``How!'' answered Edward, ``can you advise me to desert the expedition in which we are all embarked?''
``Embarked?'' said Fergus; ``the vessel is going to pieces, and it is full time for all who can, to get into the long-boat and leave her.''
``Why, what will other gentlemen do?'' answered Waverley, and why did the Highland Chiefs consent to this retreat, if it is so ruinous?''
``O,'' replied Mac-Ivor, ``they think that, as on former occasions, the heading, hanging, and forfeiting, will chiefly fall to the lot of the Lowland gentry; that they will be left secure in their poverty and their fastnesses, there, according to their proverb, `to listen to the wind upon the hill till the waters abate.' But they will be disappointed; they have been too often troublesome to be so repeatedly passed over, and this time John Bull has been too heartily frightened to recover his good humour for some time.The Hanoverian ministers always deserved to be hanged for rascals; but now, if they get the power in their hands,---as, sooner or later they must, since there is neither rising in England nor assistance from France,---they will deserve the gallows as fools, if they leave a single clan in the Highlands in a situation to be again troublesome to Government.Ay, they will make root-and-branch-work, Iwarrant them.''
``And while you recommend flight to me,'' said Edward,---``a counsel which I would rather die than embrace,---what are your own views?''
``O,'' answered Fergus, with a melancholy air, ``my fate is settled.Dead or captive I must be before to-morrow.''
``What do you mean by that, my friend?'' said Edward.
``The enemy is still a day's march in our rear, and if he comes up, we are still strong enough to keep him in cheek.Remember Gladsmuir.''
``What I tell you is true notwithstanding, so far as I am individually concerned.''
``Upon what authority can you found so melancholy a prediction?''
asked Waverley.
``On one which never failed a person of my house.I have seen,'' he said lowering his voice, ``I have seen the Bodach Glas.''
``Bodach Glas?''
``Yes: have you been so long at Glennaquoich, and never heard of the Grey Spectre? though indeed there is a certain reluctance among us to mention him.''
``No never.''
