Waverley; Or, 'Tis Sixty Years Since — Volume 2

by Walter Scott

  CHAPTER XLIII

  THE BALL

  Ensign MacCombich having gone to the Highland camp upon duty, andBailie Macwheeble having retired to digest his dinner and EvanDhu's intimation of martial law in some blind change-house,Waverley, with the Baron and the Chieftain, proceeded to HolyroodHouse. The two last were in full tide of spirits, and the Baronrallied in his way our hero upon the handsome figure which his newdress displayed to advantage. 'If you have any design upon theheart of a bonny Scotch lassie, I would premonish you, when youaddress her, to remember and quote the words of Virgilius:--

  Nunc insanus amor duri me Martis in armis, Tela inter media atque adversos detinet hostes;

  whilk verses Robertson of Struan, Chief of the Clan Donnochy(unless the claims of Lude ought to be preferred primo loco), hasthus elegantly rendered:--

  For cruel love had gartan'd low my leg, And clad my hurdies in a philabeg.

  Although, indeed, ye wear the trews, a garment whilk I approvemaist of the twa, as mair ancient and seemly.' 'Or rather,' saidFergus, 'hear my song:--

  She wadna hae a Lowland laird, Nor be an English lady; But she's away with Duncan Grame, And he's row'd her in his plaidy.'

  By this time they reached the palace of Holyrood, and wereannounced respectively as they entered the apartments.

  It is but too well known how many gentlemen of rank, education,and fortune took a concern in the ill-fated and desperateundertaking of 1745. The ladies, also, of Scotland very generallyespoused the cause of the gallant and handsome young Prince, whothrew himself upon the mercy of his countrymen rather like a heroof romance than a calculating politician. It is not, therefore, tobe wondered that Edward, who had spent the greater part of hislife in the solemn seclusion of Waverley-Honour, should have beendazzled at the liveliness and elegance of the scene now exhibitedin the long deserted halls of the Scottish palace. Theaccompaniments, indeed, fell short of splendour, being such as theconfusion and hurry of the time admitted; still, however, thegeneral effect was striking, and, the rank of the companyconsidered, might well be called brilliant.

  It was not long before the lover's eye discovered the object ofhis attachment. Flora Mac-Ivor was in the act of returning to herseat, near the top of the room, with Rose Bradwardine by her side.Among much elegance and beauty, they had attracted a great degreeof the public attention, being certainly two of the handsomestwomen present. The Prince took much notice of both, particularlyof Flora, with whom he danced, a preference which she probablyowed to her foreign education and command of the French andItalian languages.

  When the bustle attending the conclusion of the dance permitted,Edward almost intuitively followed Fergus to the place where MissMac-Ivor was seated. The sensation of hope with which he hadnursed his affection in absence of the beloved object seemed tovanish in her presence, and, like one striving to recover theparticulars of a forgotten dream, he would have given the world atthat moment to have recollected the grounds on which he hadfounded expectations which now seemed so delusive. He accompaniedFergus with downcast eyes, tingling ears, and the feelings of thecriminal who, while the melancholy cart moves slowly through thecrowds that have assembled to behold his execution, receives noclear sensation either from the noise which fills his ears or thetumult on which he casts his wandering look. Flora seemed alittle--a very little--affected and discomposed at his approach.'I bring you an adopted son of Ivor,' said Fergus.

  'And I receive him as a second brother,' replied Flora.

  There was a slight emphasis on the word, which would have escapedevery ear but one that was feverish with apprehension. It was,however, distinctly marked, and, combined with her whole tone andmanner, plainly intimated, 'I will never think of Mr. Waverley asa more intimate connexion.' Edward stopped, bowed, and looked atFergus, who bit his lip, a movement of anger which proved that healso had put a sinister interpretation on the reception which hissister had given his friend. 'This, then, is an end of my day-dream!' Such was Waverley's first thought, and it was soexquisitely painful as to banish from his cheek every drop ofblood.

  'Good God!' said Rose Bradwardine, 'he is not yet recovered!'

  These words, which she uttered with great emotion, were overheardby the Chevalier himself, who stepped hastily forward, and, takingWaverley by the hand, inquired kindly after his health, and addedthat he wished to speak with him. By a strong and sudden effort;which the circumstances rendered indispensable, Waverley recoveredhimself so far as to follow the Chevalier in silence to a recessin the apartment.

  Here the Prince detained him some time, asking various questionsabout the great Tory and Catholic families of England, theirconnexions, their influence, and the state of their affectionstowards the house of Stuart. To these queries Edward could not atany time have given more than general answers, and it may besupposed that, in the present state of his feelings, his responseswere indistinct even to confusion. The Chevalier smiled once ortwice at the incongruity of his replies, but continued the samestyle of conversation, although he found himself obliged to occupythe principal share of it, until he perceived that Waverley hadrecovered his presence of mind. It is probable that this longaudience was partly meant to further the idea which the Princedesired should be entertained among his followers, that Waverleywas a character of political influence. But it appeared, from hisconcluding expressions, that he had a different and good-naturedmotive, personal to our hero, for prolonging the conference. 'Icannot resist the temptation,' he said, 'of boasting of my owndiscretion as a lady's confidant. You see, Mr. Waverley, that Iknow all, and I assure you I am deeply interested in the affair.But, my good young friend, you must put a more severe restraintupon your feelings. There are many here whose eyes can see asclearly as mine, but the prudence of whose tongues may not beequally trusted,'

  So saying, he turned easily away and joined a circle of officersat a few paces' distance, leaving Waverley to meditate upon hisparting expression, which, though not intelligible to him in itswhole purport, was sufficiently so in the caution which the lastword recommended. Making, therefore, an effort to show himselfworthy of the interest which his new master had expressed, byinstant obedience to his recommendation, he walked up to the spotwhere Flora and Miss Bradwardine were still seated, and havingmade his compliments to the latter, he succeeded, even beyond hisown expectation, in entering into conversation upon generaltopics.

  If, my dear reader, thou hast ever happened to take post-horsesat----or at----(one at least of which blanks, or more probablyboth, you will be able to fill up from an inn near your ownresidence), you must have observed, and doubtless with sympatheticpain, the reluctant agony with which the poor jades at first applytheir galled necks to the collars of the harness. But when theirresistible arguments of the post-boy have prevailed upon them toproceed a mile or two, they will become callous to the firstsensation; and being warm in the harness, as the said post-boy mayterm it, proceed as if their withers were altogether unwrung. Thissimile so much corresponds with the state of Waverley's feelingsin the course of this memorable evening, that I prefer it(especially as being, I trust, wholly original) to any moresplendid illustration with which Byshe's 'Art of Poetry' mightsupply me.

  Exertion, like virtue, is its own reward; and our hero had,moreover, other stimulating motives for persevering in a displayof affected composure and indifference to Flora's obviousunkindness. Pride, which supplies its caustic as an useful, thoughsevere, remedy for the wounds of affection, came rapidly to hisaid. Distinguished by the favour of a prince; destined, he hadroom to hope, to play a conspicuous part in the revolution whichawaited a mighty kingdom; excelling, probably, in mentalacquirements, and equalling at least in personal accomplishments,most of the noble and distinguished persons with whom he was nowranked; young, wealthy, and high-born,--could he, or ought he, todroop beneath the frown of a capricious beauty?

  O nymph, unrelenting and cold as thou art, My bosom is proud as thine own.

  With the feeling expressed in these
beautiful lines (which,however, were not then written), [Footnote: They occur in MissSeward's fine verses, beginning--'To thy rocks, stormy Lannow,adieu.'] Waverley determined upon convincing Flora that he was notto be depressed by a rejection in which his vanity whispered thatperhaps she did her own prospects as much injustice as his. And,to aid this change of feeling, there lurked the secret andunacknowledged hope that she might learn to prize his affectionmore highly, when she did not conceive it to be altogether withinher own choice to attract or repulse it. There was a mystic toneof encouragement, also, in the Chevalier's words, though he fearedthey only referred to the wishes of Fergus in favour of an unionbetween him and his sister. But the whole circumstances of time,place, and incident combined at once to awaken his imagination andto call upon him for a manly and decisive tone of conduct, leavingto fate to dispose of the issue. Should he appear to be the onlyone sad and disheartened on the eve of battle, how greedily wouldthe tale be commented upon by the slander which had been alreadybut too busy with his fame! Never, never, he internally resolved,shall my unprovoked enemies possess such an advantage over myreputation.

  Under the influence of these mixed sensations, and cheered attimes by a smile of intelligence and approbation from the Princeas he passed the group, Waverley exerted his powers of fancy,animation, and eloquence, and attracted the general admiration ofthe company. The conversation gradually assumed the tone bestqualified for the display of his talents and acquisitions. Thegaiety of the evening was exalted in character, rather thanchecked, by the approaching dangers of the morrow. All nerves werestrung for the future, and prepared to enjoy the present. Thismood of mind is highly favourable for the exercise of the powersof imagination, for poetry, and for that eloquence which is alliedto poetry. Waverley, as we have elsewhere observed, possessed attimes a wonderful flow of rhetoric; and on the present occasion,he touched more than once the higher notes of feeling, and thenagain ran off in a wild voluntary of fanciful mirth. He wassupported and excited by kindred spirits, who felt the sameimpulse of mood and time; and even those of more cold andcalculating habits were hurried along by the torrent. Many ladiesdeclined the dance, which still went forward, and under variouspretences joined the party to which the 'handsome youngEnglishman' seemed to have attached himself. He was presented toseveral of the first rank, and his manners, which for the presentwere altogether free from the bashful restraint by which, in amoment of less excitation, they were usually clouded, gaveuniversal delight.

  Flora Mac-Ivor appeared to be the only female present who regardedhim with a degree of coldness and reserve; yet even she could notsuppress a sort of wonder at talents which, in the course of theiracquaintance, she had never seen displayed with equal brilliancyand impressive effect. I do not know whether she might not feel amomentary regret at having taken so decisive a resolution upon theaddresses of a lover who seemed fitted so well to fill a highplace in the highest stations of society. Certainly she hadhitherto accounted among the incurable deficiencies of Edward'sdisposition the mauvaise honte which, as she had been educated inthe first foreign circles, and was little acquainted with theshyness of English manners, was in her opinion too nearly relatedto timidity and imbecility of disposition. But if a passing wishoccurred that Waverley could have rendered himself uniformly thusamiable and attractive, its influence was momentary; forcircumstances had arisen since they met which rendered in her eyesthe resolution she had formed respecting him final andirrevocable.

  With opposite feelings Rose Bradwardine bent her whole soul tolisten. She felt a secret triumph at the public tribute paid toone whose merit she had learned to prize too early and too fondly.Without a thought of jealousy, without a feeling of fear, pain, ordoubt, and undisturbed by a single selfish consideration, sheresigned herself to the pleasure of observing the general murmurof applause. When Waverley spoke, her ear was exclusively filledwith his voice, when others answered, her eye took its turn ofobservation, and seemed to watch his reply. Perhaps the delightwhich she experienced in the course of that evening, thoughtransient, and followed by much sorrow, was in its nature the mostpure and disinterested which the human mind is capable ofenjoying.

  'Baron,' said the Chevalier, 'I would not trust my mistress in thecompany of your young friend. He is really, though perhapssomewhat romantic, one of the most fascinating young men whom Ihave ever seen.'

  'And by my honour, sir,' replied the Baron,'the lad can sometimesbe as dowff as a sexagenary like myself. If your Royal Highnesshad seen him dreaming and dozing about the banks of Tully-Veolanlike an hypochondriac person, or, as Burton's "Anatomia" hath it,a phrenesiac or lethargic patient, you would wonder where he hathsae suddenly acquired all this fine sprack festivity andjocularity.'

  'Truly,' said Fergus Mac-Ivor, 'I think it can only be theinspiration of the tartans; for, though Waverley be always a youngfellow of sense and honour, I have hitherto often found him a veryabsent and inattentive companion.'

  'We are the more obliged to him,' said the Prince, 'for havingreserved for this evening qualities which even such intimatefriends had not discovered. But come, gentlemen, the nightadvances, and the business of tomorrow must be early thought upon.Each take charge of his fair partner, and honour a smallrefreshment with your company.'

  He led the way to another suite of apartments, and assumed theseat and canopy at the head of a long range of tables with an airof dignity, mingled with courtesy, which well became his highbirth and lofty pretensions. An hour had hardly flown away whenthe musicians played the signal for parting so well known inScotland. [Footnote: Which is, or was wont to be, the old air of'Good-night and joy be wi' you a'.]

  'Good-night, then,' said the Chevalier, rising; 'goodnight, andjoy be with you! Good-night, fair ladies, who have so highlyhonoured a proscribed and banished Prince! Good-night, my bravefriends; may the happiness we have this evening experienced be anomen of our return to these our paternal halls, speedily and intriumph, and of many and many future meetings of mirth andpleasure in the palace of Holyrood!'

  When the Baron of Bradwardine afterwards mentioned this adieu ofthe Chevalier, he never failed to repeat, in a melancholy tone,

  'Audiit, et voti Phoebus succedere partem Mente dedit; partem volucres dispersit in auras;

  which,' as he added, 'is weel rendered into English metre by myfriend Bangour:--

  Ae half the prayer wi' Phoebus grace did find, The t'other half he whistled down the wind.'