第15章

Whenthismatterwasexplainedandsettled，Mr。Pembrokeexpressedhiswishtotakeaprivateandparticularleaveofhisdearpupil。Thegoodman’sexhortationstoEdwardtopreserveanunblemishedlifeandmorals，toholdfasttheprinciplesoftheChristianreligion，andtoeschewtheprofanecompanyofscoffersandlatitudinarians，toomuchaboundinginthearmy，werenotimmingledwithhispoliticalprejudices。IthadpleasedHeaven，hesaid，toplaceScotland(doubtlessforthesinsoftheirancestorsin1642)inamoredeplorablestateofdarknessthaneventhisunhappykingdomofEngland。Here，atleast，althoughthecandlestickoftheChurchofEnglandhadbeeninsomedegreeremovedfromitsplace，ityetaffordedaglimmeringlight；therewasahierarchy，thoughschismatical，andfallenfromtheprinciplesmaintainedbythosegreatfathersofthechurch，Sancroftandhisbrethren；therewasaliturgy，thoughwofullypervertedinsomeoftheprincipalpetitions。

ButinScotlanditwasutterdarkness；and，exceptingasorrowful，scattered，andpersecutedremnant，thepulpitswereabandonedtoPresbyterians，andhefeared，tosectariesofeverydescription。Itshouldbehisdutytofortifyhisdearpupiltoresistsuchunhallowedandperniciousdoctrinesinchurchandstate，asmustnecessarilybeforcedattimesuponhisunwillingears。

Hereheproducedtwoimmensefoldedpackets，whichappearedeachtocontainawholereamofcloselywrittenmanuscript。

Theyhadbeenthelabouroftheworthyman’swholelife；andneverwerelabourandzealmoreabsurdlywasted。HehadatonetimegonetoLondon，withtheintentionofgivingthemtotheworld，bythemediumofabooksellerinLittleBritain，wellknowntodealinsuchcommodities，andtowhomhewasinstructedtoaddresshimselfinaparticularphrase，andwithacertainsign，which，itseems，passedatthattimecurrentamongtheinitiatedJacobites。ThemomentMr。Pembrokehadutteredtheshibboleth，withtheappropriategesture，thebibliopolistgreetedhim，notwithstandingeverydisclamation，bythetitleofDoctor，andconveyinghimintohisbackshop，afterinspectingeverypossibleandimpossibleplaceofconcealment，hecommenced：

Eh，doctor！Well-allundertherose-snug-I

keepnoholeshereevenforaHanoverianrattohidein。And，what-eh！anygoodnewsfromourfriendsoverthewater？-

andhowdoestheworthykingofFrance？OrperhapsyouaremorelatelyfromRome？-itmustbeRomewilldoitatlast-

thechurchmustlightitscandleattheoldlamp。Eh！what，cautious？Ilikeyouthebetter；butnofear。’’

HereMr。Pembroke，withsomedifficulty，stoppedatorrentofinterrogations，ekedoutwithsigns，nods，andwinks；and，havingatlengthconvincedthebooksellerthathedidhimtoomuchhonourinsupposinghimanemissaryofexiledroyalty，heexplainedhisactualbusiness。

Themanofbooks，withamuchmorecomposedair，proceededtoexaminethemanuscripts。Thetitleofthefirstwas，A

DissentfromDissenters，ortheComprehensionconfuted；shewingtheImpossibility，ofanyCompositionbetweentheChurchandPuritans，Presbyterians，orSectariesofanydescription；illustratedfromtheScriptures，theFathersoftheChurch，andthesoundestControversial，Divines。’’Tothisworkthebooksellerpositivelydemurred，Wellmeant，’’hesaid，andlearned，doubtless；butthetimehadgoneby。Printedonsmallpicaitwouldruntoeighthundredpages，andcouldneverpay。

Beggedthereforetobeexcused。Lovedandhonouredthetruechurchfromhissoul；and，haditbeenasermononthemartyrdom，oranytwelve-pennytouch-whyIwouldventuresomethingforthehonourofthecloth。Butcome，let’sseetheother。`RightHereditaryrighted！’ah，there’ssomesenseinthis！Hum-hum-hum-pagessomany，papersomuch，letter-press-Ah！I’lltellyou，though，doctor，youmustknockoutsomeoftheLatinandGreek；heavy，doctor，damn’dheavy-(begyourpardon)andifyouthrowinafewgrainsmorepepper-Iamhethatneverpeachedmyauthor-IhavepublishedforDrake，andCharlwoodLawton，andpoorAmhurst。<>

NoteB。<！p54>NicholasAmhurst。

Ah，Caleb！Caleb！Well，itwasashametoletpoorCalebstarve，andsomanyfatrectorsandsquiresamongus。I

gavehimadinneroncea-week；but，Lordloveyou，what’soncea-week，whenamandoesnotknowwheretogotheothersixdays？-Well，butImustshewthemanuscripttolittleTomAlibi，thesolicitor，whomanagesallmylawaffairs-mustkeeponthewindyside-themobwereveryuncivilthelasttimeI

mountedinOldPalaceYard-allWhigsandRoundheadseverymanofthem，WilliamitesandHanoverrats。’’

ThenextdayMr。Pembrokeagaincalledonthepublisher，butfoundTomAlibi’sadvicehaddeterminedhimagainstundertakingthework。NotbutwhatIwouldgoto-(whatwasIgoingtosay？)tothePlantationsforthechurchwithpleasure-but，deardoctor，Ihaveawifeandfamily；but，toshowmyzeal，I’llrecommendthejobtomyneighbourTrimmel-

heisabachelor，andleavingoffbusiness，soavoyageinawesternbargewouldnotinconveniencehim。’’ButMr。

Trimmelwasalsoobdurate，andMr。Pembroke，fortunatelyperchanceforhimself，wascompelledtoreturntoWaverleyHonourwithhistreatiseinvindicationoftherealfundamentalprinciplesofchurchandstatesafelypackedinhissaddle-bags。

Asthepublicwerethuslikelytobedeprivedofthebenefitarisingfromhislucubrationsbytheselfishcowardiceofthetrade，Mr。Pembrokeresolvedtomaketwocopiesofthesetremendousmanuscriptsfortheuseofhispupil。Hefeltthathehadbeenindolentasatutor，and，besides，hisconsciencecheckedhimforcomplyingwiththerequestofMr。RichardWaverley，thathewouldimpressnosentimentsuponEdward’smindinconsistentwiththepresentsettlementinchurchandstate。Butnow，thoughthe，Imay，withoutbreachofmyword，sinceheisnolongerundermytuition，affordtheyouththemeansofjudgingforhimself，andhaveonlytodreadhisreproachesforsolongconcealingthelightwhichtheperusalwillflashuponhismind。Whilehethusindulgedthereveriesofanauthorandapolitician，hisdarlingproselyte，seeingnothingveryinvitinginthetitleofthetracts，andappalledbythebulkandcompactlinesofthemanuscript，quietlyconsignedthemtoacornerofhistravellingtrunk。

AuntRachel’sfarewellwasbriefandaffectionate。SheonlycautionedherdearEdward，whomsheprobablydeemedsomewhatsusceptible，againstthefascinationofScottishbeauty。

Sheallowedthatthenorthernpartoftheislandcontainedsomeancientfamilies，buttheywereallWhigsandPresbyteriansexcepttheHighlanders；andrespectingthemshemustneedssay，therecouldbenogreatdelicacyamongtheladies，wherethegentlemen’susualattirewas，asshehadbeenassured，tosaytheleast，verysingular，andnotatalldecorous。Sheconcludedherfarewellwithakindandmovingbenediction，andgavetheyoungofficer，asapledgeofherregard，avaluablediamondring(oftenwornbythemalesexatthattime)，andapurseofbroadgoldpieces，whichalsoweremorecommonSixtyYearssincethantheyhavebeenoflate。

Thenextmorning，amidvariedfeelings，thechiefofwhichwasapredominant，anxious，andevensolemnimpression，thathewasnowinagreatmeasureabandonedtohisownguidanceanddirection，EdwardWaverleydepartedfromtheHallamidtheblessingsandtearsofalltheolddomesticsandtheinhabitantsofthevillage，mingledwithsomeslypetitionsforserjeantciesandcorporalships，andsoforth，onthepartofthosewhoprofessedthattheyneverthofttoha’seenJacob，andGiles，andJonathan，gooffforsoldiers，savetoattendhishonour，asindutybound。’’Edward，asindutybound，extricatedhimselffromthesupplicantswiththepledgeoffewerpromisesthanmighthavebeenexpectedfromayoungmansolittleaccustomedtotheworld。AfterashortvisittoLondon，heproceededonhorseback，thenthegeneralmodeoftravelling，toEdinburgh，andfromthencetoDundee，aseaportontheeasterncoastofAngus-shire，wherehisregimentwasthenquartered。

Henowentereduponanewworld，where，foratime，allwasbeautifulbecauseallwasnew。ColonelGardiner，thecommandingofficeroftheregiment，washimselfastudyforaromantic，andatthesametimeaninquisitive，youth。Inpersonhewastall，handsome，andactive，thoughsomewhatadvancedinlife。Inhisearlyyearshehadbeenwhatiscalled，bymannerofpalliative，averygayyoungman，andstrangestorieswerecirculatedabouthissuddenconversionfromdoubt，ifnotinfidelity，toaseriousandevenenthusiasticturnofmind。Itwaswhisperedthatasupernaturalcommunication，ofanatureobviouseventotheexteriorsenses，hadproducedthiswonderfulchange；andthoughsomementionedtheproselyteasanenthusiast，nonehintedathisbeingahypocrite。ThissingularandmysticalcircumstancegaveColonelGardinerapeculiarandsolemninterestintheeyesoftheyoungsoldier。<>ItmaybeeasilyimaginedthattheofficersNoteC。<！p57>ColonelGardiner。

ofaregiment，commandedbysorespectableaperson，composedasocietymoresedateandorderlythanamilitarymessalwaysexhibits；andthatWaverleyescapedsometemptationstowhichhemightotherwisehavebeenexposed。

Meanwhilehismilitaryeducationproceeded。Alreadyagoodhorseman，hewasnowinitiatedintotheartsofthemange，which，whencarriedtoperfection，almostrealisethefableoftheCentaur，theguidanceofthehorseappearingtoproceedfromtherider’smerevolition，ratherthanfromtheuseofanyexternalandapparentsignalofmotion。Hereceivedalsoinstructionsinhisfieldduty；but，Imustown，thatwhenhisfirstardourwaspassed，hisprogressfellshortinthelatterparticularofwhathewishedandexpected。Thedutyofanofficer，themostimposingofallotherstotheinexperiencedmind，becauseaccompaniedwithsomuchoutwardpompandcircumstance，isinitsessenceaverydryandabstracttask，dependingchieflyuponarithmeticalcombinations，requiringmuchattention，andacoolandreasoninghead，tobringthemintoaction。Ourherowasliabletofitsofabsence，inwhichhisblundersexcitedsomemirth，andcalleddownsomereproof。

Thiscircumstanceimpressedhimwithapainfulsenseofinferiorityinthosequalitieswhichappearedmosttodeserveandobtainregardinhisnewprofession。Heaskedhimselfinvain，whyhiseyecouldnotjudgeofdistanceorspacesowellasthoseofhiscompanions；whyhisheadwasnotalwayssuccessfulindisentanglingthevariouspartialmovementsnecessarytoexecuteaparticularevolution；andwhyhismemory，soalertuponmostoccasions，didnotcorrectlyretaintechnicalphrases，andminutepointsofetiquetteorfielddiscipline。

Waverleywasnaturallymodest，andthereforedidnotfallintotheegregiousmistakeofsupposingsuchminuterrulesofmilitarydutybeneathhisnotice，orconceitinghimselftobebornageneral，becausehemadeanindifferentsubaltern。Thetruthwas，thatthevagueandunsatisfactorycourseofreadingwhichhehadpursued，workinguponatempernaturallyretiredandabstracted，hadgivenhimthatwaveringandunsettledhabitofmindwhichismostaversetostudyandrivettedattention。

Time，inthemeanwhile，hungheavyonhishands。Thegentryoftheneighbourhoodweredisaffected，andshowedlittlehospitalitytothemilitaryguests；andthepeopleofthetown，chieflyengagedinmercantilepursuits，werenotsuchasWaverleychosetoassociatewith。Thearrivalofsummer，andacuriositytoknowsomethingmoreofScotlandthanhecouldseeinaridefromhisquarters，determinedhimtorequestleaveofabsenceforafewweeks。Heresolvedfirsttovisithisuncle’sancientfriendandcorrespondent，withthepurposeofextendingorshorteningthetimeofhisresidenceaccordingtocircumstances。

Hetravelledofcourseonhorseback，andwithasingleattendant，andpassedhisfirstnightatamiserableinn，wherethelandladyhadneithershoesnorstockings，andthelandlord，whocalledhimselfagentleman，wasdisposedtoberudetohisguestbecausehehadnotbespokethepleasureofhissocietytosupper。<>Thenextday，traversinganopenandunenclosedNoteD。<！p58>ScottishInns。

country，EdwardgraduallyapproachedtheHighlandsofPerthshire，whichatfirsthadappearedablueoutlineinthehorizon，butnowswelledintohugegiganticmasses，whichfrowneddefianceoverthemorelevelcountrythatlaybeneaththem。

Nearthebottomofthisstupendousbarrier，butstillintheLowlandcountry，dweltCosmoComyneBradwardineofBradwardine；

and，ifgrey-hairedeldcanbeinaughtbelieved，therehaddwelthisancestors，withalltheirheritage，sincethedaysofthegraciousKingDuncan。