第16章

ItwasaboutnoonwhenCaptainWaverleyenteredthestragglingvillage，orratherhamlet，ofTully-Veolan，closetowhichwassituatedthemansionoftheproprietor。Thehousesseemedmiserableintheextreme，especiallytoaneyeaccustomedtothesmilingneatnessofEnglishcottages。Theystood，withoutanyrespectforregularity，oneachsideofastragglingkindofunpavedstreet，wherechildren，almostinaprimitivestateofnakedness，laysprawling，asiftobecrushedbythehoofsofthefirstpassinghorse。Occasionally，indeed，whensuchaconsummationseemedinevitable，awatchfuloldgrandam，withherclosecap，distaff，andspindle，rushedlikeasibylinfrenzyoutofoneofthesemiserablecells，dashedintothemiddleofthepath，andsnatchingupherownchargefromamongthesun-burntloiterers，salutedhimwithasoundcuff，andtransportedhimbacktohisdungeon，thelittlewhite-headedvarletscreamingallthewhile，fromtheverytopofhislungs，ashrillytrebletothegrowlingremonstrancesoftheenragedmatron。

Anotherpartinthisconcertwassustainedbytheincessantyelpingofascoreofidleuselesscurs，whichfollowed，snarling，barking，howling，andsnappingatthehorses’heels；anuisanceatthattimesocommoninScotland，thataFrenchtourist，who，likeothertravellers，longedtofindagoodandrationalreasonforeverythinghesaw，hasrecorded，asoneofthememorabiliaofCaledonia，thatthestatemaintainedineachvillagearelayofcurs，called_collies，_whosedutyitwastochasethe_chevauxdeposte_(toostarvedandexhaustedtomovewithoutsuchastimulus)

fromonehamlettoanother，tilltheirannoyingconvoydrovethemtotheendoftheirstage。Theevilandremedy(suchasitis)stillexist；butthisisremotefromourpresentpurpose，andisonlythrownoutforconsiderationofthecollectorsunderMr。Dent’sdog-bill。

AsWaverleymovedon，hereandthereanoldman，bentasmuchbytoilasyears，hiseyesblearedwithageandsmoke，totteredtothedoorofhishut，togazeonthedressofthestranger，andtheformandmotionsofthehorses，andthenassembledwithhisneighbours，inalittlegroupatthesmithy，todiscusstheprobabilitiesofwhencethestrangercame，andwherehemightbegoing。Threeorfourvillagegirls，returningfromthewellorbrookwithpitchersandpailsupontheirheads，formedmorepleasingobjects；and，withtheirthin，shortgownsandsinglepetticoats，barearms，legs，andfeet，uncoveredheads，andbraidedhair，somewhatresembledItalianformsoflandscape。

Norcouldaloverofthepicturesquehavechallengedeithertheeleganceoftheircostume，orthesymmetryoftheirshape；

although，tosaythetruth，amereEnglishman，insearchofthe_comfortable，_awordpeculiartohisnativetongue，mighthavewishedtheclotheslessscanty，thefeetandlegssomewhatprotectedfromtheweather，theheadandcomplexionshroudedfromthesun，orperhapsmightevenhavethoughtthewholepersonanddressconsiderablyimproved，byaplentifulapplicationofspringwater，witha_quantumsufficit_ofsoap。Thewholescenewasdepressing；foritargued，atthefirstglance，atleastastagnationofindustry，andperhapsofintellect。Evencuriosity，thebusiestpassionoftheidle，seemedofalistlesscastinthevillageofTully-Veolan：thecursaforesaidaloneshowedanypartofitsactivity；withthevillagersitwaspassive。Theystoodandgazedatthehandsomeyoungofficerandhisattendant，butwithoutanyofthosequickmotions，andeagerlooks，thatindicatetheearnestnesswithwhichthosewholiveinmonotonouseaseathome，lookoutforamusementabroad。Yetthephysiognomyofthepeople，whenmorecloselyexamined，wasfarfromexhibitingtheindifferenceofstupidity：theirfeatureswererough，butremarkablyintelligent；grave，buttheveryreverseofstupid；andfromamongtheyoungwomen，anartistmighthavechosenmorethanonemodel，whosefeaturesandformresembledthoseofMinerva。Thechildren，also，whoseskinswereburntblack，andwhosehairwasbleachedwhite，bytheinfluenceofthesun，hadalookandmanneroflifeandinterest。

Itseemed，uponthewhole，asifpoverty，andindolence，itstoofrequentcompanion，werecombiningtodepressthenaturalgeniusandacquiredinformationofahardy，intelligent，andreflectingpeasantry。

SomesuchthoughtscrossedWaverley’smindashepacedhishorseslowlythroughtheruggedandflintystreetofTully-Veolan，interruptedonlyinhismeditationsbytheoccasionalcaprioleswhichhischargerexhibitedatthereiteratedassaultsofthosecanineCossacks，the_collies_beforementioned。Thevillagewasmorethanhalfamilelong，thecottagesbeingirregularlydividedfromeachotherbygardens，oryards，astheinhabitantscalledthem，ofdifferentsizes，where(foritisSixtyYearssince)thenowuniversalpotatowasunknown，butwhichwerestoredwithgiganticplantsof_kale_orcolewort，encircledwithgrovesofnettles，andexhibitedhereandthereahugehemlock，orthenationalthistle，overshadowingaquarterofthepettyenclosure。

Thebrokengroundonwhichthevillagewasbuilthadneverbeenlevelled；sothattheseenclosurespresenteddeclivitiesofeverydegree，hererisingliketerraces，theresinkingliketanpits。

Thedry-stonewallswhichfenced，orseemedtofence(fortheyweresorelybreached)，thesehanginggardensofTully-Veolan，wereintersectedbyanarrowlaneleadingtothecommonfield，wherethejointlabourofthevillagerscultivatedalternateridgesandpatchesofrye，oats，barley，andpeas，eachofsuchminuteextent，thatatalittledistancetheunprofitablevarietyofthesurfaceresembledatailor’sbookofpatterns。Inafewfavouredinstances，thereappearedbehindthecottagesamiserablewigwam，compiledofearth，loosestones，andturf，wherethewealthymightperhapsshelterastarvedcoworsorelygalledhorse。Butalmosteveryhutwasfencedinfrontbyahugeblackstackofturfononesideofthedoor，whileontheotherthefamilydung-hillascendedinnobleemulation。

Aboutabow-shotfromtheendofthevillageappearedtheenclosures，proudlydenominatedtheParksofTully-Veolan，beingcertainsquarefields，surroundedanddividedbystonewallsfivefeetinheight。Inthecentreoftheexteriorbarrierwastheuppergateoftheavenue，openingunderanarchway，battlementedonthetop，andadornedwithtwolargeweather-beatenmutilatedmassesofuprightstone，which，ifthetraditionofthehamletcouldbetrusted，hadoncerepresented，atleasthadbeenoncedesignedtorepresent，tworampantBears，thesupportersofthefamilyofBradwardine。Thisavenuewasstraight，andofmoderatelength，runningbetweenadoublerowofveryancienthorse-chestnuts，plantedalternatelywithsycamores，whichrosetosuchhugeheight，andflourishedsoluxuriantly，thattheirboughscompletelyover-archedthebroadroadbeneath。Beyondthesevenerableranks，andrunningparalleltothem，weretwohighwalls，ofapparentlythelikeantiquity，overgrownwithivy，honeysuckle，andotherclimbingplants。Theavenueseemedverylittletrodden，andchieflybyfoot-passengers；sothatbeingverybroad，andenjoyingaconstantshade，itwasclothedwithgrassofadeepandrichverdure，exceptingwhereafoot-path，wornbyoccasionalpassengers，trackedwithanaturalsweepthewayfromtheuppertothelowergate。Thisnetherportal，liketheformer，openedinfrontofawallornamentedwithsomerudesculpture，withbattlementsonthetop，overwhichwereseen，half-hiddenbythetreesoftheavenue，thehighsteeproofsandnarrowgablesofthemansion，withlinesindentedintosteps，andcornersdecoratedwithsmallturrets。Oneofthefoldingleavesofthelowergatewasopen，andasthesunshonefullintothecourtbehind，alonglineofbrilliancywasflungupontheapertureupthedarkandgloomyavenue。Itwasoneofthoseeffectswhichapainterlovestorepresent，andmingledwellwiththestrugglinglightwhichfounditswaybetweentheboughsoftheshadyarchthatvaultedthebroadgreenalley。

Thesolitudeandreposeofthewholesceneseemedalmostromantic；andWaverley，whohadgivenhishorsetohisservantonenteringthefirstgate，walkedslowlydowntheavenue，enjoyingthegratefulandcoolingshade，andsomuchpleasedwiththeplacidideasofrestandseclusionexcitedbythisconfinedandquietscene，thatheforgotthemiseryanddirtofthehamlethehadleftbehindhim。Theopeningintothepavedcourtyardcorrespondedwiththerestofthescene。Thehouse，whichseemedtoconsistoftwoorthreehigh，narrow，andsteep-roofedbuildings，projectingfromeachotheratrightangles，formedonesideoftheenclosure。Ithadbeenbuiltataperiodwhencastleswerenolongernecessary，andwhentheScottisharchitectshadnotyetacquiredtheartofdesigningadomesticresidence。Thewindowswerenumberless，butverysmall；theroofhadsomenondescriptkindofprojections，calledbartizans，anddisplayedateachfrequentangleasmallturret，ratherresemblingapepper-boxthanaGothicwatch-tower。Neitherdidthefrontindicateabsolutesecurityfromdanger。Therewereloop-holesformusketry，andironstancheonsonthelowerwindows，probablytorepelanyrovingbandofgipsies，orresistapredatoryvisitfromtheCateransoftheneighbouringHighlands。

Stablesandotherofficesoccupiedanothersideofthesquare。Theformerwerelowvaults，withnarrowslitsinsteadofwindows，resembling，asEdward’sgroomobserved，ratheraprisonformurderersandlarceners，andsuchlikeasaretriedat’sizes，thanaplaceforanyChristiancattle。’’Abovethesedungeon-lookingstablesweregranaries，calledgirnels，andotheroffices，towhichtherewasaccessbyoutsidestairsofheavymasonry。Twobattlementedwalls，oneofwhichfacedtheavenue，andtheotherdividedthecourtfromthegarden，completedtheenclosure。

Norwasthecourtwithoutitsornaments。Inonecornerwasatun-belliedpigeon-houseofgreatsizeandrotundity，resemblinginfigureandproportionthecuriousedificecalledArthur’sOven，whichwouldhaveturnedthebrainsofalltheantiquariesinEnglandhadnottheworthyproprietorpulleditdownforthesakeofmendinganeighbouringdam-dyke。Thisdovecot，orcolumbarium，astheownercalledit，wasnosmallresourcetoaScottishlairdofthatperiod，whosescantyrentswereekedoutbythecontributionslevieduponthefarmsbytheselightforagers，andtheconscriptionsexactedfromthelatterforthebenefitofthetable。

Anothercornerofthecourtdisplayedafountain，whereahugebear，carvedinstone，predominatedoveralargestonebasin，intowhichhedisgorgedthewater。Thisworkofartwasthewonderofthecountrytenmilesround。Itmustnotbeforgottenthatallsortsofbears，smallandlarge，demiorinfullproportion，werecarvedoverthewindows，upontheendsofthegables，terminatedthespouts，andsupportedtheturrets，withtheancientfamilymotto，[=BewartheBar，=]’’cutundereachhyperboreanform。Thecourtwasspacious，wellpaved，andperfectlyclean，therebeingprobablyanotherentrancebehindthestablesforremovingthelitter。Everythingaroundappearedsolitary，andwouldhavebeensilent，butforthecontinuedplashingofthefountain；andthewholescenestillmaintainedthemonasticillusionwhichthefancyofWaverleyhadconjuredup-Andherewebegpermissiontocloseachapterofstilllife。<>

ThereisnoparticularmansiondescribedunderthenameofTully-Veolan；

butthepeculiaritiesofthedescriptionoccurinvariousoldScottishseats。<+>ThehouseofWarrenderuponBruntsfieldLinks，andthatofOldRavelston，belonging，theformertoSirGeorgeWarrender，thelattertoSirAlexanderKeith，havebothcontributedseveralhintstothedescriptioninthetext。TheHouseofDean，nearEdinburgh，hasalsosomepointsofresemblancewithTully-Veolan。Theauthorhas，however，beeninformed，thattheHouseofGrandtullyresemblesthatoftheBaronofBradwardinestillmorethananyoftheabove。

+(Therampantbearsonthegatewayaresupposedtohavebeensuggestedtothe+authorbysimilareffigiesstillstandingonthegatetoTraquairHouseontheTweed，+withwhichhewaswellacquainted。Mr。LockhartmentionsCraighallinPerthshire+asanothermansionbearingalikenesstoTully-Veolan。)