nd so
warmly, there is more to be considered. Your own family--will they
approve your connecting yourself with the sister of a high-born Highland
beggar?'

'My uncle's situation,' said Waverley, 'his general opinions, and his
uniform indulgence, entitle me to say, that birth and personal qualities
are all he would look to in such a connection. And where can I find both
united in such excellence as in your sister?'

'O nowhere! cela va sans dire,' replied Fergus, with a smile. 'But your
father will expect a father's prerogative in being consulted.'

'Surely; but his late breach with the ruling powers removes all
apprehension of objection on his part, especially as I am convinced that
my uncle will be warm in my cause.'

'Religion perhaps,' said Fergus, 'may make obstacles, though we are not
bigotted Catholics.'

'My grandmother was of the Church of Rome, and her religion was never
objected to by my family. Do not think of MY friends, dear Fergus; let me
rather have your influence where it may be more necessary to remove
obstacles--I mean with your lovely sister.'

'My lovely sister,' replied Fergus, 'like her loving brother, is very apt
to have a pretty decisive will of her own, by which, in this case, you
must be ruled; but you shall not want my interest, nor my counsel. And,
in the first place, I will give you one hint--Loyalty is her ruling
passion; and since she could spell an English book she has been in love
with the memory of the gallant Captain Wogan, who renounced the service
of the usurper Cromwell to join the standard of Charles II, marched a
handful of cavalry from London to the Highlands to join Middleton, then
in arms for the king, and at length died gloriously in the royal cause.
Ask her to show you some verses she made on his history and fate; they
have been much admired, I assure you. The next point is--I think I saw
Flora go up towards the waterfall a short time since; follow, man,
follow! don't allow the garrison time to strengthen its purposes of
resistance. Alerte a la muraille! Seek Flora out, and learn her decision
as soon as you can, and Cupid go with you, while I go to look over belts
and cartouch-boxes.'

Waverley ascended the glen with an anxious and throbbing heart. Love,
with all its romantic train of hopes, fears, and wishes, was mingled with
other feelings of a nature less easily defined. He could not but remember
how much this morning had changed his fate, and into what a complicat