saw of
bidding farewell to Flora Mac-Ivor, perhaps for ever. The pang attending
this reflection was inexpressible; for her high-minded elevation of
character, her self-devotion to the cause which she had embraced, united
to her scrupulous rectitude as to the means of serving it, had vindicated
to his judgment the choice adopted by his passions. But time pressed,
calumny was busy with his fame, and every hour's delay increased the
power to injure it. His departure must be instant.

With this determination he sought out Fergus, and communicated to him the
contents of Rose's letter, with his own resolution instantly to go to
Edinburgh, and put into the hands of some one or other of those persons
of influence to whom he had letters from his father his exculpation from
any charge which might be preferred against him.

'You run your head into the lion's mouth,' answered Mac-Ivor. 'You do not
know the severity of a government harassed by just apprehensions, and a
consciousness of their own illegality and insecurity. I shall have to
deliver you from some dungeon in Stirling or Edinburgh Castle.'

'My innocence, my rank, my father's intimacy with Lord M--, General G--,
etc., will be a sufficient protection,' said Waverley.

'You will find the contrary,' replied the Chieftain, 'these gentlemen
will have enough to do about their own matters. Once more, will you take
the plaid, and stay a little while with us among the mists and the crows,
in the bravest cause ever sword was drawn in?'

[Footnote: A Highland rhyme on Glencairn's Expedition, in 1650, has these
lines--

We'll bide a while amang ta crows,
We'll wiske ta sword and bend ta bows]

'For many reasons, my dear Fergus, you must hold me excused.'

'Well then,' said Mac-Ivor, 'I shall certainly find you exerting your
poetical talents in elegies upon a prison, or your antiquarian researches
in detecting the Oggam [Footnote: The Oggam is a species of the old Irish
character. The idea of the correspondence betwixt the Celtic and Punic,
founded on a scene in Plautus, was not started till General Vallancey set
up his theory, long after the date of Fergus Mac-Ivor] character or some
Punic hieroglyphic upon the keystones of a vault, curiously arched. Or
what say you to un petit pendement bien joli? against which awkward
ceremony I don't warrant you, should you meet a body of the armed
West-Country Whigs.'

'And why should they use me so?' said Waverley.

'For