oats; a special friend
and favourite of the Elector himself, and of that dreadful hero, the
Duke of Cumberland, who has been summoned from his triumphs at Fontenoy,
to come over and devour us poor Highlanders alive. Has he been telling
you how the bells of St. James's ring? Not "turn again, Whittington,"
like those of Bow, in the days of yore?'

'Fergus!' said Waverley, with a reproachful look.

'Nay, I cannot tell what to make of you,' answered the Chief of
Mac-Ivor, 'you are blown about with every wind of doctrine. Here have we
gained a victory, unparalleled in history--and your behaviour is praised
by every living mortal to the skies--and the Prince is eager to thank
you in person--and all our beauties of the White Rose are pulling caps
for you,--and you, the PREUX CHEVALIER of the day, are stooping on your
horse's neck like a butter-woman riding to market, and looking as black
as a funeral!'

'I am sorry for poor Colonel Gardiner's death: he was once very kind to
me.'

'Why, then, be sorry for five minutes, and then be glad again; his
chance to-day may be ours to-morrow. And what does it signify?--the next
best thing to victory is honourable death; but it is a PIS-ALLER, and
one would rather a foe had it than one's self.'

'But Colonel Talbot has informed me that my father and uncle are both
imprisoned by government on my account.'

'We'll put in bail, my boy; old Andrew Ferrara [See Note 29.] shall
lodge his security; and I should like to see him put to justify it in
Westminster Hall!'

'Nay, they are already at liberty, upon bail of a more civic
disposition.'

'Then why is thy noble spirit cast down, Edward? Dost think that the
Elector's Ministers are such doves as to set their enemies at liberty
at this critical moment, if they could or durst confine and punish them?
Assure thyself that either they have no charge against your relations on
which they can continue their imprisonment, or else they are afraid of
our friends, the jolly cavaliers of old England. At any rate, you need
not be apprehensive upon their account; and we will find some means of
conveying to them assurances of your safety.'

Edward was silenced, but not satisfied, with these reasons. He had now
been more than once shocked at the small degree of sympathy which Fergus
exhibited for the feelings even of those whom he loved, if they did not
correspond with his own mood at the time, and more especially if they
thwarted him while earnest