I owed
less to your disinterested friendship, I could be most seriously angry
with both of you for this very extraordinary and causeless broil, at a
moment when my father's service so decidedly demands the most perfect
unanimity. But the worst of my situation is, that my very best friends
hold they have liberty to ruin themselves, as well as the cause they are
engaged in, upon the slightest caprice.'

Both the young men protested their resolution to submit every difference
to his arbitration. 'Indeed,' said Edward, 'I hardly know of what I am
accused. I sought Colonel Mac-Ivor merely to mention to him that I had
narrowly escaped assassination at the hand of his immediate dependent--a
dastardly revenge, which I knew him to be incapable of authorizing. As
to the cause for which he is disposed to fasten a quarrel upon me, I
am ignorant of it, unless it be that he accuses me, most unjustly,
of having engaged the affections of a young lady in prejudice of his
pretensions.'

'If there is an error,' said the Chieftain, 'it arises from a
conversation which I held this morning with his Royal Highness himself.'

'With me?' said the Chevalier; 'how can Colonel Mac-Ivor have so far
misunderstood me?'

He then led Fergus aside, and, after five minutes' earnest conversation,
spurred his horse towards Edward. 'Is it possible--nay, ride up,
Colonel, for I desire no secrets--Is it possible, Mr. Waverley, that
I am mistaken in supposing that you are an accepted lover of Miss
Bradwardine?--a fact of which I was by circumstances, though not by
communication from you, so absolutely convinced, that I alleged it to
Vich Ian Vohr this morning as a reason why, without offence to him, you
might not continue to be ambitious of an alliance, which to an unengaged
person, even though once repulsed, holds out too many charms to be
lightly laid aside.'

'Your Royal Highness,' said Waverley, 'must have founded on
circumstances altogether unknown to me, when you did me the
distinguished honour of supposing me an accepted lover of Miss
Bradwardine. I feel the distinction implied in the supposition, but I
have no title to it. For the rest, my confidence in my own merits is
too justly slight to admit of my hoping for success in any quarter after
positive rejection.'

The Chevalier was silent for a moment, looking steadily at them both,
and then said, 'Upon my word, Mr. Waverley, you are a less happy man
than I conceived I had very good reason to be