y or two at
Tully-Veolan, and even in being seen walking about, if he used the
precaution of pretending that he was looking at the estate as agent or
surveyor for an English gentleman, who designed to be purchaser. With
this view, he recommended to him to visit the Bailie, who still lived at
the factor's house, called Little Veolan, about a mile from the village,
though he was to remove at next term. Stanley's passport would be an
answer to the officer who commanded the military; and as to any of the
country people who might recognize Waverley the Baron assured him that
he was in no danger of being betrayed by them.

'I believe,' said the old man, 'half the people of the barony know that
their poor auld laird is somewhere hereabout; for I see they do not
suffer a single bairn to come here a bird-nesting--a practice whilk,
when I was in full possession of my power as baron, I was unable totally
to inhibit. Nay, I often find bits of things in my way, that the poor
bodies, God help them! leave there, because they think they may be
useful to me. I hope they will get a wiser master, and as kind a one as
I was.'

A natural sigh closed the sentence; but the quiet equanimity with which
the Baron endured his misfortunes, had something in it venerable, and
even sublime. There was no fruitless repining, no turbid melancholy; he
bore his lot, and the hardships which it involved, with a good-humoured,
though serious composure, and used no violent language against the
prevailing party.

'I did what I thought my duty,' said the good old man, 'and questionless
they are doing what they think theirs. It grieves me sometimes to look
upon these blackened walls of the house of my ancestors; but doubtless
officers cannot always keep the soldier's hand from depredation and
spuilzie; and Gustavus Adolphus himself, as ye may read in Colonel Munro
his Expedition with the worthy Scotch regiment called Mackay's regiment,
did often permit it.--Indeed I have myself seen as sad sights as
Tully-Veolan now is, when I served with the Mareschal Duke of Berwick.
To be sure, we may say with Virgilius Maro, FUIMUS TROES--and there's
the end of an auld sang. But houses and families and men have a' stood
lang eneugh when they have stood till they fall with honour; and now
I hae gotten a house that is not unlike a DOMUS ULTIMA'--they were now
standing below a steep rock. 'We poor Jacobites,' continued the Baron,
looking up, 'are now like the conies in Holy