``And that's a' your Whiggery,'' re-echoed the Jacobite heroine; ``that's a' your Whiggery, and your presbytery, ye cut-lugged, graning carles! What! d'ye think the lads wi' the kilts will care for yer synods, and yer presbyteries, and yer buttock-mail and yer stool o' repentance? Vengeance on the black face o't.Mony an honester woman's been set upon it than streeks doon beside ony Whig in the country.Imysell''------
Here John Mucklewrath, who dreaded her entering upon a detail of personal experience, interposed his matrimonial authority.
``Gae hame and be d------ (that I should say sae), and put on the sowens for supper.''
``And you, ye doil'd dotard,'' replied his gentle helpmate, her wrath, which had hitherto wandered abroad over the whole assembly, being at once and violently impelled into its natural channel, ``_ye_ stand there hammering dog-heads for fules that will never snap them at a Highlandman, instead of earning bread for your family, and shoeing this winsome young gentleman's horse that's just come frae the north! I'se warrant him nane of your whingeing King George folk, but a gallant Gordon, at the least o' him.''
The eyes of the assembly now turned upon Waverley, who took the opportunity to beg the smith to shoe his guide's horse with all speed, as he wished to proceed on his journey for he had heard enough to make him sensible that there would be danger in delaying long in this place.The smith's eye rested on him with a look of displeasure and suspicion, not lessened by the eagerness with which his wife enforced Waverley's mandate.
``D'ye hear what the weel-favoured young gentleman says, ye drunken ne'er-do-good?''
``And what may your name be, sir?'' quoth Mucklewrath.
``It is of no consequence to you, my friend, provided I pay your labour.''
``But it may be of consequence to the state, sir,'' replied an old farmer, smelling strongly of whisky and peat-smoke; ``and I doubt we maun delay your journey till you have seen the Laird.''
``You certainly,'' said Waverley, haughtily, ``will find it both difficult and dangerous to detain me, unless you can produce some proper authority.''
There was a pause and a whisper among the crowd---``Secretary Murray;'' ``Lord Lewis Gordon;'' ``Maybe the Chevalier himself!'' Such were the surmises that passed hurriedly among them, and there was obviously an increased disposition to resist Waverley's departure.He attempted to argue mildly with them, but his voluntary ally, Mrs.Mucklewrath, broke in upon and drowned his expostulations, taking his part with an abusive violence, which was all set down to Edward's account by those on whom it was bestowed.``_Ye'll_ stop ony gentleman that's the Prince's freend?'' for she too, though with other feelings, had adopted the general opinion respecting Waverley.``I daur ye to touch him,'' spreading abroad her long and muscular fingers, garnished with claws which a vulture might have envied.``I'll set my ten commandments in the face o' the first loon that lays a finger on him.''
``Gae hame, gudewife,'' quoth the farmer aforesaid.``it wad better set you to be nursing the gudeman's bairns than to be deaving us here.''
``_His_ bairns!'' retorted the amazon, regarding her husband with a grin of ineffable contempt---``_His_ bairns!
O gin ye were dead, gudeman, And a green turf on your head, gudeman!
Then I wad ware my widowhood Upon a ranting Highlandman.''
This canticle, which excited a suppressed titter among the younger part of the audience, totally overcame the patience of he taunted man of the anvil.``Deil be in me but I'll put this het gad down her throat!'' cried he, in an ecstasy of wrath, snatching a bar from the forge; and he might have executed his threat, had he not been withheld by a part of the mob, while the rest endeavoured to force the termagant out of his presence.