The Baron listened in silence, and at the conclusion shook Waverley heartily by the hand, and congratulated him upon entering the service of his lawful Prince.``For,'' continued he, ``although it has been justly held in all nations a matter of scandal and dishonour to infringe the _sacramentum militare,_and that whether it was taken by each soldier singly, whilk the Romans denominated _per conjurationem,_ or by one soldier in name of the rest, yet no one ever doubted that the allegiance so sworn was discharged by the _dimissio,_ or discharging of a soldier, whose case would be as hard as that of colliers, salters, and other _adscripti gleb<ae>,_ or slaves of the soil, were it to be accounted otherwise.This is something like the brocard expressed by the learned Sanchez in his work _De Jure-jurando,_which you have questionless consulted upon this occasion.As for those who have calumniated you by leasing-making, Iprotest to heaven I think they have justly incurred the penalty of the _Memnonia lex,_ also called _Lex Rhemnia,_ which is prelected upon by Tullius in his oration _In Verrem._ I should have deemed, however, Mr.Waverley, that before destining yourself to any special service in the army of the Prince, ye might have inquired what rank the old Bradwardine held there, and whether he would not have been peculiarly happy to have had your services in the regiment of horse which he is now about to levy.''
Edward eluded this reproach by pleading the necessity of giving an immediate answer to the Prince's proposal, and his uncertainty at the moment whether his friend the Baron was with the army, or engaged upon service elsewhere.
This punctilio being settled, Waverley made enquiry after Miss Bradwardine, and was informed she had come to Edinburgh with Flora Mac-Ivor, under guard of a party of the Chieftain's men.This step was indeed necessary, Tully-Veolan having become a very unpleasant, and even dangerous place of residence for an unprotected young lady, on account of its vicinity to the Highlands, and also to one or two large villages, which, from aversion as much to the Caterans as zeal for presbytery, had declared themselves on the side of Government, and formed irregular bodies of partisans, who had frequent skirmishes with the mountaineers, and sometimes attacked the houses of the Jacobite gentry in the braes, or frontier betwixt the mountain and plain.
``I would propose to you,'' continued the Baron, ``to walk as far as my quarters in the Luckenbooths, and to admire in your passage the High Street, whilk is, beyond a shadow of dubitation, finer than any street, whether in London or Paris.But Rose, poor thing, is sorely discomposed with the firing of the Castle, though I have proved to her from Blondel and Coehorn, that it is impossible a bullet can reach these buildings; and, besides, Ihave it in charge from his Royal Highness to go to the camp, or leaguer of our army, to see that the men do _conclamare vasa,_that is, truss up their bag and baggage for to-morrow's march.''
``That will be easily done by most of us,'' said Mac-Ivor, laughing.
``Craving your pardon, Colonel Mac-Ivor, not quite so easily as ye seem to opine.I grant most of your folk left the Highlands, expedited as it were, and free from the encumbrance of baggage; but it is unspeakable the quantity of useless sprechery which they have collected on their march.I saw one fellow of yours (craving your pardon once more) with a pier-glass upon his back.''
``Ay,'' said Fergus, still in good humour, ``he would have told you, if you had questioned him, _a ganging foot is aye getting._---But come, my dear Baron, you know as well as I, that a hundred Uhlans, or a single troop of Schmirschitz's Pandours, would make more havoc in a country than the knight of the mirror and all the rest of our clans put together.''
``And that is very true likewise,'' replied the Baron; ``they are, as the heathen author says, _ferociores in aspectu, mitiores, in actu,_ of a horrid and grim visage, but more benign in demeanour than their physiognomy or aspect might infer.---But I stand here talking to you two youngsters, when I should be in the King's Park.''
``But you will dine with Waverley and me on your return?
I assure you, Baron, though I can live like a Highlander when needs must, I remember my Paris education, and understand perfectly _faire la meilleure ch<e`>re._''
``And wha the deil doubts it,'' quoth the Baron, laughing, ``when ye bring only the cookery, and the gude toun must furnish the materials?---Weel, I have some business in the toun too: but I'll join you at three, if the vivers can tarry so long.''
So saying, he took leave of his friends, and went to look after the charge which had been assigned him.