This was the common phrase by which Edward was distinguished on the estate of Waverley-Honour, and the sound now thrilled to his heart with the thousand recollections which the well-known accents of his native country had already contributed to awaken.``Houghton!'' he said, gazing on the ghastly features which death was fast disfiguring, ``can this be you?''
``I never thought to hear an English voice again,'' said the wounded man; ``they left me to live or die here as I could, when they found I would say nothing about the strength of the regiment.But, O squire! how could you stay from us so long, and let us be tempted by that fiend of the pit, Ruffin?---we should have followed you through flood and fire, to be sure.''
``Ruffin! I assure you, Houghton, you have been vilely imposed upon.''
``I often thought so,'' said Houghton, ``though they showed us your very seal; and so Tims was shot, and I was reduced to the ranks.''
``Do not exhaust your strength in speaking,'' said Edward.
``I will get you a surgeon presently.''
He saw Mac-Ivor approaching, who wan now returning from head-quarters, where he had attended a council of wae, and hastened to meet him.``Brave news!'' shouted the Chief, ``we shall be at it in less than two hours.The Prince has put himself at the head of the advance, and as he drew his sword, called out, `My friends, I have thrown away the scabbard.' Come, Waverley, we move instantly.''
``A moment---a moment; this poor prisoner is dying---where shall I find a surgeon?''
``Why, where should you? We have none, you know, but two or three French fellows, who, I believe, are little better than _gar<c,>ons apoth<e'>caires._''
``But the man will bleed to death.''
``Poor fellow!'' said Fergus in a momentary fit of compassion;then instantly added, ``But it will be a thousand men's fate before night; so come along.''
``I cannot; I tell you he is a son of a tenant of my uncle's.''
``O, if he's a follower of yours, he must be looked to; I'll send Callum to you.But _diaoul!----ceade millia molligheart!_''
continued the impatient Chieftain---``what made an old soldier like Bradwardine send dying men here to cumber us?''
Callum came with his usual alertness; and, indeed, Waverley rather gained than lost in the opinion of the Highlanders by his anxiety about the wounded man.They would not have understood the general philanthropy which rendered it almost impossible for Waverley to have passed any person in such distress; but, as apprehending that the sufferer was one of his _following,_<*> they unanimously allowed that Waverley's conduct * _Scottic<e`>_ for followers.
was that of a kind and considerate chieftain, who merited the attachment of his people.In about a quarter of an hour poor Humphrey breathed his last, praying his young master, when he returned to Waverley-Honour, to be kind to old Job Houghton and his dame, and conjuring him not to fight with these wild petticoat-men against old England.
When his last breath was drawn, Waverley, who had beheld with sincere sorrow, and no slight tinge of remorse, the final agonies of mortality, now witnessed for the first time, commanded Callum to remove the body into the hut.This the young Highlander performed, not without examining the pockets of the defunct, which, however, he remarked, had been pretty well spung'd.He took the cloak, however, and proceeding with the provident caution of a spaniel hiding a bone, concealed it among some furze, and carefully marked the spot, observing, that if he chanced to return that way, it would be an excellent rokelay for his auld mother Elspat.
It was by a considerable exertion that they regained their place in the marching column, which was now moving rapidly forward to occupy the high grounds above the village of Tranent, between which and the sea lay the purposed march of the opposite army.
This melancholy interview with his late sergeant forced many unavailing and painful reflections upon Waverley's mind.It was clear, from the confession of the man, that Colonel Gardiner's proceedings had been strictly warranted, and even rendered indispensable, by the steps taken in Edward's name to induce the soldiers of his troop to mutiny.The circumstance of the seal he now, for the first time, recollected, and that he had lost it in the cavern of the robber, Bean Lean.That the artful villain had secured it, and used it as the means of carrying on an intrigue in the regiment, for his own purposes, was sufficiently evident; and Edward had now little doubt that in the packet placed in his portmanteau by his daughter he should find farther light upon his proceedings.In the meanwhile, the repeated expostulation of Houghton---``Ah, squire, why did you leave us?'' rung like a knell in his ears.
``Yes,'' he said, ``I have indeed acted towards you with thoughtless cruelty.I brought you from your paternal fields, and the protection of a generous and kind landlord, and when Ihad subjected you to all the rigour of military discipline Ishunned to bear my own share of the burden, and wandered from the duties I had undertaken, leaving alike those whom it was my business to protect, and my own reputation, to suffer under the artifices of villany.O indolence and indecision of mind! if not in yourselves vices, to how much exquisite misery and mischief do you frequently prepare the way!''