``Your affected ignorance shall not serve you, sir.The Prince,---the Prince himself, has acquainted me with your man<oe>uvres.I little thought that your engagements with Miss Bradwardine were the reason of your breaking of your intended match with my sister.I suppose the information that the Baron had altered the destination of his estate, was quite a sufficient reason for slighting your friend's sister, and carrying off your friend's mistress.''
``Did the Prince tell you I was engaged to Miss Bradwardine?''
said Waverley.``Impossible.''
``He did, sir,'' answered Mac-Ivor; ``so, either draw and defend yourself, or resign your pretensions to the lady.''
``This is absolute madness,'' exclaimed Waverley, ``or some strange mistake!''
``O! no evasion! draw your sword!'' said the infuriated Chieftain,---his own already unsheathed.
``Must I fight in a madman's quarrel?''
``Then give up now, and for ever, all pretensions to Miss Bradwardine's hand.''
``What title have you,'' cried Waverley, utterly losing command of himself,---``What title have you, or any man living, to dictate such terms to me?'' And he also drew his sword.
At this moment the Baron of Bradwardine, followed by several of his troop, came up on the spur, some from curiosity, others to take part in the quarrel, which they indistinctly understood had broken out between the Mac-Ivors and their corps.The clan, seeing them approach, put themselves in motion to support their Chieftain, and a scene of confusion commenced, which seemed likely to terminate in bloodshed.A hundred tongues were in motion at once.The Baron lectured, the Chieftain stormed, the Highlanders screamed in Gaelic, the horsemen cursed and swore in Lowland Scotch.At length matters came to such a pass, that the Baron threatened to charge the Mac-Ivors unless they resumed their ranks, and many of them, in return, presented their firearms at him and the other troopers.
The confusion was privately fostered by old Ballenkeiroch, who made no doubt that his own day of vengeance was arrived, when, behold! a cry arose of ``Room! make way!---_place <a`>
Monseigneur! place <a`> Monseigneur!_'' This announced the approach of the Prince, who came up with a party of Fitz-James's foreign dragoons that acted as his body guard.His arrival produced some degree of order.The Highlanders reassumed their ranks, the cavalry fell in and formed squadron, and the Baron and Chieftain were silent.
The Prince called them and Waverley before him.Having heard the original cause of the quarrel through the villany of Callum Beg, he ordered him into custody of the provost-marshal for immediate execution, in the event of his surviving the chastisement inflicted by his Chieftain.Fergus, however, in a tone betwixt claiming a right and asking a favour, requested he might be left to his disposal, and promised his punishment should be exemplary.To deny this, might have seemed to encroach on the patriarchal authority of the Chieftains, of which they were very jealous, and they were not persons to be disobliged.
Callum was therefore left to the justice of his own tribe.
The Prince next demanded to know the new cause of quarrel between Colonel Mac-Ivor and Waverley.There was a pause.
Both gentlemen found the presence of the Baron of Bradwardine (for by this time all three had approached the Chevalier by his command) an insurmountable barrier against entering upon a subject where the name of his daughter must unavoidably be mentioned.They turned their eyes on the ground, with looks in which shame and embarrassment were mingled with displeasure.
The prince, who had been educated amongst the discontented and mutinous spirits of the court of St.Germains, where feuds of every kind were the daily subject of solicitude to the dethroned sovereign, had served his apprenticeship, as old Frederick of Prussia would have said, to the trade of royalty.
To promote or restore concord among his followers was indispensable.
Accordingly he took his measures.
``Monsieur de Beaujeu!''
``Monseigneur!'' said a very handsome French cavalry officer, who was in attendance.
``Ayez la bont<e'> d'alligner ces montagnards l<a`>, ainsi que la cavalerie, s'il vous plait, et de les remettre <a`> la marche.Vous parlez si bien l'Anglois, cela ne vous donneroit pas beaucoup do peine.''
``Ah! pas du tout, Monseigneur,'' replied Mons.le Comte de Beaujeu, his head bending down to the neck of his little prancing highly-managed charger.Accordingly he _piaffed_ away, in high spirits and confidence, to the head of Fergus's regiment, although understanding not a word of Gaelic, and very little English.
``Messieurs les sauvages Ecossois---dat is---gentilmans savages, have the goodness d'arranger vous.''
The clan, comprehending the order more from the gesture than the words, and seeing the Prince himself present, hastened to dress their ranks.
``Ah! ver well! dat is fort bien!'' said the Count de Beaujeu.
``Gentilmans sauvages---mais tr<e`>s bien---Eh bien!---Qu'est-ce que vous appelez visage, Monsieur?'' (to a lounging trooper who stood by him).``Ah, oui! _face_---Je vous remercie, Monsieur.
---Gentilshommes, have de goodness to make de face to de right par file, dat is, by files.---Marsh!---Mais tr<e`>s bien---encore, Messieurs; il faut vous mettre <a`> la marche....Marchez donc, au nom de Dieu, parceque j'ai oubli<e'> le mot Anglois---mais vous <e^>tes des braves gens, et me comprenez tr<e`>s bien.''
The Count next hastened to put the cavalry in motion.
``Gentilmans cavalry, you must fall in.---Ah! par ma foi, I did not say fall off? I am a fear de little gross fat gentilman is moche hurt.Ah, mon Dieu! c'est le Commissaire qui nous a apport<e'> les premi<e`>res nouvelles de ce maudit fracas.Je suis trop f<a^>ch<e'>, Monsieur!''