rs.
Why, the whole clan would cry shame on me. You know it is one of their
wise sayings, that a kinsman is part of a man's body, but a
foster-brother is a piece of his heart.'

'Well, Fergus, there is no disputing with you; but I would all this may
end well.'

'Devoutly prayed, my dear and prophetic sister, and the best way in the
world to close a dubious argument. But hear ye not the pipes, Captain
Waverley? Perhaps you will like better to dance to them in the hall than
to be deafened with their harmony without taking part in the exercise
they invite us to.'

Waverley took Flora's hand. The dance, song, and merry-making proceeded,
and closed the day's entertainment at the castle of Vich Ian Vohr. Edward
at length retired, his mind agitated by a variety of new and conflicting
feelings, which detained him from rest for some time, in that not
unpleasing state of mind in which fancy takes the helm, and the soul
rather drifts passively along with the rapid and confused tide of
reflections than exerts itself to encounter, systematise, or examine
them. At a late hour he fell asleep, and dreamed of Flora Mac-Ivor.

CHAPTER XXIV

A STAG-HUNT AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

Shall this be a long or a short chapter? This is a question in which you,
gentle reader, have no vote, however much you may be interested in the
consequences; just as you may (like myself) probably have nothing to do
with the imposing a new tax, excepting the trifling circumstance of being
obliged to pay it. More happy surely in the present case, since, though
it lies within my arbitrary power to extend my materials as I think
proper, I cannot call you into Exchequer if you do not think proper to
read my narrative. Let me therefore consider. It is true that the annals
and documents in my hands say but little of this Highland chase; but then
I can find copious materials for description elsewhere. There is old
Lindsay of Pitscottie ready at my elbow, with his Athole hunting, and his
'lofted and joisted palace of green timber; with all kind of drink to be
had in burgh and land, as ale, beer, wine, muscadel, malvaise, hippocras,
and aquavitae; with wheat-bread, main-bread, ginge-bread, beef, mutton,
lamb, veal, venison, goose, grice, capon, coney, crane, swan, partridge,
plover, duck, drake, brisselcock, pawnies, black-cock, muir-fowl, and
capercailzies'; not forgetting the 'costly bedding, vaiselle, and napry,'
and least of all the 'excelling stewards, cunn