care, solicitude, and affection. She will see nothing, and connect
herself with nothing, but by him and through him. If he is a man
of sense and virtue, she will sympathize in his sorrows, divert his
fatigue, and share his pleasures. If she becomes the property of a
churlish or negligent husband, she will suit his taste also, for she
will not long survive his unkindness. And, alas, how great is the chance
that some such unworthy lot may be that of my poor friend!--Oh, that I
were a queen this moment, and could command the most amiable and
worthy youth of my kingdom to accept happiness with the hand of Rose
Bradwardine!'

'I wish you would command her to accept mine EN ATTENDANT,' said Fergus,
laughing.

I don't know by what caprice it was that this wish, however jocularly
expressed, rather jarred on Edward's feelings, notwithstanding his
growing inclination to Flora, and his indifference to Miss Bradwardine.
This is one of the inexplicabilities of human nature, which we leave
without comment.

'Yours, brother?' answered Flora, regarding him steadily. 'No; you have
another bride--Honour; and the dangers you must run in pursuit of her
rival would break poor Rose's heart.'

With this discourse they reached the castle, and Waverley soon prepared
his dispatches for Tully-Veolan. As he knew the Baron was punctilious
in such matters, he was about to impress his billet with a seal on
which his armorial bearings were engraved, but he did not find it at his
watch, and thought he must have left it at Tully-Veolan. He mentioned
his loss, borrowing at the same time the family seal of the Chieftain.

'Surely,' said Miss Mac-Ivor, 'Donald Bean Lean would not--'

'My life for him, in such circumstances,' answered her
brother;--'besides, he would never have left the watch behind.'

'After all, Fergus,' said Flora,' and with every allowance, I am
surprised you can countenance that man.'

'I countenance him!--This kind sister of mine would persuade you,
Captain Waverley, that I take what the people of old used to call "a
steakraid," that is, a "collop of the foray," or, in plainer words,
a portion of the robber's booty, paid by him to the Laird, or Chief,
through whose grounds he drove his prey. Oh, it is certain, that unless
I can find some way to charm Flora's tongue, General Blakeney will send
a sergeant's party from Stirling (this he said with haughty and emphatic
irony) to seize Vich Ian Vohr, as they nickname me, in his ow