n castle.'

'Now, Fergus, must not our guest be sensible that all this is folly
and affectation? You have men enough to serve you without enlisting a
banditti, and your own honour is above taint.--Why don't you send this
Donald Bean Lean, whom I hate for his smoothness and duplicity, even
more than for his rapine, out of your country at once? No cause should
induce me to tolerate such a character.'

'NO cause, Flora?' said the Chieftain, significantly.

'No cause, Fergus! not even that which is nearest to my heart. Spare it
the omen of such evil supporters!'

'Oh, but, sister,' rejoined the Chief, gaily, 'you don't consider
my respect for LA BELLE PASSION. Evan Dhu Maccombich is in love with
Donald's daughter, Alice, and you cannot expect me to disturb him in his
amours. 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, systematize, 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 thin