, on the part of the old woman who acted as his nurse, as well as
on that of the elderly Highlander, to permit the door of the bed to be left
open, so that he might amuse himself with observing their motions; and at
length, after Waverley had repeatedly drawn open, and they had as frequently
shut, the hatchway of his cage, the old gentleman put an end to the contest, by
securing it on the outside with a nail, so effectually that the door could not
be drawn till this exterior impediment was removed.
    While musing upon the cause of this contradictory spirit in persons whose
conduct intimated no purpose of plunder, and who, in all other points, appeared
to consult his welfare and his wishes, it occurred to our hero, that during the
worst crisis of his illness, a female figure, younger than his old Highland
nurse, had appeared to flit around his couch. Of this indeed, he had but a very
indistinct recollection, but his suspicions were confirmed when, attentively
listening, he often heard, in the course of the day, the voice of another female
conversing in whispers with his attendant. Who could it be? And why should she
apparently desire concealment? Fancy immediately aroused herself, and turned to
Flora Mac-Ivor. But after a short conflict between his eager desire to believe
she was in his neighbourhood, guarding, like an angel of mercy, the couch of his
sickness, Waverley was compelled to conclude that his conjecture was altogether
improbable; since, to suppose she had left the comparatively safe situation at
Glennaquoich to descend into the Low Country, now the seat of civil war, and to
inhabit such a lurking-place as this, was a thing hardly to be imagined. Yet his
heart bounded as he sometimes could distinctly hear the trip of a light female
step glide to or from the door of the hut, or the suppressed sounds of a female
voice, of softness and delicacy, hold dialogue with the hoarse inward croak of
old Janet, for so he understood his antiquated attendant was denominated.
    Having nothing else to amuse his solitude, he employed himself in contriving
some plan to gratify his curiosity, in spite of the sedulous caution of Janet
and the old Highland janizary, for he had never seen the young fellow since the
first morning. At length, upon accurate examination, the infirm state of his
wooden prison-house appeared to supply the means of gratifying his curiosity,
for out of a spot which was somewhat decayed he was able to extract a nail.
Through this minute aperture he could perceive a female form,
