and turning his face forward, walked sullenly
on. As they had always hitherto walked together, and almost constantly side by
side, Waverley pursued his course silently in the same direction, determined to
let the Chief take his own time in recovering the good-humour which he had so
unreasonably discarded, and firm in his resolution not to bate him an inch of
dignity.
    After they had marched on in this sullen manner about a mile, Fergus resumed
the discourse in a different tone. »I believe I was warm, my dear Edward, but
you provoke me with your want of knowledge of the world. You have taken pet at
some of Flora's prudery, or high-flying notions of loyalty, and now, like a
child, you quarrel with the plaything you have been crying for, and beat me,
your faithful keeper, because my arm cannot reach to Edinburgh to hand it to
you. I am sure if I was passionate, the mortification of losing the alliance of
such a friend, after your arrangement had been the talk of both Highlands and
Lowlands, and that without so much as knowing why or wherefore, might well
provoke calmer blood than mine. I shall write to Edinburgh, and put all to
rights; that is, if you desire I should do so, - as indeed I cannot suppose that
your good opinion of Flora, it being such as you have often expressed to me, can
be at once laid aside.«
    »Colonel Mac-Ivor,« said Edward, who had no mind to be hurried farther or
faster than he chose, in a matter which he had already considered as broken off,
»I am fully sensible of the value of your good offices; and certainly, by your
zeal on my behalf in such an affair, you do me no small honour. But as Miss
Mac-Ivor has made her election freely and voluntarily, and as all my attentions
in Edinburgh were received with more than coldness, I cannot, in justice either
to her or myself, consent that she should again be harassed upon this topic. I
would have mentioned this to you some time since; - but you saw the footing upon
which we stood together, and must have understood it. Had I thought otherwise, I
would have earlier spoken; but I had a natural reluctance to enter upon a
subject so painful to us both.«
    »O, very well, Mr. Waverley,« said Fergus, haughtily, »the thing is at an
end. I have no occasion to press my sister upon any man.«
    »Nor have