The Waverley novels, by Sir Walter Scott, complete in 12 vol., printed from the latest English ed., embracing the author's last corrections, prefaces & notes.

THE BLACK DWARF. 327
at Sir Frederick Langley) "thinks my word and that of Miss Vere, with
the evidence of my friends who accompany me, too slight for my exculpation, I will be happy —most happy-to repel the charge as becomes a man
who counts his honour dearer than his life."
"And I'll be his second," said Simon of Hackburn, "and take up ony
twa o' ye, gentle or semple, laird or loon; it's a' ane to Simon."
"Who is that rough-looking fellow?" said Sir Frederick Langley, " and
what has he to do with the quarrels of gentlemen?"
" I'se be a lad frae the Ilie Te'iot," said Simon, " and I'se quarrel wi' ony
body I like, except the king, or the laird I live under."
"Come," said Mareschal, "let us have no brawls — Mr. Earnscliff, although we do not think alike in some things, I trust we may be opponents,
even enemies, if fortune will have it so, without losing our respect for birth,
fair-play, and each other. I believe you as innocent of this matter as I am
myself; and I will pledge myself that my cousin Ellieslaw, as soon as the
perplexity attending these sudden events has left his judgment to its free
exercise, shall handsomely acknowledge the very important service you
have this day rendered him."
"To have served your cousin is a sufficient reward in itself.-Good evening, gentlemen," continued Earnscliff, " I see most of your party are already
on their way to Ellieslaw."
Then saluting Mareschal with courtesy, and the rest of the party with
indifference, Earnscliff turned his horse and rode towards the IHeugh-foot,
to concert rneasures with Ilobbie Elliot for farther researches after his
bride, of whose restoration to her friends he was still ignorant.
" There he goes," said iMareschal; "he is a fine, gallant young fellow,
upon my soul; and yet I should like well to have a thrust with him on the
green turf. I was reckoned at college nearly his equal with the foils, and I
should like to try him at sharps."
" Iin my opinion," answered Sir Frederick Langley, "we have done very
ill in having suffered him, and those men who are with him, to go off without taking away their arms; for the Whigs are very likely to draw to a
head under such a sprightly young fellow as that."
" For shame, Sir Frederick i" exclaimed Mareschal; " do you think that
Ellieslaw could, in honour, consent to any violence being offered to Earnscliff, when he entered his bounds only to bring back his daughter? or, if
he were to be of your opinion, do you think that I, and the rest of these
gentlemen, would disgrace ourselves by assisting in such a transaction?
No, no, fair-play and auld Scotland for ever! When the sword is drawn, I
will be as ready to use it as any man; but while it is in the sheath, let us
behave like gentlemen and neighbours."
Soon after this colloquy they reached the castle, when Ellieslaw, who had
been arrived a few minutes before, met them in the court-yard.
" How is Miss Vere? and have you heard the cause of her being carried,
off?" asked Mareschal, hastily.
" She is retired to her apartment greatly fatigued; and I cannot expect
much light upon her adventure till her spirits are somewhat recruited,"
replied her father. "She and I were not the less obliged to you, Mareschal, and to my other friends, for their kind inquiries. But I must suppress the father's feelings for a while to give myself up to those of the
patriot. You know this is the day fixed for our final decision-time presses
-our friends are arriving, and I have opened house, not only for the gentry,
but for the under spur-leathers whom we must necessarily employ. We
have, therefore, little time to prepare to meet them. —Look over these lists,
Miarchie (an abbreviation by which Mareschal-YWells was known among his
friends.) Do you, Sir Frederick, read these letters from Lothian and the
west -- all is ripe for the sickle, and we have but to summon out the
reapers."