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.

354 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
of becoming a party to the settlements, and take that interest which he is
entitled to claim in you as heir to his great property?
" Even now, though your rash and eccentric relation is somewhat tardy
in announcing his purpose, I am far from opposing. my authority against
his wishes, although the person he desires you to regard as your future
husband be young Earnscliff, the very last whom I should have thought
likely to be acceptable to him, considering a certain fatal event. But I
give my free and hearty consent, providing the settlements are drawn in
such an irrevocable form as may secure my child from suffering by that
state of dependence, and that sudden and causeless revocation of allowances, of which I have so much reason to complain. Of Sir Frederick
Langley, I augur, you will hear no more. He is not likely to claim the
hand of a dowerless maiden. I therefore commit you, my dear Isabella, to
the wisdom of Providence and to your own prudence, begging you to lose
no time in securing those advantages, which the fickleness of your kinsman
has withdrawn from me to shower upon you.
"Mr. Ratcliffe mentioned Sir Edward's intention to settle a considerable
sum upon me yearly, for my maintenance in foreign parts; but this my
heart is too proud to accept from him. I told him I had a dear child, who,
while in affluence herself, would never suffer me to be in poverty. I thought
it right to intimate this to him pretty roundly, that whatever increase be
settled upon you, it may be calculated so as to cover this necessary and
natural encumbrance. I shall willingly settle upon you the castle and
manor of Ellieslaw, to show my parental affection and disinterested zeal
for promoting your settlement in life. The annual interest of debts charged
on the estate somewhat exceeds the income, even after a reasonable rent
has been put upon the mansion and mains. But as all the debts are in
the person of Mr. Rateliffe, as your kinsman's trustee, he will not be a
troublesome creditor. And here I must make you aware, that though I
have to complain of Mr. Ratcliffe's conduct to me personally, i, nevertheless, believe him a just and upright man, with whom you may safely consult on your affairs, not to mention that to cherish his good opinion will be
the best way to retain that of your kinsman. Remember me to MarchieI hope he will not be troubled on account of late matters. I will write
more fully from the Continent. Meanwhile, I rest your loving father,
" RICHARD VERE."
The above letter throws the only additional light which we have been
able to procure upon the earlier part of our story. It was Hobbie's opinion,
and may be that of most of our readers, that the Recluse of Mucklestane-Moor
had but a kind of gloaming, or twilight understanding; and that he had
neither very clear views as to what he himself wanted, nor was apt to pursue his ends by the clearest and most direct means; so that to seek the clew
of his conduct, was likened, by Hobbie, to looking for a straight path
through as common, over which are a hundred devious tracks, but not one
distinct line of road.
When Isabella had perused the letter, her first inquiry was after her
father. He had left the castle, she was informed, early in the morning,
after a long interview with Mr. Ratcliffe, and was already far on his way
to the next port, where he might expect to find shipping for the Continent.
"Where was Sir Edward Mauley?"
No one had seen the Dwarf since the eventful scene of the preceding
evening.
" Odd, if ony thing has befa'en puir Elshie," said Ilobbie Elliot, " I wad
rather I were harried ower again."
He immediately rode to his dwelling, and the remaining she-goat came
bleating to meet him, for her milking-time was long past. The Solitary
was nowhere to be seen; his door, contrary to wont, was open, his fire