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.

OLD MORTALITY. 525
"A'body says," replied Jenny, "that you and the whigs hae made a vow
to dining King Charles aff the throne, and that neither he, nor his posteriors
from generation to generation, shall sit upon it ony mair; and John Gudyill threeps ye're to gie a' the church-organs to the pipers, and burn the
Book o' Conmmon-prayer by the hands of the common hangman, in revenge
of the Covenant that was burnt when the King cam hame."
"M My friends at Tillietudlem judge too hastily and too ill of me," answered
Morton. "I wish to have free exercise of my own religion, without insulting any other; and as to your family, I only desire an opportunity to show
them I have the same friendship and kindness as ever."
"Bless your kind heart for saying sae!" said Jenny, bursting into a
flood of tears; "and they never needed kindness or friendship mair, for
they are famished for lack o' food."
"Good God!" replied Morton - " I have heard of scarcity, but not of
famine! Is it possible? Iave the ladies and the Major"
" They hae suffered like the lave o' us," replied Jenny; " for they shared
every bit and sup wi' the whole folk in the Castle - I'm sure my poor een
see fifty colours wi' faintness, and my head's sae dizzy wi' the mirligoes
that I cannla stand my lane."
The thinness of the poor girl's cheek, and the sharpness of her features,
bore witness to the truth of what she said. Morton was greatly shocked.
" Sit down," he said, "for God's sake!" forcing her into the only chair
the apartment afforded, while he himself strode up and down the room in
horror and impatience. " I knew not of this," he exclaimed in broken ejaculations, - " I could not know of it. - Cold-blooded, iron-hearted fanaticdeceitful villain! - Cuddie fetch refreshments - food - wine, if possiblewhatever you can find."
"Whisky is gude eneugh for her," muttered Cuddie; " ane wouldna hae
thought that gude meal was sae scant amang them, when the quean threw
sae mesckle gude kail-brose scalding het about my lags."
Faint and miserable as Jenny seemed to be, she could not hear the allusion to her exploit during the storm of the Castle, without bursting into a
laugh which weakness soon converted into a hysterical giggle. Confounded
at her state, and reflecting with horror on the distress which must have been
in the Castle, lorton repeated his commands to lteadrigg in a peremptory
manner; and when he had departed, endeavoured to soothe his visitor.
"You come, I suppose, by the orders.of your mistress, to visit Lord
Evandale? - Tell me what she desires; her orders shall be my law."
Jenny appeared to reflect a moment, and then said, "Your honour is sae
auld a friend, I must needs trust to you, and tell the truth."
"Be assured, Jenny," said hMorton, observing that she hesitated, "that
you will best serve your mistress by dealing sincerely with me."
"VWeel, then, ye maun ken we're starting, as I said before, and have
been mair days than ane; and the IMajor has sworn that he expects relief
daily, anid that he will not gie ower the house to the enemy till we have
eaten up his auld boots, - and they are unco thick in the soles, as ye may
weel mind, forby being teuch in the upper-leather. The dragoons, again,
they think they will be forced to gie up at last, and they canna bide hunger
weel, after the life they led at free quarters for this while bypast; and since
Lord Evandale's taen, there's nae guiding them; and Inglis says he'll gie
up the garrison to the whigs, and the Major and the leddies into the bargain, if they will but let the troopers gang free thcemsells."
" Scoundrels i" said Morton; " why do they not make terms for all in the
Castle?"
"They are fear'd for denial o' quarter to themsells, having dune sae
mluckle mischief through the country; and Burley has hanged ane or twa
o' them already - sac they want to draw their ain necks out o' the collar
at hazard o' honest folks."