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.

168 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
Thus possessed of the alarming outline of facts, the question remained,
what was to be done? and it was not of easy determination. I plainly
perceived the perils with which we were surrounded, but it wast more difficult to suggest any remedy. The warning which I had already received
seemed to intimate, that my own personal liberty might be endangered by
an open appearance in Owen's behalf. Owen entertained the same apprehension, and, in the exaggeration of his terror, assured me that a Scotchman, rather than run the risk of losing a farthing by an Englishman,
would find law for arresting his wife, children, man-servant, maid-servant,
and stranger within his household. The laws concerning debt, in most
countries, are so unmercifully severe, that I could not altogether disbelieve
his statement; and my arrest, in the present circumstances, would have
been a coup-de-grace to my father's affairs. In this dilemma, I asked Owen
if he had not thought of having recourse to my father's other correspondent
in Glasgow, Mr. Nicol Jarvie?
"He had sent him a letter," he replied, " that morning; but if the smobthtongued and civil house in the Gallowgate had used him thus, what was to
be expected from the cross-grained crab-stock in the Salt-Market? You
might as well ask a broker to give up his per-centage, as expect a favour
from him without the per contra. He had not even," Owen said, " answered
his letter, though it was put into his hand that morning as he went to
church." And here the despairing mran-of-figures threw himself down on
his pallet, exclaiming, -" My poor dear master! - my poor dear master!
0, Mr. Frank, Mr. Frank, this is all your obstinacy!- -But God forgive me
for saying so to you in your distress! It's God's disposing, and man must
submit."
My philosophy, Tresham, could not prevent my sharing in the honest
creature's distress, and we mingled our tears,-the more bitter on my part,
as the perverse opposition to my father's will, with which the kind-hearted
Owen forebore to upbraid me, rose up to my conscience as the cause of all
this affliction.
In the midst of our mingled sorrow, we were disturbed and surprised by
a loud knocking at the outward door of the prison. I ran to the top of
the staircase to listen, but could only hear the voice of the turnkey, alternately in a high tone, answering to some person without, and in a whisper,
addressed to the person who had guided me hither —" She's coming —
she's coming," aloud; then in a low key, " 0 hon-a-ri! 0 hon-a ri! what'll
she do now? —Gang up ta stair, and hide yoursell ahint ta Sassenach
shentleman's ped. - She's coming as fast as she can. — Ahellanay! it's my
lord provosts, and ta pailies, and ta guard - and ta captain's coming tookr
stairs too —Got pless her! gang up or he meets her. - She's coming —
she's coming —ta lock's sair roosted."
While Dougal, unwillingly, and with as much delay as possible, undid
the-various fastenings to give admittance to those without, whose impatience
became clamorous, my guide ascended the winding stair, and sprang into
Owen's apartment, into which I followed him. He cast his eyes. hastily
round, as if looking for a place of concealment; then said to me, " Lend
]me your pistols — yet it's no, matter, I can do without them -Whatever
you see, take no heed, and do not mix your hand in another man's feudThis gear's mine, and I must manage it as I dow; but I have been as hard
bested, and worse, than I am even now."
As the stranger spoke these words, he stripped from his person the
cumbrous upper coat in which he was wrapt, confronted the door of the
apartment, on which he fixed a keen and determined glance, drawing his
person a little back to concentrate his force, like a fine horse brought up to
the leaping-bar. I had not a moment's doubt that he meant to extricate
himself from his embarrassment, whatever might be the cause of it, by
springing full upon those who should appear when the doors opened, and