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.

'85 6 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
had nursed in our own bosoms, betrayed us to the enemy. This wretch
was named Christian ----
Major Bridgenorth started and turned towards the speaker, but instantly
seemed to recollect himself, and again averted his face. The Countess proceeded, without noticing the interruption which, however, rather surprised
Lady Peveril, who was acquainted with her neighbour's general habits of
indifference and apathy, and therefore the more surprised at his testifying
such sudden symptoms of interest. She would once again have moved the
Countess to retire to another apartment, but Lady Derby proceeded with too
much vehemence to endure interruption.
"This Christian," she said, " had eat of my lord his sovereign's bread,
and drunk of his cup, even from childhood-for his fathers had been faithful
servants to the House of Man and Derby. He himself had fought bravely
by my husband's side, and enjoyed all his confidence; and when my princely
Earl was martyred by the rebels, he recommended to me, amongst other instructions communicated in the last message I received from him, to continue my confidence in Christian's fidelity. I obeyed, although I never
loved the man. He was cold and phlegmatic, and utterly devoid of that
sacred fire which is the incentive to noble deeds, suspected, too, of leaning
to the cold metaphysics of Calvinistic subtlety. But he was brave, wise,
and inexperienced, and, as the event proved, possessed but too much interest
with the islanders. When these rude people saw themselves without hope
of relief, and pressed by a blockade, which brought want and disease into
their island, they began to fall off from the faith which they had hitherto
shown."
" What!" said the Lady Peveril, " could they forget what was due to the
widow of their benefactor -she'who had shared with the generous Derby
the task of bettering their condition?"
" Do not blame them," said the Countess; " the rude herd acted but according to their kind - in present distress they forgot former benefits, and,
nursed in their earthen hovels, with spirits suited to their dwellings, they
were incapable of feeling the glory which is attached to constancy in suffering. But that Christian should have beaded their revolt-that he, born
a gentleman, and bred under my murdered Derby's own care in all that was
chivalrous and noble —that he should have forgot a hundred benefits —why
do I talk of benefits?-that he should have forgotten that kindly intercourse
which binds man to man far more than the reciprocity of obligation -that
he should have headed the ruffians who broke suddenly into my apartment
-immured me with my infants in one of my own castles, and assumed or
usurped the tyranny of the island-that this should have been done by
William Christian, my vassal, my servant, my friend, was a deed of ungrateful treachery, which even this age of treason will scarcely parallel!"
" And you were then imprisoned," said the Lady Peveril, " and in your
own sovereignty?"
"For more than seven years I have endured strict captivity," said the
Countess. " I was indeed offered my liberty, and even some means of support, if I would have consented to leave the island, and pledge my word
that I would not endeavour to repossess my son in his father's rights. But
they little knew the princely house from which I spring -and as little the
royal house of Stanley which I uphold, who hoped to humble Charlotte of
Tremouille into so base a composition. I would rather have starved in the
darkest and lowest vault of Rushin Castle, than have consented to aught
which might diminish in one hair's breadth the right of my son over his
father's sovereignty!"
"And could not your firmness, in a case where hope seemed lost, induce
them to be generous anll- dismiss you without conditions?"
"They knew me better than thou dost, wench,' answered the Countess;
uonce at liberty, I had not been long without the means of disturbing their