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.

872 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
unsheathed, and pistols presented; but Sir Geoffrey, with the voice of a
herald, commanded both parties to stand back, and to keep the peace.
The pursuivant took the hint, and easily found a reason for not prosecuting a dangerous duty. " The warrant," he said, " was destroyed. They
that did it must be answerable to the Council; for his part, he could proceed
no farther without his commission."
" Well said, and like a peaceable fellow!" said Sir Geoffrey. " Let hima
have refreshment at at the Castle —his nag is sorely out of condition.-Come,
neighbour Bridgenorth, get up, man-I trust you have had no hurt in this
mad affray? I was loath to lay hand on you, man, till you plucked out
your petronel."
As he spoke thus, he aided the Major to rise. The pursuivant, meanwhile, drew aside; and with him the constable and head-borough, who were
not without some tacit suspicion, that though Peveril was interrupting the
direct course of law in this matter, vet he was likely to have his offence
considered by favourable judges; and therefore it might be as much for
their interest and safety to give way as to oppose him. But the rest of the
party, friends of Bridgenorth, and of his principles, kept their ground
notwithstanding this defection, and seemed, from their looks, sternly determined to rule their conduct by that of their leader, whatever it might be.
But it was evident that Bridgenorth did not intend to renew the struggle.
IHe shook himself rather roughly free from the hands of Sir Geoffrey
Peveril; but it was not to draw his sword. On the contrary, he mounted
his horse with a sullen and dejected air; and, making a sign to his followers,
turned back the same road which he had come. Sir Geoffrey looked after
him for some minutes. " Now, there goes a man," said he, ".who would
have been a right honest fellow had he not been a Presbyterian. But there
is no heartiness about them - they can never forgive a fair fall upon the
sod — they bear malice, and that I hate as I do a black cloak, or a Geneva
skull-cap, and a pair of long ears rising on each side on't, like two chimneys
at the gable ends of a thatched cottage. They are as sly as the devil to
boot; and, therefore, Lance Outram, take two with you, and keep after
them, that they may not turn our flank, and get on the track of the Countess
again after all."
"I had as soon they should course my lady's white tame doe," answered
Lance, in the spirit of his calling. He proceeded to execute his master's
orders by dogging Major Bridgenorth at a distance, and observing his
course from such heights as commanded the country. But it was soon
evident that no manceuvre was intended, and that the Major was taking the
direct road homeward. When this was ascertained, Sir Geoffrey dismissed
most of his followers; and retaining only his own domestics, rode hastily
forward to overtake the Countess.
It is only- necessary to say farther, that he completed his purpose of
escorting the Countess of Derby to Vale-Royal, without meeting any farther
hinderance by the way. The lord of the mansion readily undertook to conduct the high-minded lady to Liverpool, and the task of seeing her safely
embarked for her son's hereditary dominions, where there was no doubt of
her remaining in personal safety until the accusation against her for breach
of the Royal Indemnnity, by the execution of Christian, could be brought to
some compromise.
For a length of time this was no easy matter. Clarendon, then at the
head of Charles's administration, considered her rash action, though dictated by motives which the human breast must, in some respects, sympathize
with, as calculated to shake the restored tranquillity of England, by exciting
the doubts and jealousies of those who had to apprehend the consequences
of what is called, in our own time, a reaction. At the same time, the high
services of this distinguished falmily - the merits of the Countess herself —
the memory of her gallant husband - and the very peculiar circumstances