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.

408 WAVE IRLEY NOVELS.
"I would refer you to my own father," said Alice, blushing, and casting
her eyes down; but instantly raising them again, she repeated, in a firmer
and a sadder tone, "Yes, Julian, I would refer you to my father; and you
would find that your pilot, IHope, had deceived you; and that you had but
escaped the quicksands to fall upon the rocks."
" I would that could be tried 1" said Julian. "Methinks I could persuade
your father that in ordinary eyes our alliance is not undesirable. My family
have fortune, rank, long descent-all that fathers look for when they bestow
a daughter's hand."'"All this wvould avail you nothing," said Alice. "The spirit of my father
is bent upon the things of another world; and if he listened to hear you
out, it would be but to tell you that he spurned your offers."
" You know not -you know not, Alice," said Julian. " Fire can soften
iron-thy father's heart cannot be so hard, or his prejudices so strong, but
I shall find some means to melt him. Forbid me not-Oh, forbid me not at
least the experiment!"
" I can but advise," said Alice; " I can forbid you nothing; for, to forbid,
implies power to command obedience. But if you will be wise, and listen
to me - Here, and on this spot, we part for ever 1"
N' ot so, by Heaven!" said Julian, whose bold and sanguine temper
scarce saw difficulty in attaining aught which he desired. " We now part,
indeed, but it is that I may return armed with my parents' consent. They
desire that I should marry-in their last letters they pressed it more openly
-they shalt have their desire; and such a bride as I will present to them
has not graced their house since the Conqueror gave it origin. Farewell,
Alice i Farewell, for a brief space!"
She replied, " Farewell, Julian! Farewell for ever I"
Julian, within a week of this interview, was at Martindale Castle, with
the view of communicating his purpose. But the task which seems easy at
a distance, proves as difficult, upon a nearer approach, as the fording of a
river, which, from afar, appeared only a brook. There lacked not opportunities of entering upon the subject; for in the first ride which he took
with his father, the Knight resumed the subject of his son's marriage, and
liberally left the lady to his choice; but under the strict proviso, that she
was of a loyal and an honourable family;-if she had fortune, it was good
and well, or rather, it was better than well; but if she was poor, why,
"there is still some picking," said Sir Geoffrey, "on the bones of the old
estate; and Dame Margaret and I will be content with the less, that you
young folks may have your share of it. I am turned frugal already, Julian.
You see what a north-country shambling bit of a Galloway nag I ride upon
-a different beast, I wot, fromr my old Black Hastings, who had but one
fault, and that was his wish to turn down Moultrassie avenue."
" Was that so great a fault?" said Julian, affecting indifference, while his
heart was trembling, as it seemed to him, almost in his very throat.
".It used to remind me of that base, dishonourable Presbyterian fellow,
Bridgenorth," said Sir Geoffrey; "and I would as lief think of a toad:they say he has turned Independent, to accomplish the full degree of rascality.-I tell you, Gill, I turned off the cow-boy, for gathering nuts in his
woods -I would hang a dog that would so much as kill a hare there.-But
what is the matter with you? You look pale."
Julian made some indifferent answer, but too well understood, from the
language and tone which his father used, that his prejudices against Alice's
father were both deep and envenomed, as those of country gentlemen often
become, who, having little to do or think of, are but too apt to spend their
time in nursing and cherishing petty causes of wrath against their next
neighbours.
In the course of the same day, he mentioned the Bridgenorths to his mo