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.

450 WAVERILEY NOVELS.
of Rome. But remember, what thou hast now said, thou wilt soon be called
upon to justify, in a manner the most solemn - the most awful."
" What I have said," replied Julian Peveril, " being the unbiassed sentiments of my heart, shall, upon no proper occasion, want the support of my
open avowal; and I think it strange you should doubt me so far."
" I doubt thee not, my young friend," said Bridgenorth; " and I trust to
see that name rank high amongst those by whom the prey shall be rent
from the mighty. At present, thy prejudices occupy thy mind like the
strong keeper of the house mentioned in Scripture. But there shall come a
stronger than he, and make forcible entry, displaying on the battlements
that sign of faith in which alone there is found salvation. Watch, hope,
and pray, that the hour may come."
There was a pause in the conversation, which was first broken by Peveril.
6You have spoken to me in riddles, Major Bridgenorth; and I have asked
you for no explanation. Listen to a caution on my part, given with the
most sincere good-will. Take a hint from nme, and believe it, though it is
darkly expressed. You are here -at least are believed to be here - on anl
errand dangerous to the Lord of the island. That danger will be retorted
on yourself, if you make hMan long your place of residence. Be warned,
and depart in time."
" And leave my daughter to the guardianship of Julian Peveril! Runs
not your counsel so, young man?" answered Bridgenorth. "Trust my
safety, Julian, to my own prudence. I have been accustomed to guide
myself through worse dangers than now environ me. But I thank you for
your caution, which I am willing to believe was at least partly disinterested."
"We do not, then, part in anger?" saidPeveril.
"Not in anger, my son," said Bridgenorth, "but in love and strong affection. For my daughter, thou must forbear every thought of seeing her,
save through me. I accept not thy suit, neither do I reject it; only this I
intimate to you, that he who would be my son, must first show himself the
true and loving child of his oppressed and deluded country. Farewell; do
not answer me now; thou art yet in the gall of bitterness, and it may be
that strife (which I desire not) should fall between us. Thou shalt hear of
me sooner than thou thinkest for."
He shook Peveril heartily by the hand, and again bid him farewell,
leaving him under the confused and mingled impression of pleasure, doubt,
and wonder. Not a little surprised to find himself so far in the good graces
of Alice's fitther, that his suit was even favoured with a sort of negative
encouragement, he could not help suspecting, as well from the language of
the daughter as of the father, that Bridgenorth was desirous, as the price
of his favour, that he should adopt some line of conduct inconsistent with
the principles in which he had been educated.
"You need not fear, Alice," he said in his heart; "not even your hand
would I purchase by aught which resembled unworthy or truckling compliance with tenets which my heart disowns; and well I know, were I mean
enough to do so, even the authority of thy father were insufficient to compel
thee to the ratification of so mean a bargain. But let me hope better things.
Bridgenorth, though strong-minded and sagacious, is haunted by the fears
of Popery, which are the bugbears of his sect. My residence in the family
of the Countess of Derby is more than enough to inspire him with suspicions of my faith, from which, thank I-eaven, I can vindicate nmyself with
truth and a good conscience."
So thinking, he again adjusted the girths of his palfrey, replaced the bit
which he had slipped out of its mouth, that it m-iight feed at liberty, and
mounting, pursued his way back to the Castle of Iolnm-Peel, where he could
not help fearing that something extraordinary might have happened in his
absence.