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.

480 WAVEtILEY NOVELS.
jennet, with which I can ride round and round you at pleasure; and this
text, of a handful in length, (showing a pistol which he drew fron his
bosom,) which discharges very convincing doctrine on the pressure of a. forefinger, and is apt to equalize all odds, as you call them, of youth and strength.
Let there be no strife between us, however-the moor lies before us —choose
your path on it -I take the other."
"I wish you good-night, sir," said Peveril to the stranger. " I ask your
forgiveness, if I have misconstrued you in any thing; but the times are
perilous, and a man's life may depend on the society in which he travels."
"True," said the stranger; " but in your case, the danger is already undergone, and you should seek to counteract it. You have travelled in my
company long enough to devise a handsome branch of the Popish Plot.
How will you look, when you see come forth, in comely folio form, The Narrative of Simon Canter, otherwise called Richard Ganlesse, concerning the
horrid Popish Conspiracy for the Murder of the King, and Massacre of all
Protestants, as given on oath to the Honourable House of Commons; setting forth, how far Julian Peveril, younger of Martindale Castle, is concerned in carrying on the same 2-)
"4How, sir? What mean you?" said Peveril much startled.
"Nay, sir,"' replied his companion, "do not interrupt my title-page.
Now that Oates and Bedloe have drawn the great prizes, the subordinate
discoverers get little but by the sale of their Narrative; and Janeway, Newman, Simmons, and every bookseller of them, will tell you that the title is
half the narrative. Mine shall therefore set forth the various schemes you
have communicated to me, of landing ten thousand soldiers from the Isle
of Man upon the coast of Lancashire; and marching into Wales, to join
the ten thousand pilgrims who are to be shipped from Spain; and so completing the destruction of the Protestant religion, and of the devoted city
of London. Truly, I think such a Narrative, well spiced with a few
horrors, and published curn privilegio parliamenti, might, though the market
be somewhat overstocked, be still worth some twenty or thirty pieces."
"You seem to know me, sir," said Peveril; " and if so, I think I may fairly
ask you your purpose in thus bearing me company, and the meaning of all
this rhapsody. If it be mere banter, I can endure it within proper limit;
although it is uncivil on the part of a stranger. If you have any farther
purpose, speak it out; I am not to be trifled with."
"Good now," said the stranger, laughing, "into what an unprofitable
chafe you have put yourself! An Italian fitoruscito, when he desires a
parley with you, takes aim from behind a wall, with his long gun, and prefaces his conference with Posso tirare. So does your man-of-war fire a gun
across the bows of a Hansmogan Indiaman, just to bring her to; and so do
I show Master Julian Peveril, that, if I were one of the honourable society
of witnesses and informers, with whom his imagination has associated me
for these two hours past, he is as much within my danger now,-as what he
is ever likely to be." Then, suddenly changing his tone to serious, which
was in general ironical, he added, "Young man, when the pestilence is
diffused through the air of a city, it is in vain men would avoid the
disease, by seeking solitude, and shunning the company of their fellowsufferers."
" There is no more odious feature of this detestable plot than that the forsworn witnesses by whose oaths
the firaud was supported, claimed a sort of literary interest in their own fabrications by pulications under
such titles as the following: "A narrative and impartial discovery of the horrid Popish Plot, carried on for
burning and destroying the cities of London and Westninster, with their suburbs, setting forth the several
councils, orders, and resolutions of the Jesuits, concerning the same, by (a person so and so named,) lately
enrgaged in that horrid design, and one of the Popish committee for carrying on such fires."
At any other period, it would have appeared equally unjust and illegal to poison the public mind with stuff
of this kind, before the witnesses had made their depositions in open court. But in this momlent of frenzy,
every thing which could confirm the existence of these senseless delusions, was eagerly listened to; anid
whatever seemed to infer doubt of the witnesses, or hesitation concerning the existence of the plot, was a
stiiling, strangling, or undervaluing the discovery of the grand conspiracy. In short, as expressed by Dryden,
"'Twas worse than plotting, to suspect the plot."