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.

PEVERIL OF TlHE PEAK. 589
sion of each ditty, to favour Julian with some account of what he had sung,
either in the way of translation, or historical anecdote, or as the lay was
connected with some peculiar part of his own eventful history, in the course
of which the poor little man had chanced to have been taken by a Salleo
rover, and carried captive into Morocco.
This part of his life Hudson used to make the era of many strange adventures; and, if he could himself be believed, he had made wild work
among the affections of the Emperor's seraglio. But, although few were in
a situation to cross-examine him on gallantries and intrigues of which the
scene was so remote, the officers of the garrison of Tangier had a report
current amongst them, that the only use to which the tyrannical Moors
could convert a slave of such slender corporeal strength, was to employ him
to lie a-bed all day and hatch turkey's eggs. The least allusion to this
rumour used to drive him well-nigh frantic, and the fatal termination of his
duel with young Crofts, which began in wanton mirth, and ended in bloodshed, made men more coy than they had formerly been, of making the fiery
little hero the subject of their raillery.
While Peveril did the drudgery of the apartment, the dwarf remained
much at his ease, carolling in the manner we have described; but when he
beheld Julian attempting the task of the cook, Sir Geoffrey Hudson sprung
from the stool on which he sat en Signor, at the risk of breaking both his
guitar and his neck, exclaiming, " That he would rather prepare breakfast
every morning betwixt this and the day of judgment, than commit a task
of such consequence to an inexperienced bungler like his companion."
The young man gladly resigned his task to the splenetic little Knight,
and only smiled at his resentment when he added, that, to be but a mortal
of middle stature, Julian was as stupid as a giant. Leaving the dwarf to
prepare the meal after his own pleasure, Peveril employed himself in measuring the room with his eyes on every side, and in endeavouring to discover some private entrance, such as might admit his midnight visitant, and
perhaps could be employed in case of need for effecting his own escape.
The floor next engaged a scrutiny equally minute, but more successful.
Close by his own pallet, and dropped in such a manner that he must have
seen it sooner but for the hurry with which he obeyed the summons of the
impatient dwarf, lay a slip of paper, sealed, and directed with the initial
letters J. P., which seemed to ascertain that it was addressed to himself.
He took the opportunity of opening it while the sboup was in the very moment of projection, and the full attention of his companion was occupied
by what he, in common with wiser and taller men, considered as one of the
principal occupations of life; so that, without incurring his observation or
awaking his curiosity, Julian had the opportunity to read as follows:" Rash and infatuated as you are, there is one who would forfeit much to
stand betwixt you and your fate. You are to-morrow to be removed to the
Tower, where your life cannot be assured for a single day; for, during the
few hours you have been in London, you have provoked a resentment which
is not easily slaked. There is but one chance for you, —renounce A. B.think no more of her. If that be impossible, think of her but as one whom
you can never see again. If your heart can resolve to give up an attachment which it should never have entertained, and which it would be madliess to cherish longer, make your acquiescence in this condition known by
putting on your hat a white band, or white feather, or knot of ribbon of
the same colour, whichever you may most easily come by. A boat will, in
that case, run, as if by accident, on board of that which is to convey you
to the Tower. Do you in the confusion jump overboard, and swim to the
Southwark side of the Thames. Friends will attend there to secure your
escape, and you will find yourself with one who will rather lose character
and life, than that a hair of your head should fall to the ground; but who,
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