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.

THE SURGEON'S DAUGHTER. 485
"A cousin of my mother's commands a ship in the Company's service.
I intend to go with him as surgeon's mate. If I like the sea service, I will
continue in it; if not, I will enter some other line." This Hartley said
with a sigh.
"To India!" answered Richard; "Happy dog-to India! You may
well bear with equanimity all disappointments sustained on this side of the
globe. Oh, Delhi! oh, Golconda! have your names no power to conjure
down idle recollections? - India, where gold is won by steel; where a brave
man cannot pitch his desire for fame and wealth so high, but that he may
realize it, if he have fortune to his friend? Is it possible that the bold
adventurer can fix his thoughts on you, and still be dejected at the thoughts
that a bonny blue-eyed lass looked favourably on a less lucky fellow than
himself? Can this be?"
"Less lucky?" said Hartley. "Can you, the accepted lover of Menie
Gray, speak in that tone, even though it be in jest!"
" Nay, Adam," said Richard, " don't be angry with me, because, being
thus far successful, I rate my good fortune not quite so rapturously as perhaps you do, who have missed the luck of it. Your philosophy should tell
you, that the object which we attain, or are sure of attaining, loses, perhaps,
even by that very certainty, a little of the extravagant and ideal value, which
attached to it while the object of feverish hopes and aguish fears. But for
all that, I cannot live without my sweet Menie. I would wed her to-morrow,
with all my soul, without thinking a minute on the clog which so early a
marriage would fasten on our heels. But to spend two additional years in
this infernal wilderness, cruising after crowns and half-crowns, when worse
men are making lacs and crores of rupees - It is a sad falling off, Adam.
Counsel me, my friend, - can you not suggest some mode of getting off
from these two years of destined dulness?"
"Not I," replied Hartley, scarce repressing his displeasure; "and if I
could induce Dr. Gray to dispense with so reasonable a condition, I should
be very sorry to do so. You are but twenty-one, and if such a period of
probatfin was, in the Doctor's prudence, judged necessary for me, who am
full two years older, I have no idea that he will dispense with it in yours."
"Perhaps not," replied Middlemas; "but do you not think that these
two, or call them three, years of probation, had better be spent in India,
where much may be done in a little while, than here, where nothing can be
done save just enough to get salt to our broth, or broth to our salt? Methinks I have a natural turn for India, and so I ought. My father was a
soldier, by the conjecture of all who saw him, and gave me a love of the sword,
and an arm to use one. My mother's father was a rich trafficker, who loved
wealth, I warrant me, and knew how to get it. This petty two hundred
a-year, with its miserable and precarious possibilities, to be shared with the
old gentleman, sounds in the ears of one like me, who have the world for
the winning, and a sword to cut my way through it, like something little
better than a decent kind of beggary. Menie is in herself a gem - a diamond -I admit it. But then, one would not set such a precious jewel in
lead or popper, but in pure gold; ay, and add a circlet of brilliants to set it
off with. Be a good fellow, Adam, and undertake the setting my project in
proper colours before the Doctor. I am sure, the wisest thing for him and
Menie both, is to permit me to spend this short time of probation in the
land of cowries. I am sure my heart will be there at any rate, and while I
am bleeding some bumpkin for an inflammation, I shall be in fancy relieving
some nahob, or rajahpoot, of his plethora of wealth. Come —will you
assist, will you be auxiliary? Ten chances but you plead your own cause,
man, for I may be brought up by a sabre, or a bow-string, before I make
my pack up; then your road to Menie will be free and open, and, as you
will be possessed of the situation of comforter ex officio, you may take her
with the tear in her ee,' as old saws advise."
2q2