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.

528 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
expected, at least, that my lover should have come to Britain in person, and
might have had the vanity to think," she added, smiling faintly, " that if I
were worth having, I was worth fetching."
"Yet now-even now," answered Hartley, "be just to yourself while you
are generous to your lover.-Nay, do not look angrily, but hear me. I doubt
the propriety of your being under the charge of this unsexed woman, who
can no longer be termed a European. I have interest enough with females
of the highest rank in the settlement-this climate is that of generosity and
hospitality - there is not one of them, who, knowing your character and
history, will not desire to have you in her society, and under her protection,
until your lover shall be able to vindicate his title to your hand in the face
of the world. -I myself will be no cause of suspicion to him, or of inconvenience to you, Menie. Let me but have your consent to the arrangement
I propose, and the same moment that sees you under honourable and unsuspected protection, I will leave Madras, not to return till your destiny is in
one way or other permanently fixed."
"No, Hartley," said Miss Gray. "It may, it must be, friendly in you
thus to advise me; but it would be most base in me to advance my own
affairs at the expense of your prospects. Besides, what would this be but
taking the chance of contingencies, with the view of sharing poor Middlemas's fortunes, should they prove prosperous, and casting him off, should
they be otherwise? Tell me only, do you, of your own positive knowledge,
aver that you consider this woman as an unworthy and unfit protectress for
so young a person as I am?"
"Of my own knowledge I can say nothing; nay, I must own, that reports
differ even concerning Mrs. Montreville's character. But surely the rere
suspicion"" The mere suspicion, Mr. Hartley, can have no weight with me, considering that I can oppose to it the testimony of the man with whom I am
willing to share my future fortunes. You acknowledge the question is but
doubtful, and should not the assertion of him of whom I think so highly
decide my belief in a doubtful matter? What, indeed, must he be, should
this Madame Montrevillebe other than he represented her?"
"What must he be, indeed!" thought Hartley internally, but his lips
uttered not the words. He looked down in a deep reverie, and at length
started from it at the words of Miss Gray.
" It is time to remind you, Mr. Hartley, that we must needs part. God
bless and preserve you."
"And you, dearest Menie," exclaimed Hartley as he sunk on one knee,
and pressed to his lips the hand which she held out to him. "God bless
you!-you must deserve blessing. God protect you!-you must need protection.-Oh, should things prove different from what you hope, send for me
instantly, and if man can aid you, Adam Hartley will!"
He placed in her hand a card containing his address. He then rushed
from the apartment. In the hall he met the lady of the mansion, who made
him a haughty reverence in token of adieu, while a native servant of the
upper class, by whom she was attended, made a low and reverential salam.
Hartley hastened from the Black Town, more satisfied than before that
some deceit was about to be practised towards Menie Gray -more determined than ever to exert himself for her preservation; yet more completely
perplexed, when he began to consider the doubtful character of the danger
to which she might be exposed, and the scanty means of protection which
she had to oppose to it.