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.

72 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
tending parties, he is the strongest-the wisest and most moderate-and
ambitious though he be, perhaps not the most dangerous. Some one must
be trusted with power to preserve and enforce general order, and who can
possess or wield such power like him that is head of the victorious armies
of England? Come what will in future, peace and the restoration of law
ought to be our first and most pressing object. This remnant of a parliament cannot keep their ground against the army, by mere appeal to the
sanction of opinion. If they design to reduce the soldiery, it must be by
actual warfare, and the land has been too long steeped in blood. But
Cromwell may, and I trust will, make a moderate accommodation with
them, on grounds by which peace may be preserved; and it is to this which
we must look and trust for a settlement of the kingdom, alas! and for the
chance of protecting my obstinate kinsman from the consequences of his
honest though absurd pertinacity."
Silencing some internal feelings of doubt and reluctance by such reasoning as this, Markham Everard continued in his resolution to unite himself
with Cromwell in the struggle which was evidently approaching betwixt
the civil and military authorities; not as the course which, if at perfect
liberty, he would have preferred adopting, but as the best choice between
two dangerous extremities to which the times had reduced him. He could
not help trembling, however, when he recollected that his father, though
hitherto the admirer of Cromwell, as the implement by whom so many
marvels had been wrought in England, might not be disposed to unite with
his interest against that of the Long Parliament, of which he had been, till
partly laid aside by continued indisposition, an active and leading member.
This doubt also he was obliged to swallow or strangle, as he might; but
consoled himself with the ready argument, that it was impossible his father
could see matters in another light than that in which they occurred to
himself.'&laprer tia rnruti.
DETERMINED at length to dispatch his packet to the General without
delay, Colonel Everard approached the door of the apartment, in which, as
was evident from the heavy breathing within, the prisoner Wildrake enjoyed
a deep slumber, under the influence of liquor at once and of fatigue. In
turning the key, the bolt, which was rather rusty, made a resistance so
noisy, as partly to attract the sleeper's attention, though not to awake him.
Everard stood by his bedside, as he heard him mutter, "Is it morning
already, jailor? —Why, you dog, an you had but a cast of humanity in
you, you would qualify your vile news with a cup of sack; - hanging is
sorry work, my masters- and sorrow's dry."
" Up, Wildrake - up, thou ill-omened dreamer," said his friend, shaking
him by the collar.
"Hands off!" answered the sleeper. —"I can climb a ladder without
help, I trow." -He then sate up in the bed, and opening his eyes, stared
around him, and exclaimed, "Zounds! Mark, is it only thou? I thought it
was all over with me —fetters were struck from my legs-rope drawn
round my gullet-irons knocked off my hands-hempen cravat tucked on
-all ready for a dance in the open element upon slight footing."
" Truce with thy folly, Wildrake; sure the devil of drink, to whom thou
hast, I think, sold thyself""For a hogshead of sack," interrupted Wildrake; "the bargain was
made in a cellar in the Vintry."