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.

WOODSTOCK. 83
purpose, and therefore I will partly unfold it to thee. -But take notice,
that, should thy tongue betray my counsel, save in so far as carrying it to
thy master, by all the blood which has been shed in these wild times, thou
shalt die a thousand deaths in one!"
" Do not fear me, sir," said Wildrake, whose natural boldness and carelessness of character was for the present time borne down and quelled, like
that of falcon's in the presence of the eagle.
"Hear me, then," said Cromwell, "and let no syllable escape thee.
Knowest thou not the young Lee, whom they call Albert, a malignant
like his father, and one who went up with the young Man to that last
ruffle which we had with him at Worcester -May we be grateful for the
victory!"
"I know there is such a young gentleman as Albert Lee," said Wildrake.
" And knowest thou not - I speak not by way of prying into the good
Colonel's secrets, but only as it behoves me to know something of the
matter, that I may best judge how I am to serve him - Knowest thou not
that thy master, Markham Everard, is a suitor after the sister of this same
malignant, a daughter of the old Keeper, called Sir Henry Lee?"
" All this I have heard," said Wildrake, " nor can I deny that I believe
in it."
"Well then, go to. —When the young man Charles Stewart fled from
the field of Worcester, and was by sharp chase and pursuit compelled to
separate himself from his followers, I know by sure intelligence that this
Albert Lee was one of the last who remained with him, if not indeed the
very last."
" It was devilish like him," said the cavalier, without sufficiently
weighing his expressions, considering in what presence they were to be
uttered- " And I'll uphold him with my rapier, to be a true chip of the
old block!"
" Ia, swearest thou?" said the General. " Is this thy reformation?"
" I never swear, so please you," replied Wildrake, recollecting himself,
" except there is some mention of malignants and cavaliers in my hearing;
and then the old habit returns, and I swear like one of Goring's troopers."
"Out upon thee," said the General; "what can it avail thee to practise
a profanity so horrible to the ears of others, and which brings no emolument to him who uses it?"
" There are, doubtless, more profitable sins in the world than the barren
and unprofitable vice of swearing," was the answer which rose to the lips
of the cavalier; but that was exchanged for a profession of regret for
having given offence. The truth was, the discourse began to take a turn
which rendered it more interesting than ever to Wildrake, who therefore
determined not to lose the opportunity for obtaining possession of the secret
that seemed to be suspended on Cromwell's lips; and that could only be
through means of keeping guard upon his own.
"What sort of a house is Woodstock?" said the General, abruptly.
"An old mansion," said Wildrake, in reply; "and, so far as I could
judge by a single night's lodgings, having abundance of backstairs, also
subterranean passages, and all the communications under ground, which
are common in old raven-nests of the sort."
" And places for concealing priests, unquestionably," said Cromwell.
"It is seldom that such ancient houses lack secret stalls wherein to mew up
these calves of Bethel."
"Your Honour's Excellency," said Wildrake, "may swear to that."
"I swear not at all," replied the General, drily.- " But what think'st
thou, good fellow?-I will ask thee a blunt question-Where will those two
Worcester fugitives that thou wottest of be more likely to take shelterand that they must be sheltered somewhere I well know-than in this eame