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.

134 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
the frankness with which she had mentioned the difficulties that surrounded
her. At other times she seemed prepared to expostulate upon the subject.
But either her courage failed, or some other sentiment impeded her seeking
an eclaircissement. Her displeasure evaporated in repartee, and her expostulations died on her lips. We stood in a singular relation to each other,spending, and by mutual choice, much of our time in close society with
each other, yet disguising our mutual sentiments, and jealous of, or offended
by, each other's actions. There was betwixt us intimacy without confidence; —on one side, love without hope or purpose, and curiosity without
any rational or justifiable motive; and on the other, embarrassment and
doubt, occasionally mingled with pleasure. Yet I believe that this agitation
of the passions (such is the nature of the human bosom), as it continued
by a thousand irritating and interesting, though. petty circumstances, to
render Miss Vernon and me the constant objects of each other's thoughts,
tended, upon the whole, to increase the attachment with which we were
naturally disposed to regard- each other. But although my vanity early
discovered that my presence at Osbaldistone-Hall had given Diana some
additional reason for disliking the cloister, I could by no means confide in
an affection which seemed completely subordinate to the mysteries of her
singular situation. Miss Vernon was of a character far too formed and
determined, to permit her love for me to overpower either her sense of duty
or of prudence, and she gave me a proof of this in a conversation which
we had together about this period.
We were sitting together in the library. Miss Vernon, in turning over a
copy of the Orlando Furioso, which belonged to me, shook a piece of writing
paper from between the leaves. I hastened to lift it, but she prevented me.
-" It is verse," she said, on glancing at the paper; and then unfolding it,
but as if to wait my answer before proceeding- " May I take the liberty?
-Nay, nay, if you blush and stammer, I must do violence to your. modesty,
and suppose that permission is granted."
" It is not worthy your perusal-a scrap of a translation-My dear Miss
Vernon, it would be too severe a trial, that you, who understand the original so well, should sit in judgment."'
" Mine honest friend," replied Diana, "do not, if you will be guided by
my advice, bait your hook with too much humility; for, ten to one, it will
not catch a single compliment. You know I belong to the unpopular family
of Tell-truths, and would not flatter Apollo for his lyre."
She proceeded to read the first stanza, which was nearly to the following
purpose:" Ladies, and knights, and arms, and love's fair flame,
Deeds of emprize and courtesy, I sing;
What timle the DMoors from sultry Africk came,
Led on by Agramant, their youthful kingHe whom revenge and hasty ire did bring
O'er the broad wave, intFrance to waste and war;
Such ills from old Trojano's death did spring,
Which to avenge he came from realms afar,
And menaced Christian Charles, the Roman Emperor.
" Of dauntless Roland, too, my strain shall sound,
In import never known in prose or rhyme,
How He, the chief, of judgment deemed profound,
For luckless love was crazed upon a time-"
"There is a great deal of it," said she, glancing along the paper, and
interrupting the sweetest sounds which. mortal ears can drink in, -those
of a youthful poet's verses, namely, read by the lips which are dearest to
him.
"Much more than ought to engage your attention, Miss Vernon," I replied, something mortified; and I took the verses from her unreluctant hand
-"And yet," I -continued, " shut up as I am in this retired situation, I have
felt sometimes I could not amuse myself better than by carrying on —merely
for my own amusement, you will of course understand-the version of this