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.

272 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
Waiving, the discussion of these political questions, I brought back Mr.
Inglewood to his subject, and I found that Diana, having positively refused
to marry any of the Osbaldistone family, and expressed her particular detestation of Rashleigh, he had from that time begun to cool in zeal for the
cause of the Pretender; to which, as the youngest of six brethren, and
bold, artful, and able, he had hitherto looked forward as the means of
making his fortune. Probably the compulsion with which he had been
forced to render up the spoils which he had abstracted from my father's
counting-house by the united authority of Sir Frederick Vernon and the
Scottish Chiefs, had determined his resolution to advance his progress by
changing his opinions, and betraying his trust. Perhaps also -for fev
men were better judges where his interest was concerned -he considered
their means and talents to be, as they afterwards proved, greatly inadequate
to the important task of overthrowing an established Government. Sir
Frederick Vernon, or, as he was called among the Jacobites, his Excellency
Viscount Beauchamp, had, with his daughter, some difficulty in escaping
the consequences of Rashleigh's information. Here Mr. Inglewood's information was at fault; but he did not doubt, since we had not heard of Sir
Frederick being in the hands of the Government, he must be by this time
abroad, where, agreeably to the cruel bond he had entered into with his
brother-in-law, Diana, since she had declined to select a husband out of the
Osbaldistone family, must be confined to a convent. The original cause of
this singular agreement Mr. Inglewood could not perfectly explain; but he
understood it was a family compact, entered into for the purpose of securing
to Sir Frederick the rents of the remnant of his large estates, which had
been vested in the Osbaldistone family by some legal manceuvre; in short,
a family compact, in which, like many of those undertaken at that time of
day, the feelings of the principal parties interested were no more regarded
than if they had been a part of the live-stock upon the lands.
I cannot tell, - such is the waywardness of the human heart, - whether
this intelligence gave me joy or sorrow. It seemed to me, that, in the
knowledge that Miss Vernon was eternally divided from me, not by marriage
with another, but by seclusion in a convent, in order to fulfil an absurd
bargain of this kind, my regret for her loss was aggravated rather than
diminished. I became dull, low-spirited, absent, and unable to support the
task of conversing with Justice Inglewood, who in his turn yawned, and
proposed to retire early. I took leave of him overnight, determining the
next day, before breakfast, to ride over to Osbaldistone-Hall.
Mr. Inglewood acquiesced in my proposal. " It would be well," he said,
" that I made my appearance there before I was known to be in the country,
the more especially as Sir Rashleigh Osbaldistone was now, he understood,
at Mr. Jobson's house, hatching some mischief, doubtless. They were fit
company," he added, "for each other, Sir Rashleigh having lost all right to
mingle in the society of men of honour; but it was hardly possible two such
d-d rascals should collogue together without mischief to honest people."
He concluded, by earnestly recommending a toast and tankard, and an
attack upon his venison pasty, before I set out in the morning, just to break
the cold air on the wolds.