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.

588 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
" And my father and my friends must just reconcile themselves to that
which is done and cannot be undone," replied Staunton. " However, it is
my intention, in order to break off dangerous connexions, and to let my
friends come to their temper, to conceal my marriage for the present, and
stay abroad for some years. So that you will not hear of us for some time,
if ever you hear of us again at all. It would be dangerous, you must be
aware, to keep up the correspondence; for all would guess that the husband
of Effie was the - what shall I call myself? - the slayer of Porteous."
Hard-hearted light man! thought Jeanie —to what a character she has
intrusted her happiness! — She has sown the wind, and maun reap the
whirlwind.,
"Dinna think ill o' him," said Effie, breaking away from her husband,
and leading Jeanie a step or two out of hearing - " dinna think very ill o'
him - he's gude to me, Jeanie - as gude as I deserve - And he is determined to gie up his bad courses - Sae, after a', dinna greet for Effie; she
is better off than she has wrought for. - But you! - oh, you! - how can
you be happy eneugh! never till ye get to Heaven, where a'body is as gude
as yoursell. - Jeanie, if I live and thrive, ye shall hear of me - if not, just
forget that sic a creature ever lived to vex ye - fare ye well - fare - fare
ye weel!"
She tore herself from her sister's arms — rejoined her husband- they
plnhged into the copsewood, and she saw them no more. The whole scene
nhad the effect of a vision, and she could almost have believed it such, but
that very soon after they quitted her, she heard the sound of oars, and a,
skiff was seen on the Firth, pulling swiftly towards the small smuggling
sloop which lay in the offing. It was on board of such a vessel that Effie
had embarked at Portobello, and Jeanie had no doubt that the same conveyance was destined, as Staunton had hinted, to transport them to a
foreign country.
Although it was impossible to determine whether this interview, while it
was passing, gave more pain or pleasure to Jeanie Deans, yet the ultimate
impression which remained on her mind was decidedly favourable. Effie
was married - made, according to the common phrase, an honest woman -
that was one main point; it seemed also as if her husband were about to
abandon the path of gross. vice, in which he had run so long and so desperately -that was another. For his final and effectual conversion, he did
not want understanding, and God knew his own hour.
Such were the thoughts with which Jeanie endeavoured to console her
anxiety respecting her sister's future fortune. On her arrival at the Lodge,
she found Archibald in some anxiety at her stay, and about to walk out in
quest of her. A headach served as an apology for retiring to rest, in order
to conceal her visible agitation of mind from her companions.
By this secession also she escaped a scene of a different sort. For, as if
there were danger in all gigs, whether by sea or land, that of Knockdunder
had been run down by another boat, an accident owing chiefly to the drunkenness of the captain, his crew, and passengers. Knockdunder, and two or
three guests, whom he was bringing along with him to finish the conviviality of the evening at the Lodge, got a sound ducking; but, being rescued
by the crew of the boat which endangered them, there was no ultimate loss,
excepting that of the Captain's laced hat, which, greatly to the satisfaction
of the Highland part of the district, as well as to the improvement of the
conformity of his own personal appearance, he replaced by a smart Highland bonnet the next day. - Many were the vehement threats of vengeance
which, on the succeeding morning, the gracious Duncan threw out against
the boat which had upset him; but as neither she, nor the small smuggling
vessel to which she belonged, was any longer to be seen in the firth, he was
compelled to sit down with the affront. This was the more hard, he said,
as he was assured the mischief was done on purpose, these scoundrels