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.

ROB ROY. 75
thoughts without it. You need not open the casement of your bosom; I
see through it. You think me a strange bold girl, half coquette, half romp;
desirous of attracting attention by the freedom of her manners and loudness
of her conversation, because she is ignorant of what the Spectator calls the
softer graces of the sex; and perhaps you think I have some particular
plan of storming. you into admiration. I should be sorry to shock your
self-opinion, but you were never more mistaken. All the confidence I have
reposed in you, I would have given as readily to your father, if I thought
he could have understood me. I am in this happy family as much secluded
from intelligent listeners as Sancho in the Sierra Morena; and when opportunity offers, I must speak or die. I assure you I would'not have told you
a word of all this curious intelligence, had I cared a pin who knew it or
knew it not."
"It is very cruel in you, Miss Vernon, to take away all particular marks
of favour from your communications, but I must receive them on your own
terms.-You have not included Mr. Rashleigh Osbaldistone in your domestic sketches."
She shrunk, I thought, at this remark, and hastily answered, in a much
lower tone, " Not a word of Rashleigh! His ears are so acute when his
selfishness is interested, that the sounds wnitd reach him even through the
mass of Thorncliff's person, stuffed as it is with beef, venison-pasty, and
pudding."
"Yes," I replied; "but peeping past the living screen which divides us,
before I put the question, I perceived that Mr. Rashleigh's chair was empty
-he has left the table."
" I would not have you be too sure of that," Miss Vernon replied. "Take
my advice, and when you speak of Rashleigh, get up to the top of Otterscope-hill, where you can.see for twenty miles round you in every direction
- stand on the very peak, and speak in whispers; and, after all, don't be
too sure that the bird of the air will not carry the matter. Rashleigh has
been my tutor for four years; we are'mutually tired of each other, and we
shall heartily rejoice at our approaching separation."
"Mr. Rashleigh leaves Osbaldistone-Hall, then?"
"Yes, in a few days; - did you not know that? - your father must keep
his resolutions much more secret than Sir Hildebrand. Why, when my
uncle was informed that you were to be his guest for some time, and that
your father desired to have one of his hopeful sons to fill up the lucrative
situation in his counting-house which was vacant by your obstinacy, Mr.
Francis, the good knight held a cour pleniere of all his family, including
the butler, housekeeper, and gamekeeper. This reverend assembly of the
peers and household officers of Osbaldistone-iHall was not convoked, as you
may suppose, to elect your substitute, because, as Rashleigh alone possessed
more arithmetic than was necessary to calculate the odds on a fighting cock,
none but he could be supposed qualified for the situation. But some solemn
sanction was necessary for transforming Rashleigh's destination from
starving as a Catholic priest, to thriving as a wealthy banker; and it was
not without some reluctance that the acquiescence of the assembly was
obtained to such an act of degradation."
"I can conceive the scruples-but how were they got over?"
"By the general wish, I believe, to get Rashleigh out of the house," replied Miss Vernon. "Although youngest of the family, he has somehow
or other got the entire management of all the others; and every one is sensible of the subjection, though they cannot shake it off. If any one opposes
him, he is sure to rue having done so before the year.goes about; and if
you do him a very important service, you may rue it still more.",
" At that rate," answered I, smiling, " I should look about me; for I have
been the cause, however unintentionally, of his change of situation."
"Yes; and whether he regards it as an advantage or disadvantage, he