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.

442 WAVER LEY NOVELS.
natural as that Julian, seizing on the hand so kindly stretched out, should
devour it with kisses, and, for a moment or two, without reprehension; while
the other hand, which should have aided in the liberation of its fellow, served
to hide the blushes of the fair owner. But Alice, young as she was, and
attached to Julian by such long habits of kindly intimacy, still knew well
how to subdue the tendency of her own treacherous affections.
"This is not right," she said, extricating her hand from Julian's grasp,
"this is not right, Julian. If I have been too rash in admitting such a
meeting as the present, it is not you that should make me sensible of my
folly."
Julian Peveril's mind had been early illuminated with that touch of
romantic fire which deprives passion of selfishness, and confers on it the
high and refined tone of generous and disinterested devotion. He let go
the hand of Alice with as much respect as he could have paid to that of a
princess; and when she seated herself upon a rocky fiagment, over which
nature had stretched a cushion of moss and lichen, interspersed with wild
flowers, backed with a bush of copsewood, he took his place beside her,
indeed, but at such distance as to intimate the duty of an attendant, who
was there only to hear and to obey. Alice Bridgenorth became more
assured as she observed the power which she possessed over her lover; and
the self-command which Peveril exhibited, which other damsels in her situation might have judged inconsistent with intensity of passion, she appreciated more justly, as a proof of his- respectful and disinterested sincerity.
She recovered, in addressing him, the tone of confidence which rather
belonged to the scenes of their early acquaintance, than to those which had
passed betwixt them since Peveril had disclosed his affection, and thereby
had brought restraint upon their intercourse.
"Julian,"' she said, " your visit of yesterday - your most ill-timed visit,
has distressed me much. It has misled my father-it has endangered you.
At all risks, I resolved that you should know this, and blame me not if I
have taken a bold and imprudent step in desiring this solitary interview,
since you are aware how little poor Deborah is to be trusted."
" Can you fear misconstruction from me, Alice?" replied Peveril, warmly;
"from me, whom you have thus highly favoured - thus deeply obliged?"
" Cease your protestations, Julian," answered the maiden; "they do but
make me the more sensible that I have acted over boldly. But I did for
the best.-I could not see you whom I have known so long-you, who say
you regard me with partiality — "
":Say that I regard you with partiality!" interrupted Peveril in his turn.
" Ah, Alice, what a cold and doubtful phrase you have used to express the
most devoted, the most sincere affection!"
"Well then," said Alice, sadly, "we will not quarrel about words; but
do not again interrupt me. — I could not, I say, see you, who, I believe,
regard me with sincere though vain and fruitless attachment, rush blindfold
into a snare, deceived and seduced by those very feelings towards me."
"I understand you not, Alice," said Peveril; " nor can I see any danger
to which I am at present exposed. The sentiments which your father has
expressed towards me, are of a nature irreconcilable with hostile purposes.
If he is not offended with the bold wishes I may have formed, - and his
whole behaviour shows the contrary, — I know not a man on earth from
whom I have less cause to apprehend any danger or ill-will."
" My father," said Alice, " means well by his country, and well by you;
yet I sometimes fear he may rather injure than serve his good cause; and
still more do I dread that, in attempting to engage you as an auxiliary, he
may forget those ties which ought to bind you, and I am sure which will
bind you, to a different line of conduct from his own."
" You lead me into still deeper darkness, Alice," answered Peveril.
"That your father's especial line of politics differs widely from mine, I