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.

514 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
" I would take the honest fellow's word, and let young PeveriI go," said
one of the garrison, who, carelessly yawning, approached on the inside the
post at which Bridgenorth had stationed himself.
"Are you mad?" said Bridgenorth; " or do you think me poor enough
in spirit to give up the advantages I now possess over the family of Peveril,
for the awe of a parcel of boors, whom the first discharge will scatter like
chaff be-fore the whirlwind?"
"CNay," answered the speaker, who was the same individual that had
struck Julian by his resemblance to the man who called himself Ganlesse,
"I love a dire revenge, but we shall buy it somewhat too dear if these
rascals set the house on fire, as they are like to do, while you are parleying
fromn the window. They have thrown torches or fire-brands into the hall;
and it is all our friends can do to keep the flame from catching the wainscoting, which is old and dry."
"Now, may Heaven judge thee for thy lightness of spirit," answered
Bridgenorth; "one would think mischief was so properly thy element,
that to thee it was indifferent whether friend or foe was the sufferer."
So saying, he ran hastily down stairs towards the hall, into which,
through broken casements, and betwixt the iron bars, which prevented
human entrance, the assailants had thrust lighted straw, sufficient to excite
much smoke and some fire, and to throw the defenders of the house into
great confusion; insomuch, that of several shots fired hastily from the
windows, little or no damage followed to the besiegers, who, getting warm
in the onset, answered the hostile charges with loud shouts of " Peveril for
ever!" and had already made a practicable breach through the brick-wall
of the tenement, through which Lance, Ditchley, and several of the most
adventurous among their followers, made their way into the hall.
The complete capture of the house remained, however, as far off as ever.
The defenders mixed with much coolness and skill, that solemn and deep
spirit of enthusiasm which sets life at less than nothing, in comparison to
real or supposed duty. From the half-opened doors which led into the hall,
they maintained a fire which began to grow fatal. One miner was shot
dead; three or four were wounded; and Lance scarce knew whether he
should draw his forces from the house, and leave it a prey to the flames, or,
making a desperate attack on the posts occupied by the defendere, try to
obtain unmolested possession of the place. At this moment, his course of
conduct was determined by an unexpected occurrence, of which it is necessary to trace the cause.
Julian Peveril had been, like other inhabitants of Moultrassie-tIall on
that momentous night, awakened by the report of the sentinel's musket,
followed by the shouts of his father's vassals and followers; of which he
collected enough to guess that Bridgenorth's house was attacked with a view
to his liberation. Very doubtful of the issue of such an attempt, dizzy with
the slumber from which he had been so suddenly awakened, and confounded
with the rapid succession of events to which he had been lately a witness,
he speedily put on a part of his clothes, and hastened to the window of his
apartment. From this he could see nothing to relieve his anxiety, for it
looked towards a quarter different from that on which the attack was made.
He attempted his door; it was locked on- the outside; and his perplexity
and anxiety became extreme, when suddenly the lock was turned, and in an
undress, hastily assumed in the moment of alarm, her hair streaming on
her shoulders, her eyes gleaming betwixt fear and resolution, Alice Bridgenorth rushed into his apartment, and seized his hand with the fervent exclamation, "Julian, save my father i"
The light which she bore in her hand served to show those features which
could rarely have been viewed by any one without emotion, but which bore
an expression irresistible to a lover.