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.

120 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
" Your friend Noll would expect something more from you," said Wildrake; "he would expect, in case the knight's reputation for loyalty should
draw any of our poor exiles and wanderers about the Lodge, that you
should be on the watch and ready to snap them. In a word, as far as I
can understand his long-winded speeches, he would have Woodstock a trap,
your uncle and his pretty daughter the bait of toasted-cheese-craving your
Chloe's pardon for the comparison-you the spring-fall which should bar
their escape, his Lordship himself being the great grimalkin to whom they
are to be given over to be devoured."
"Dared Cromwell mention this to thee in express terms?" said Everard,
pulling up his horse, and stopping in the midst of the road.
"Nay, not in express terms, which I do not believe he ever used in his
life; you might as well expect a drunken man to go straight forward; but
he insinuated as much to me, and indicated that you might deserve well of
him —Gadzo, the damnable proposal sticks in my throat-by betraying our
noble and rightful King, [here he pulled off his hat,] whom God grant in
health and wealth long to reign, as the worthy clergyman says, though I
fear just now his Majesty is both sick and sorry, and never a penny in his
pouch to boot."
" This tallies with what Alice hinted," said Everard; " but how could
she know it? didst thou give her any hint of such a thing?"
"I!" replied the cavalier, "I, who never saw Mistress Alice in my life
till to-night, and then only for an instant —zooks, man, how is that possible?"
"True," replied Everard, and seemed lost in thought. At length he
spoke-" I should call Cromwell to account for his bad opinion of me; for,
even though not seriously expressed, but, as I am convinced it was, with
the sole view of proving you, and perhaps myself, it was, nevertheless, a
misconstruction to be resented."
"'ll carry a cartel for you, with all my heart and soul," said Wildrake;
"and turn out with his godliness's second, with as good will as I ever drank
a glass of sack."
"Pshaw," replied Everard, "those in his high place fight no single combats. But tell me, Roger Wildrake, didst thou thyself think me capable
of the falsehood and treachery implied in such a message?"
"I!" exclaimed Wildrake. "Markham Everard, you have been my
early friend, my constant benefactor. When Colchester was reduced, you
saved me from the gallows, and since that thou hast twenty times saved me
from starving. But, by Heaven, if I thought you capable of such villany
as your General recommended,- by yonder blue sky, and all the works of
creation which it bends over, I would stab you with my own hand!"
"Death," replied Everard, " I should indeed deserve, but not from you,
perhaps; but fortunately, I cannot, if I would, be guilty of the treachery
you would punish. Know that I had this day secret notice, and from
Cromwell himself, that the young Man has escaped by sea from Bristol."
" Now, God Almighty be blessed, who protected him through so many
dangers!" exclaimed Wildrake. "Huzza - Up hearts, cavaliers! - Hey
for cavaliers!-God bless King Charles!-Moon and stars, catch my hat!"
-and he threw it up as high as he could into the air. The celestial bodies
which he invoked did not receive the present dispatched to them; but, as
in the case of Sir Ienry Lee's scabbard, an old gnarled oak became a
second time the receptacle of a waif and stray of loyal enthusiasm. Wildrake looked rather foolish at the circumstance, and his friend took the
opportunity of admonishing him.
" Art thou not ashamed to bear thee so like a schoolboy?"
" Why," said Wildrake, " I have but sent a Puritan's hat upon a loyal
errand. I laugh to think how many of the schoolboys thou talk'st of will