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.

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became, on the contrary, of the opinion, which was now generally prevalent
in the nation, that a settled government could not be obtained without the
recall of the banished family. There is no doubt that the personal kindness which he had received from Charles, rendered him the more readily
disposed to such a measure. He was peremptory, however, in declining all
engagements during Oliver's life, whose power he considered as too firmly
fixed to be shaken by any plots which could be formed against it.
Meantime, Wildrake continued to be Everard's protected dependent as
before, though sometimes the connexion tended not a little to his inconvenience. That respectable person, indeed, while he remained stationary in
his patron's house, or that of the old knight, discharged many little duties
in the family, and won Alice's heart by his attention to the children, teaching the boys, of whom they had three, to ride, fence, toss the pike, and
many similar exercises; and, above all, filling up a great blank in her
father's existence, with whom he played at chess and backgammon, or read
Shakspeare, or was clerk to prayers when any sequestrated divine ventured
to read the service of the Church. Or he found game for him while the old
gentleman continued to go a-sporting; and, especially he talked over the
storming of Brentford, and the battles of Edgehill, Banbury, Roundwaydown, and others, themes which the aged cavalier delighted in, but which
he could not so well enter upon with Colonel Everard, who had gained his
laurels in the Parliament service.
The assistance which he received from Wildrake's society became more
necessary, after Sir Henry was deprived of his gallant and only son, who
was slain in the fatal battle of Dunkirk, where, urhappily, English colours
were displayed on both the contending sides, the French being then allied
with Oliver, who sent to their aid a body of auxiliaries, and the troops of
the banished King fighting in behalf of the Spaniards. Sir Henry received
the melancholy news like an old man, that is, with more external composure
than could have been anticipated. He dwelt for weeks and months on the
lines forwarded by the indefatigable Dr. Rochecliffe, superscribed in small
letters, c. R., and subscribed Louis Kerneguy, in which the writer conjured
him to endure this inestimable loss with the greater firmness, that he had
still left one son, (intimating himself,) who would always regard him as a
father.
But in spite of this balsam, sorrow, acting imperceptibly, and sucking
the blood like a vampire, seemed gradually drying up the springs of life;
and, without any formed illness, or outward complaint, the old man's
strength and vigour gradually abated, and the ministry of Wildrake proved
daily more indispensable.
It was not, however, always to be had. The cavalier was one of those
happy persons whom a strong constitution, an unreflecting mind, and exuberant spirits, enable to play through their whole lives the part of a schoolboy - happy for the moment, and careless of consequences.
Once or twice every year, when he had collected a few pieces, the Cavaliero Wildrake made a start to London, where, as he described it, he went
on the ramble, drank as much wine as he could come by, and led a skeldering life, to use his own phrase, among roystering cavaliers like himself, till
by some rash speech or wild action, he got into the Marshalsea, the Fleet,
or some other prison, from which he was to be delivered at the expense of
interest, money, and sometimes a little reputation.
At length Cromwell died, his son resigned the government, and the various chaonges which followed induced Everard, as well as many others, to
adopt more active measures in the King's behalf. Everard even remitted
considerable sums for his service, but with the utmost caution, and corresponding with no intermediate agent, but with the Chancellor himself, to
whom he communicated much useful information upon public affairs. With
all his prudence he was very nearly engaged in the ineffectual rising of
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