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.

THE SURGEON'S DAUGHTER. 491
be attested; and then they were to travel together to town, and arrange
matters for their Indian voyage.
Notwithstanding the definitive arrangement which was thus made for his departure, Middlemas thought from time to time with anxiety and regret about
quitting Menie Gray, after the engagement which had passed between them.
The resolution was taken, however; the blow was necessarily to be struck;
and her ungrateful lover, long since determined against the life of domestic
happiness, which he might have enjoyed had his views been better regulated,
was now occupied with the means, not indeed of breaking off with her entirely, but of postponing all thoughts of their union until the success of his
expedition to India.
He might have spared himself all anxiety on this last subject. The wealth
of that India to which he was bound would not have bribed Menie Gray to
have left her father's roof against her father's commands; still less when,
deprived of his two assistants, he must be reduced to the necessity of continued exertion in his declining life, and therefore might have accounted
himself altogether deserted, had his daughter departed from him at the same
time. But though it would have been her unalterable determination not to
accept any proposal of an immediate union of their fortunes, Menie could
not, with all a lover's power of self-deception, succeed in persuading herself
to be satisfied with Richard's conduct towards her. Modesty, and a becoming
pride, prevented her from seeming to notice, but could not prevent her from
bitterly feeling, that her lover was preferring the pursuits of ambition to the
humble lot which he might have shared with her, and which promised content at least, if not wealth.
" If he had loved me as he pretended," such was the unwilling conviction
that rose on her mind, " my father would surely not have ultimately refused
him the same terms which he held out to Hartley. His objections would
have given way to my happiness, nay, to Richard's importunities, which
would have removed his suspicions of the unsettled cast of his disposition.
But I fear-I fear Richard hardly thought the terms proposed were worthy
of his acceptance. Would it not have been natural too, that he should have
asked me, engaged as we stand to each other, to have united our faith before his quitting Europe, when I might either have remained here with my
father, or accompanied him to India, in quest of that fortune which he is
so eagerly pushing for? It would have been wrong-very wrong-in me
to have consented to such a proposal, unless my father had authorised it;
but surely it would have been natural that Richard should have offered it?
Alas! men do not know how to love like women! Their attachment is only
one of a thousand other passions and predilections,-they are daily engaged
in pleasures which blunt their feelings, and in business which distracts
them. We-we sit at home to weep, and to think how coldly our affections
are repaid!"
The time was now arrived at which Richard Middlemas had a right to
demand the property vested in the hands of the Town-clerk and Doctor
Gray. He did so, and received it accordingly. His late guardian naturally
enquired what views he had formed in entering on life? The imagination
of the ambitious aspirant saw in this simple question a desire, on the part
of the worthy man, to offer, and perhaps press upon him, the same proposal
which he had made to Hartley. lie hastened, therefore, to answer dryly,
that he had some hopes held out to him which he was not at liberty to communicate; but that the instant he reached London, he would write to the
guardian of his youth, and acquaint him with the nature of his prospects,
which he was happy to say were rather of a pleasing character.
Gideon, who supposed that at this critical period of his life, the father,
or grandfather, of the young man might perhaps have intimated a disposition to open some intercourse with him, only replied,-" You have been the
child of mystery, Richard; and as you came to me, so you leave ne. Then,