He removed the table
and provisions, and Waverley was again consigned to his own meditations.
As he contemplated the strangeness of his fortune, which seemed to
delight in placing him at the disposal of others, without the power of
directing his own motions, Edward's eye suddenly rested upon his
portmanteau, which had been deposited in his apartment during his sleep.
The mysterious appearance of Alice in the cottage of the glen immediately
rushed upon his mind, and he was about to secure and examine the packet
which she had deposited among his clothes, when the servant of Colonel
Stewart again made his appearance, and took up the portmanteau upon his
shoulders.
'May I not take out a change of linen, my friend?'
'Your honour sall get ane o' the Colonel's ain ruffled sarks, but this
maun gang in the baggage-cart.'
And so saying, he very coolly carried off the portmanteau, without
waiting further remonstrance, leaving our hero in a state where
disappointment and indignation struggled for the mastery. In a few
minutes he heard a cart rumble out of the rugged court-yard, and made no
doubt that he was now dispossessed, for a space at least, if not for
ever, of the only documents which seemed to promise some light upon the
dubious events which had of late influenced his destiny.
Pages:
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561