'It is plain,' he said,'that you have been in the
custody of Donald Bean Lean. You must know that, when I marched away my
clan to join the Prince, I laid my injunctions on that worthy member of
society to perform a certain piece of service, which done, he was to join
me with all the force he could muster. But, instead of doing so, the
gentleman, finding the coast clear, thought it better to make war on his
own account, and has scoured the country, plundering, I believe, both
friend and foe, under pretence of levying blackmail, sometimes as if by
my authority, and sometimes (and be cursed to his consummate impudence)
in his own great name! Upon my honour, if I live to see the cairn of
Benmore again, I shall be tempted to hang that fellow! I recognise his
hand particularly in the mode of your rescue from that canting rascal
Gilfillan, and I have little doubt that Donald himself played the part of
the pedlar on that occasion; but how he should not have plundered you, or
put you to ransom, or availed himself in some way or other of your
captivity for his own advantage, passes my judgment.'
'When and how did you hear the intelligence of my confinement?' asked
Waverley.
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