Besides," said he, "I think I can justify
myself to my prudent advisers by pleading the good effect such lenity
will produce on the minds of the great English families with whom Colonel
Talbot is connected."'
'There the politician peeped out,' said the Colonel.
'Well, at least he concluded like a king's son: "Take the passport; I
have added a condition for form's sake; but if the Colonel objects to it,
let him depart without giving any parole whatever. I come here to war
with men, but not to distress or endanger women."'
'Well, I never thought to have been so much indebted to the Pretend--'
'To the Prince,' said Waverley, smiling.
'To the Chevalier,' said the Colonel; 'it is a good travelling name, and
which we may both freely use. Did he say anything more?'
'Only asked if there was anything else he could oblige me in; and when I
replied in the negative, he shook me by the hand, and wished all his
followers were as considerate, since some friends of mine not only asked
all he had to bestow, but many things which were entirely out of his
power, or that of the greatest sovereign upon earth. Indeed, he said, no
prince seemed, in the eyes of his followers, so like the Deity as
himself, if you were to judge from the extravagant requests which they
daily preferred to him.
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