Both seemed anxious for
their guest's safety, and took leave of him with kind wishes.
In the course of their route Edward, with his guide, traversed those
fields which the night before had been the scene of action. A brief gleam
of December's sun shone sadly on the broad heath, which, towards the spot
where the great north-west road entered the enclosures of Lord Lonsdale's
property, exhibited dead bodies of men and horses, and the usual
companions of war, a number of carrion-crows, hawks, and ravens.
'And this, then, was thy last field,' said Waverley to himself, his eye
filling at the recollection of the many splendid points of Fergus's
character, and of their former intimacy, all his passions and
imperfections forgotten--'here fell the last Vich Ian Vohr, on a nameless
heath; and in an obscure night-skirmish was quenched that ardent spirit,
who thought it little to cut a way for his master to the British throne!
Ambition, policy, bravery, all far beyond their sphere, here learned the
fate of mortals. The sole support, too, of a sister whose spirit, as
proud and unbending, was even more exalted than thine own; here ended all
thy hopes for Flora, and the long and valued line which it was thy boast
to raise yet more highly by thy adventurous valour!'
As these ideas pressed on Waverley's mind, he resolved to go upon the
open heath and search if, among the slain, he could discover the body of
his friend, with the pious intention of procuring for him the last rites
of sepulture.
Pages:
749
750
751
752
753
754
755
756
757
758
759
760
761
762
763
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772
773