With this
view he recommended to him to visit the Bailie, who still lived at the
factor's house, called Little Veolan, about a mile from the village,
though he was to remove at next term. Stanley's passport would be an
answer to the officer who commanded the military; and as to any of the
country people who might recognise Waverley, the Baron assured him he was
in no danger of being betrayed by them.
'I believe,' said the old man, 'half the people of the barony know that
their poor auld laird is somewhere hereabout; for I see they do not
suffer a single bairn to come here a bird-nesting; a practice whilk, when
I was in full possession of my power as baron, I was unable totally to
inhibit. Nay, I often find bits of things in my way, that the poor
bodies, God help them! leave there, because they think they may be useful
to me. I hope they will get a wiser master, and as kind a one as I was.'
A natural sigh closed the sentence; but the quiet equanimity with which
the Baron endured his misfortunes had something in it venerable and even
sublime. There was no fruitless repining, no turbid melancholy; he bore
his lot, and the hardships which it involved, with a good-humored, though
serious composure, and used no violent language against the prevailing
party.
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