This punctilio being settled, Waverley made inquiry after Miss Bradwardine, and was informed she had come to Edinburgh with Flora Mac-Ivor, under guard of a party of the Chieftain’s men.  This step was indeed necessary, Tully-Veolan having become a very unpleasant, and even dangerous place of residence for an unprotected young lady, on account of its vicinity to the Highlands, and also to one or two large villages, which, from aversion as much to the Caterans as zeal for presbytery, had declared themselves on the side of Government, and formed irregular bodies of partisans, who had frequent skirmishes with the mountaineers, and sometimes attacked the houses of the Jacobite gentry in the braes, or frontier betwixt the mountain and plain.

‘I would propose to you,’ continued the Baron, ’to walk as far as my quarters in the Luckenbooths, and to admire in your passage the High Street, whilk is, beyond a shadow of dubitation, finer than any street, whether in London or Paris.  But Rose, poor thing, is sorely discomposed with the firing of the Castle, though I have proved to her from Blondel and Coehorn, that it is impossible a bullet can reach these buildings; and, besides, I have it in charge from His Royal Highness to go to the camp, or leaguer of our army, to see that the men do CONCLAMARE Vasa, that is, truss up their bag and baggage for to-morrow’s march.’

‘That will be easily done by most of us,’ said Mac-Ivor, laughing.

’Craving your pardon, Colonel Mac-Ivor, not quite so easily as ye seem to opine.  I grant most of your folk left the Highlands, expedited as it were, and free from the incumbrance of baggage; but it is unspeakable the quantity of useless sprechery which they have collected on their march, I saw one fellow of yours (craving your pardon once more) with a pier-glass upon his back.’

‘Aye,’ said Fergus, still in good humour, ’he would have told you, if you had questioned him, A ganging foot is aye getting.—­But come, my dear Baron, you know as well as I, that a hundred Uhlans, or a single troop of Schmirschitz’s Pandours, would make more havoc in a country than the knight of the mirror and all the rest of our clans put together.’

‘And that is very true likewise,’ replied the Baron; ’they are, as the heathen author says, FEROCIORES in ASPECTU, MITIORES in ACTU, of a horrid and grim visage, but more benign in demeanour than their physiognomy or aspect might infer.—­But I stand here talking to you two youngsters when I should be in the King’s Park.’

’But you will dine with Waverley and me on your return?  I assure you, Baron, though I can live like a Highlander when needs must, I remember my Paris education, and understand perfectly Faire la MEILLEURE Chere.’

‘And wha the deil doubts it,’ quoth the Baron, laughing, ’when ye bring only the cookery, and the gude toun must furnish the materials?—­’Weel, I have some business in the toun too:  But I’ll join you at three, if the vivers can tarry so long.’