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The Handy Volume "Waverly" ...: Woodstock
The Handy Volume Waverly Woodstock Author:Walter Scott Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: that it was impossible his father could see matters in another light than that in which they occurred to himself. CHAP. VII. ! ETERMINED at length to despa... more »tch his packet to the General without delay, Colonel Everard I approached the door of the apartment in which, as was evident from the heavy breathing within, the prisoner Wildrake enjoyed a deep slumber, under the influence of liquor at once and of fatigue. In turning the key, the bolt, which was rather rasty, made a resistance so noisy, as partly to attract the sleeper's attention, though not to awaken him. Everard stood by his bedside, as he heard him mutter, "Is it morning already, jailor? —Why, you dog, an you had but a cast of humanity in you, you would qualify your vile news with a cup of sack ;—hanging is sorry work, my masters—and sorrow's dry." " Up, Wildrake—up, thou ill-omened dreamer," said his friend, shaking him by the collar. " Hands off!" answered the sleeper.—" I can climb a ladder without help, I trow."—He then sat up in the bed, and opening his eyes, stared around him, and exclaimed, " Zounds ! Mark, is it only thou? I thought it was all over with me—fetters were struck from my legs—rope drawn round my gullet—irons knocked off my hands— all ready for a dance in the open element upon a slight footing." '' Truce with thy folly, Wildrake; sure the devil of drink, to whom thou hast, I think, sold thyself" "Fora hogshead of sack," interrupted Wildrake; "the bargain was made in a cellar in the Vintry." '' I am as mad as thou art, to trust anything to thee," said Mnrkham ; "I scarce believe thou hast thy senses yet." "What should ail me?" said Wildrake—"I trust I have not tasted liquor in my sleep, saving that I dreamed of drinking small-beer with Old Noll of his own brewing. But do not look s...« less