CHAPTER XIX.
Why, then, say an old man can do somewhat.
Henry IV.

Part II.
We must now return to the tower of Tillietudlem, which the march of the Life-Guards, on the morning of this eventful day, had left to silence and anxiety.

The assurances of Lord Evandale had not succeeded in quelling the apprehensions of Edith.

She knew him generous, and faithful to his word; but it seemed too plain that he suspected the object of her intercession to be a successful rival; and was it not expecting from him an effort above human nature, to suppose that he was to watch over Morton's safety, and rescue him from all the dangers to which his state of imprisonment, and the suspicions which he had incurred, must repeatedly expose him?
She therefore resigned herself to the most heart-rending apprehensions, without admitting, and indeed almost without listening to, the multifarious grounds of consolation which Jenny Dennison brought forward, one after another, like a skilful general who charges with the several divisions of his troops in regular succession.
First, Jenny was morally positive that young Milnwood would come to no harm--then, if he did, there was consolation in the reflection, that Lord Evandale was the better and more appropriate match of the two--then, there was every chance of a battle, in which the said Lord Evandale might be killed, and there wad be nae mair fash about that job--then, if the whigs gat the better, Milnwood and Cuddie might come to the Castle, and carry off the beloved of their hearts by the strong hand.
"For I forgot to tell ye, madam," continued the damsel, putting her handkerchief to her eyes, "that puir Cuddie's in the hands of the Philistines as weel as young Milnwood, and he was brought here a prisoner this morning, and I was fain to speak Tam Halliday fair, and fleech him to let me near the puir creature; but Cuddie wasna sae thankfu' as he needed till hae been neither," she added, and at the same time changed her tone, and briskly withdrew the handkerchief from her face; "so I will ne'er waste my een wi' greeting about the matter.

There wad be aye enow o' young men left, if they were to hang the tae half o' them." The other inhabitants of the Castle were also in a state of dissatisfaction and anxiety.