recognisehishandparticularlyinthemodeofyourrescuefromthatcantingrascalGilfillan，andIhavelittledoubtthatDonaldhimselfplayedthepartofthepedlaronthatoccasion；buthowheshouldnothaveplunderedyou，orputyoutoransom，oravailedhimselfinsomewayorotherofyourcaptivityforhisownadvantage，passesmyjudgment。’’
Whenandhowdidyouheartheintelligenceofmyconfinement？’’
askedWaverley。
Theprincehimselftoldme，’’saidFergus，andinquiredveryminutelyintoyourhistory。Hethenmentionedyourbeingatthatmomentinthepowerofoneofournorthernparties-youknowIcouldnotaskhimtoexplainparticulars-
andrequestedmyopinionaboutdisposingofyou。Irecommendedthatyoushouldbebroughthereasaprisoner，becauseIdidnotwishtoprejudiceyoufartherwiththeEnglishGovernment，incaseyoupursuedyourpurposeofgoingsouthward。
Iknewnothing，youmustrecollect，ofthechargebroughtagainstyouofaidingandabettinghightreason，which，Ipresume，hadsomeshareinchangingyouroriginalplan。
Thatsullen，good-for-nothingbrute，Balmawhapple，wassenttoescortyoufromDoune，withwhathecallshistroopofhorse。
Astohisbehaviour，inadditiontohisnaturalantipathytoeverythingthatresemblesagentleman，IpresumehisadventurewithBradwardineranklesinhisrecollection，theratherthatI
daresayhismodeoftellingthatstorycontributedtotheevilreportswhichreachedyourquondamregiment。’’
Verylikely，’’saidWaverley；butnowsurely，mydearFergus，youmayfindtimetotellmesomethingofFlora。’’
Why，’’repliedFergus，Icanonlytellyouthatsheiswell，andresidingforthepresentwitharelationinthiscity。
Ithoughtitbettersheshouldcomehere，assinceoursuccessagoodmanyladiesofrankattendourmilitarycourt；andI
assureyou，thatthereisasortofconsequenceannexedtothenearrelativeofsuchapersonasFloraMac-Ivor；andwherethereissuchajustlingofclaimsandrequests，amanmustuseeveryfairmeanstoenhancehisimportance。’’
TherewassomethinginthislastsentencewhichgratedonWaverley’sfeelings。HecouldnotbearthatFlorashouldbeconsideredasconductingtoherbrother’spreferment，bytheadmirationwhichshemustunquestionablyattract；andalthoughitwasinstrictcorrespondencewithmanypointsofFergus’scharacter，itshockedhimasselfish，andunworthyofhissister’shighmind，andhisownindependentpride。Fergus，towhomsuchmanuvreswerefamiliar，astoonebroughtupattheFrenchcourt，didnotobservetheunfavourableimpressionwhichhehadunwarilymadeuponhisfriend’smind，andconcludedbysaying，thattheycouldhardlyseeFlorabeforetheevening，whenshewouldbeattheconcertandball，withwhichthePrince’spartyweretobeentertained。SheandIhadaquarrelabouthernotappearingtotakeleaveofyou。Iamunwillingtorenewit，bysolicitinghertoreceiveyouthismorning；andperhapsmydoingsomightnotonlybeineffectual，butpreventyourmeetingthisevening。’’
Whilethusconversing，Waverleyheardinthecourt，beforethewindowsoftheparlour，awell-knownvoice。Iavertoyou，myworthyfriend，’’saidthespeaker，thatitisatotalderelictionofmilitarydiscipline；andwereyounotasitwerea_tyro，_yourpurposewoulddeservestrongreprobation。Foraprisonerofwarisonnoaccounttobecoercedwithfetters，ordetained_inergastulo，_aswouldhavebeenthecasehadyouputthisgentlemanintothepitofthepeel-houseatBalmawhapple。
Igrant，indeed，thatsuchaprisonermayforsecuritybecoerced_incarcere，_thatis，inapublicprison。’’
ThegrowlingvoiceofBalmawhapplewasheardastakingleaveindispleasure，butthewordland-louper，’’alonewasdistinctlyaudible。HehaddisappearedbeforeWaverleyreachedthehouse，inordertogreettheworthyBaronofBradwardine。
Theuniforminwhichhewasnowattired，abluecoat，namely，withgoldlace，ascarletwaistcoatandbreeches，andimmensejack-boots，seemedtohaveaddedfreshstiffnessandrigiditytohistall，perpendicularfigure；andtheconsciousnessofmilitarycommandandauthorityhadincreasedinthesameproportion，theself-importanceofhisdemeanour，andthedogmatismofhisconversation。
HereceivedWaverleywithhisusualkindness，andexpressedimmediateanxietytohearanexplanationofthecircumstancesattendingthelossofhiscommissioninGardiner’sdragoonsnot，’’hesaid，thathehadtheleastapprehensionofhisyoungfriendhavingdoneaughtwhichcouldmeritsuchungeneroustreatmentashehadreceivedfromGovernment，butbecauseitwasrightandseemlythattheBaronofBradwardineshouldbe，inpointoftrustandinpointofpower，fullyabletorefuteallcalumniesagainsttheheirofWaverley-Honour，whomhehadsomuchrighttoregardashisownson。’’
FergusMac-Ivor，whohadnowjoinedthem，wenthastilyoverthecircumstancesofWaverley’sstory，andconcludedwiththeflatteringreceptionhehadmetfromtheyoungChevalier。
TheBaronlistenedinsilence，andattheconclusionshookWaverleyheartilybythehand，andcongratulatedhimuponenteringtheserviceofhislawfulPrince。For，’’continuedhe，althoughithasbeenjustlyheldinallnationsamatterofscandalanddishonourtoinfringethe_sacramentummilitare，_
andthatwhetheritwastakenbyeachsoldiersingly，whilktheRomansdenominated_perconjurationem，_orbyonesoldierinnameoftherest，yetnooneeverdoubtedthattheallegiancesoswornwasdischargedbythe_dimissio，_ordischargingofasoldier，whosecasewouldbeashardasthatofcolliers，salters，andother_adscriptigleb，_orslavesofthesoil，wereittobeaccountedotherwise。ThisissomethinglikethebrocardexpressedbythelearnedSanchezinhiswork_DeJure-jurando，_
whichyouhavequestionlessconsulteduponthisoccasion。Asforthosewhohavecalumniatedyoubyleasing-making，I
protesttoheavenIthinktheyhavejustlyincurredthepenaltyofthe_Memnonialex，_alsocalled_LexRhemnia，_whichisprelecteduponbyTulliusinhisoration_InVerrem。_Ishouldhavedeemed，however，Mr。Waverley，thatbeforedestiningyourselftoanyspecialserviceinthearmyofthePrince，yemighthaveinquiredwhatranktheoldBradwardineheldthere，andwhetherhewouldnothavebeenpeculiarlyhappytohavehadyourservicesintheregimentofhorsewhichheisnowabouttolevy。’’
EdwardeludedthisreproachbypleadingthenecessityofgivinganimmediateanswertothePrince’sproposal，andhisuncertaintyatthemomentwhetherhisfriendtheBaronwaswiththearmy，orengageduponserviceelsewhere。
Thispunctiliobeingsettled，WaverleymadeenquiryafterMissBradwardine，andwasinformedshehadcometoEdinburghwithFloraMac-Ivor，underguardofapartyoftheChieftain’smen。Thisstepwasindeednecessary，Tully-Veolanhavingbecomeaveryunpleasant，andevendangerousplaceofresidenceforanunprotectedyounglady，onaccountofitsvicinitytotheHighlands，andalsotooneortwolargevillages，which，fromaversionasmuchtotheCateransaszealforpresbytery，haddeclaredthemselvesonthesideofGovernment，andformedirregularbodiesofpartisans，whohadfrequentskirmisheswiththemountaineers，andsometimesattackedthehousesoftheJacobitegentryinthebraes，orfrontierbetwixtthemountainandplain。
Iwouldproposetoyou，’’continuedtheBaron，towalkasfarasmyquartersintheLuckenbooths，andtoadmireinyourpassagetheHighStreet，whilkis，beyondashadowofdubitation，finerthananystreet，whetherinLondonorParis。ButRose，poorthing，issorelydiscomposedwiththefiringoftheCastle，thoughIhaveprovedtoherfromBlondelandCoehorn，thatitisimpossibleabulletcanreachthesebuildings；and，besides，I
haveitinchargefromhisRoyalHighnesstogotothecamp，orleaguerofourarmy，toseethatthemendo_conclamarevasa，_
thatis，trussuptheirbagandbaggageforto-morrow’smarch。’’
Thatwillbeeasilydonebymostofus，’’saidMac-Ivor，laughing。
Cravingyourpardon，ColonelMac-Ivor，notquitesoeasilyasyeseemtoopine。IgrantmostofyourfolklefttheHighlands，expeditedasitwere，andfreefromtheencumbranceofbaggage；butitisunspeakablethequantityofuselesssprecherywhichtheyhavecollectedontheirmarch。Isawonefellowofyourscravingyourpardononcemorewithapier-glassuponhisback。’’
Ay，’’saidFergus，stillingoodhumour，hewouldhavetoldyou，ifyouhadquestionedhim，_agangingfootisayegetting。_-Butcome，mydearBaron，youknowaswellasI，thatahundredUhlans，orasingletroopofSchmirschitz’sPandours，wouldmakemorehavocinacountrythantheknightofthemirrorandalltherestofourclansputtogether。’’
Andthatisverytruelikewise，’’repliedtheBaron；theyare，astheheathenauthorsays，_ferocioresinaspectu，mitiores，inactu，_ofahorridandgrimvisage，butmorebenignindemeanourthantheirphysiognomyoraspectmightinfer-
ButIstandheretalkingtoyoutwoyoungsters，whenIshouldbeintheKing’sPark。’’
ButyouwilldinewithWaverleyandmeonyourreturn？
Iassureyou，Baron，thoughIcanlivelikeaHighlanderwhenneedsmust，IremembermyPariseducation，andunderstandperfectly_fairelameilleurechre。_’’
Andwhathedeildoubtsit，’’quoththeBaron，laughing，whenyebringonlythecookery，andthegudetounmustfurnishthematerials？-Weel，Ihavesomebusinessinthetountoo：butI’lljoinyouatthree，iftheviverscantarrysolong。’’
Sosaying，hetookleaveofhisfriends，andwenttolookafterthechargewhichhadbeenassignedhim。
JamesoftheNeedlewasamanofhisword，whenwhiskywasnopartytothecontract；anduponthisoccasionCallumBeg，whostillthoughthimselfinWaverley’sdebt，sincehehaddeclinedacceptingcompensationattheexpenseofmineHostoftheCandlestick’sperson，tooktheopportunityofdischargingtheobligation，bymountingguardoverthehereditarytailorofSliochdnanIvor；and，asheexpressedhimself，targedhimtightly，’’tillthefinishingofthejob。Toridhimselfofthisrestraint，Shemus’sneedleflewthroughthetartanlikelightning；
andastheartistkeptchantingsomedreadfulskirmishofFinMacoul，heaccomplishedatleastthreestitchestothedeathofeveryhero。Thedresswas，therefore，soonready，fortheshortcoatfittedthewearer，andtherestoftheapparelrequiredlittleadjustment。
OurherohavingnowfairlyassumedthegarbofOldGaul，’’
wellcalculatedasitwastogiveanappearanceofstrengthtoafigure，which，thoughtallandwell-made，wasratherelegantthanrobust，Ihopemyfairreaderswillexcusehimifhelookedathimselfinthemirrormorethanonce，andcouldnothelpacknowledgingthatthereflectionseemedthatofaveryhandsomeyoungfellow。Infact，therewasnodisguisingit。Hislight-brownhair-forheworenoperiwig，notwithstandingtheuniversalfashionofthetime-becamethebonnetwhichsurmountedit。Hispersonpromisedfirmnessandagility，towhichtheamplefoldsofthetartanaddedanairofdignity。
Hisblueeyesseemedofthatkind，Whichmeltedinlove，andwhichkindledinwar；
andanairofbashfulness，whichwasinrealitytheeffectofwantofhabitualintercoursewiththeworld，gaveinteresttohisfeatures，withoutinjuringtheirgraceorintelligence。
He’saprattyman-averyprattyman，’’saidEvanDhunowEnsignMaccombichtoFergus’sbuxomlandlady。
He’sveraweel，’’saidtheWidowFlockhart，butnonaethingsaeweel-fauredasyourColonel，ensign。’’
Iwasnacomparingthem，’’quothEvan，norwasIspeakingabouthisbeingweel-favoured；butonlythatMr。Waverleylookscleanmadeand_deliver，_andlikeaproperladofhisquarters，thatwillnotcrybarleyinabrulzie。And，indeed，he’sglegeneuchatthebroadswordandtarget。Ihaeplayedwi’himmysellatGlennaquoich，andsaehasVichIanVohr，oftenofaSundayafternoon。’’
Lordforgieye，EnsignMaccombich，’’saidthealarmedPresbyterian；I’msurethecolonelwadneverdothelikeo’
that！’’