Ay，thattheyca’dtheLadyFlora-weel，she’sawayuptoCarlisletohim，andliveswi’somegrandPapistladythereabouts，tobenearhim。’’
And，’’saidEdward，theotheryounglady？’’
Whilkother？IkenonlyofaesistertheColonelhad。’’
ImeanMissBradwardine，’’saidEdward。
Ouay，thelaird’sdaughter，’’saidhislandlady。She，wasaverybonnylassie，poorthing，butfarshyerthanLadyFlora。’’
Whereisshe，forGod’ssake？’’
Ou，whakenswhereonyo’themisnow？Puirthings，they’resairta’endounfortheirwhitecockadesandtheirwhiteroses；butshegaednorthtoherfather’sinPerthshire，whenthegovernmenttroopscambacktoEdinbro’。Therewassomeprettymenamangthem，andaneMajorWhackerwasquarteredonme，averyceevilgentleman，-butO，Mr。Waverley，hewasnaethingsaeweel-far’dasthepoorColonel。’’
DoyouknowwhatisbecomeofMissBradwardine’sfather？’’
Theauldlaird？-na，naebodykensthat；buttheysayhefoughtveryhardinthatbluidybattleatInverness；andDeaconClank，thewhite-ironsmith，says，thattheGovernmentfolkaresairaganehimforhavingbeen_out_twice；andtrothhemighthaeta’enwarning，-butthere’snaefulelikeanauldfule-thepoorColonelwasonlyoutance。’’
Suchconversationcontainedalmostallthegood-naturedwidowknewofthefateofherlatelodgersandacquaintances；
butitwasenoughtodetermineEdwardatallhazardstoproceedinstantlytoTully-Veolan，whereheconcludedheshouldsee，oratleasthear，somethingofRose。HethereforeleftaletterforColonelTalbotattheplaceagreedupon，signedbyhisassumedname，andgivingforhisaddressthepost-townnexttotheBaron’sresidence。
FromEdinburghtoPerthhetookpost-horses，resolvingtomaketherestofhisjourneyonfoot-amodeoftravellingtowhichhewaspartial，andwhichhadtheadvantageofpermittingadeviationfromtheroadwhenhesawpartiesofmilitaryatadistance。Hiscampaignhadconsiderablystrengthenedhisconstitution，andimprovedhishabitsofenduringfatigue。Hisbaggagehesentbeforehimasopportunityoccurred。
Asheadvancednorthward，thetracesofwarbecamevisible。
Brokencarriages，deadhorses，unroofedcottages，treesfelledforpalisades，andbridgesdestroyed，oronlypartiallyrepaired，-
allindicatedthemovementsofhostilearmies。InthoseplaceswherethegentrywereattachedtotheStuartcause，theirhousesseemeddismantledordeserted，theusualcourseofwhatmaybecalledornamentallabourwastotallyinterrupted，andtheinhabitantswereseenglidingabout，withfear，sorrow，anddejectionontheirfaces。
ItwaseveningwhenheapproachedthevillageofTully-Veolan，withfeelingsandsentiments-howdifferentfromthosewhichattendedhisfirstentrance！Then，lifewassonewtohim，thatadullordisagreeabledaywasoneofthegreatestmisfortuneswhichhisimaginationanticipated，anditseemedtohimthathistimeoughtonlytobeconsecratedtoelegantoramusingstudy，andrelievedbysocialoryouthfulfrolic。Now，howchanged！howsaddened，yethowelevatedwashischaracter，withinthecourseofaveryfewmonths！Dangerandmisfortunearerapid，thoughsevereteachers。Asadderandawiserman，’’hefelt，ininternalconfidenceandmentaldignity，acompensationforthegaydreamswhich，inhiscase，experiencehadsorapidlydissolved。
Asheapproachedthevillage，hesaw，withsurpriseandanxiety，thatapartyofsoldierswerequarterednearit，and，whatwasworse，thattheyseemedstationarythere。ThisheconjecturedfromafewtentswhichhebeheldglimmeringuponwhatwascalledtheCommonMoor。Toavoidtheriskofbeingstoppedandquestionedinaplacewherehewassolikelytoberecognised，hemadealargecircuit，altogetheravoidingthehamlet，andapproachingtheuppergateoftheavenuebyaby-pathwellknowntohim。Asingleglanceannouncedthatgreatchangeshadtakenplace。Onehalfofthegate，entirelydestroyedandsplitupforfirewood，layinpiles，readytobetakenaway；theotherswunguselesslyaboutuponitsloosenedhinges。Thebattlementsabovethegatewerebrokenandthrowndown，andthecarvedBears，whichweresaidtohavedonesentinel’sdutyuponthetopforcenturies，now，hurledfromtheirposts，layamongtherubbish。Theavenuewascruellywasted。Severallargetreeswerefelledandleftlyingacrossthepath；andthecattleofthevillagers，andthemorerudehoofsofdragoonhorses，hadpoachedintoblackmudtheverdantturfwhichWaverleyhadsomuchadmired。
Uponenteringthecourt-yard，Edwardsawthefearsrealisedwhichthesecircumstanceshadexcited。TheplacehadbeensackedbytheKing’stroops，who，inwantonmischief，hadevenattemptedtoburnit；andthoughthethicknessofthewallshadresistedthefire，unlesstoapartialextent，thestablesandout-housesweretotallyconsumed。Thetowersandpinnaclesofthemainbuildingwerescorchedandblackened；thepavementofthecourtbrokenandshattered；thedoorstorndownentirely，orhangingbyasinglehinge；thewindowsdashedinanddemolished；andthecourtstrewedwitharticlesoffurniturebrokenintofragments。Theaccessariesofancientdistinction，towhichtheBaron，intheprideofhisheart，hadattachedsomuchimportanceandveneration，weretreatedwithpeculiarcontumely。
Thefountainwasdemolished，andthe，spring，whichhadsupplieditnowfloodedthecourtyard。Thestonebasinseemedtobedestinedforadrinking-troughforcattle，fromthemannerinwhichitwasarrangedupontheground。ThewholetribeofBears，largeandsmall，hadexperiencedaslittlefavourasthoseattheheadoftheavenue；andoneortwoofthefamilypictures，whichseemedtohaveservedastargetsforthesoldiers，layonthegroundintatters。Withanachingheart，asmaywellbeimagined，Edwardviewedthiswreckofamansionsorespected。Buthisanxietytolearnthefateoftheproprietors，andhisfearsastowhatthatfatemightbe，increasedwitheverystep。Whenheenteredupontheterracenewscenesofdesolationwerevisible。Thebalustradewasbrokendown，thewallsdestroyed，thebordersovergrownwithweeds，andthefruit-treescutdownorgrubbedup。Inonecompartmentofthisold-fashionedgardenweretwoimmensehorse-chestnuttrees，ofwhosesizetheBaronwasparticularlyvain：toolazy，perhaps，tocutthemdown，thespoilers，withmalevolentingenuity，hadminedthem，andplacedaquantityofgunpowderinthecavity。
Onehadbeenshiveredtopiecesbytheexplosion，andthefragmentslayscatteredaround，encumberingthegroundithadsolongshadowed。Theotherminehadbeenmorepartialinitseffect。Aboutonefourthofthetrunkofthetreewastornfromthemass，which，mutilatedanddefacedontheoneside，stillspreadontheotheritsampleandundiminishedboughs。
Apairofchestnuttrees，destroyed，theoneentirely，andtheotherinpart，bysuchamischievousandwantonactofrevenge，grewatInvergarryCastle，thefastnessofMacdonaldofGlengarry。
Amidthesegeneralmarksofravage，thereweresomewhichmoreparticularlyaddressedthefeelingsofWaverley。Viewingthefrontofthebuilding，thuswastedanddefaced，hiseyesnaturallysoughtthelittlebalconywhichmoreproperlybelongedtoRose’sapartment-her_troisime，_orrather_cinquimetage。_
Itwaseasilydiscovered，forbeneathitlaythestage-flowersandshrubswithwhichitwasherpridetodecorateit，andwhichhadbeenhurledfromthebartizan：severalofherbooksweremingledwithbrokenflower-potsandotherremnants。Amongthese，Waverleydistinguishedoneofhisown，asmallcopyofAriosto，andgathereditasatreasure，thoughwastedbythewindandrain。
Whileplungedinthesadreflectionswhichthesceneexcited，hewaslookingaroundforsomeonewhomightexplainthefateoftheinhabitants，heheardavoicefromtheinteriorofthebuildingsinging，inwell-rememberedaccents，anoldScottishsong：
Theycameuponusinthenight，Andbrakemybowerandslewmyknight：
Myservantsa’forlifedidflee，Andleftusinextremitie。
Theyslewmyknight，tomesaedear；
Theyslewmyknight，anddravehisgear；
Thefirstthreecoupletsarefromanoldballad，calledtheBorderWidow’sLament。
Themoonmayset，thesunmayrise，Butadeadlysleephasclosedhiseyes。
Alas！’’thoughtEdward，isitthou？Poorhelplessbeing，artthoualoneleft，togibberandmoan，andfillwiththywildandunconnectedscrapsofminstrelsythehallsthatprotectedthee？’’-Hethencalled，firstlow，andthenlouder，Davie-
DavieGellatley！’’
Thepoorsimpletonshowedhimselffromamongtheruinsofasortofgreen-house，thatonceterminatedwhatwascalledtheTerrace-walk，butatfirstsightofastrangerretreatedasifinterror。Waverley，rememberinghishabits，begantowhistleatunetowhichhewaspartial，whichDaviehadexpressedgreatpleasureinlisteningto，andhadpickedupfromhimbytheear。
Ourhero’sminstrelsynomoreequalledthatofBlondel，thanpoorDavieresembledCeurdeLion；butthemelodyhadthesameeffectofproducingrecognition。Davieagainstolefromhislurking-place，buttimidly，whileWaverley，afraidoffrighteninghim，stoodmakingthemostencouragingsignalshecoulddevise-It’shisghaist，’’mutteredDavie；yet，comingnearer，heseemedtoacknowledgehislivingacquaintance。Thepoorfoolhimselfappearedtheghostofwhathehadbeen。
Thepeculiardressinwhichhehadbeenattiredinbetterdays，showedonlymiserableragsofitswhimsicalfinery，thelackofwhichwasoddlysuppliedbytheremnantsoftapestriedhangings，window-curtains，andshredsofpictures，withwhichhehadbedizenedhistatters。Hisface，too，hadlostitsvacantandcarelessair，andthepoorcreaturelookedhollow-eyed，meagre，half-starved，andnervoustoapitiabledegree-Afterlonghesitation，heatlengthapproachedWaverleywithsomeconfidence，staredhimsadlyintheface，andsaid，A’deadandgane-a’deadandgane！’’
Whoaredead？’’saidWaverley，forgettingtheincapacityofDavietoholdanyconnecteddiscourse。
Baron-andBailie-andSaundersSaunderson-andLadyRose，thatsangsaesweet-A’deadandgane-deadandgane！
Butfollow，followme，Whileglow-wormslightthelea；
I’llshowyouwherethedeadshouldbe-
Eachinhisshroud，Whilewindspipeloud，Andtheredmoonpeepsdimthroughthecloud。
Follow，followme；
BraveshouldhebeThattreadsbynightthedeadman’slea。’’
Withthesewords，chantedinawildandearnesttone，hemadeasigntoWaverleytofollowhim，andwalkedrapidlytowardsthebottomofthegarden，tracingthebankofthestream，which，itmayberemembered，wasitseasternboundary。Edward，overwhomaninvoluntaryshudderingstoleattheimportofhiswords，followedhiminsomehopeofanexplanation。Asthehousewasevidentlydeserted，hecouldnotexpecttofindamongtheruinsanymorerationalinformer。
Davie，walkingveryfast，soonreachedtheextremityofthegarden，andscrambledovertheruinsofthewallthatoncehaddivideditfromthewoodedgleninwhichtheoldTowerofTully-Veolanwassituated。Hethenjumpeddownintothebedofthestream，and，followedbyWaverley，proceededatagreatpace，climbingoversomefragmentsofrock，andturningwithdifficultyroundothers。Theypassedbeneaththeruinsofthecastle；Waverleyfollowed，keepingupwithhisguidewithdifficulty，forthetwilightbegantofall。Followingthedescentofthestreamalittlelower，hetotallylosthim，butatwinklinglight，whichhenowdiscoveredamongthetangledcopse-woodandbushes，seemedasurerguide。Hesoonpursuedaveryuncouthpath；andbyitsguidanceatlengthreachedthedoorofawretchedhut。Afiercebarkingofdogswasatfirstheard，butitstilledathisapproach。Avoicesoundedfromwithin，andhehelditmostprudenttolistenbeforeheadvanced。
Whahastthoubroughthere，thouunsonsyvillainthou？’’
saidanoldwoman，apparentlyingreatindignation。HeheardDavieGellatley，inanswer，whistleapartofthetunebywhichhehadrecalledhimselftothesimpleton’smemory，andhadnownohesitationtoknockatthedoor。Therewasadeadsilenceinstantlywithin，exceptthedeepgrowlingofthedogs；
andhenextheardthemistressofthehutapproachthedoor，notprobablyforthesakeofundoingalatch，butoffasteningabolt。TopreventthisWaverleyliftedthelatchhimself。
Infrontwasanoldwretched-lookingwoman，exclaiming，Whacomesintofolk’shousesinthisgate，atthistimeo’
thenight？’’Ononeside，twogrimandhalf-starveddeergrey-houndslaidasidetheirferocityathisappearance，andseemedtorecognisehim。Ontheotherside，halfconcealedbytheopendoor，yetapparentlyseekingthatconcealmentreluctantly，withacockedpistolinhisrighthand，andhisleftintheactofdrawinanotherfromhisbelt，stoodatallbonygauntfigureintheremnantsofafadeduniform，andabeardofthreeweeks’
growth。
ItwastheBaronofBradwardine。Itisunnecessarytoadd，thathethrewasidehisweapon，andgreetedWaverleywithaheartyembrace。