themarvelofchildrenandofsomegrownpeopletoo，myselfforone，whocanneithercomprehendthemysteryhowithasgotin，orhowitistobetakenout。Thecavewasverynarrow，toolowintherooftoadmitofhisstanding，oralmostofhissittingup，thoughhemadesomeawkwardattemptsatthelatterposture。HissoleamusementwastheperusalofhisoldfriendTitusLivius，variedbyoccasionallyscratchingLatinproverbsandtextsofScripturewithhisknifeontheroofandwallsofhisfortalice，whichwereofsandstone。Asthecavewasdry，andfilledwithcleanstrawandwitheredfern。itmade，’’ashesaid，coilinghimselfupwithanairofsnugnessandcomfortwhichcontrastedstrangelywithhissituation，unlesswhenthewindwasduenorth，averypassablegteforanoldsoldier。’’Neither，asheobserved，washewithoutsentriesforthepurposeofreconnoitring。Davieandhismotherwereconstantlyonthewatch，todiscoverandavertdanger；anditwassingularwhatinstancesofaddressseemeddictatedbytheinstinctiveattachmentofthepoorsimpleton，whenhispatron’ssafetywasconcerned。
WithJanet，Edwardnowsoughtaninterview。HehadrecognisedheratfirstsightastheoldwomanwhohadnursedhimduringhissicknessafterhisdeliveryfromGiftedGilfillan。Thehut，also，thoughalittlerepaired，andsomewhatbetterfurnished，wascertainlytheplaceofhisconfinement；andhenowrecollectedonthecommonmoorofTully-Veolanthetrunkofalargedecayedtree，calledthe_trysting-tree，_whichhehadnodoubtwasthesameatwhichtheHighlandersrendezvousedonthatmemorablenight。Allthishehadcombinedinhisimaginationthenightbefore；butreasons，whichmayprobablyoccurtothereader，preventedhimfromcatechizingJanetinthepresenceoftheBaron。
Henowcommencedthetaskingoodearnest；andthefirstquestionwas，Whowastheyoungladythatvisitedthehutduringhisillness？Janetpausedforalittle；andthenobserved，thattokeepthesecretnow，wouldneitherdogoodnorilltoanybody，Itwasjustaleddythathasnaherequalintheworld-MissRoseBradwardine。’’
ThenMissRosewasprobablyalsotheauthorofmydeliverance，’’
inferredWaverley，delightedattheconfirmationofanideawhichlocalcircumstanceshadalreadyinducedhimtoentertain。
Iwotweel，Mr。Wauverley，andthatwasshee’en；butsair，sairangryandaffrontedwadshehaebeen，puirthing，ifshehadthoughtyehadbeenevertokenawordaboutthematter；forshegar’dmespeakayeGaelicwhenyewasinhearing，tomaketrowwewereintheHielands。Icanspeakitweileneugh，formymotherwasaHielandwoman。’’
AfewmorequestionsnowbroughtoutthewholemysteryrespectingWaverley’sdeliverancefromthebondageinwhichheleftCairnvreckan。Neverdidmusicsoundsweetertoanamateur，thanthedrowsytautology，withwhicholdJanetdetailedeverycircumstance，thrilledupontheearsofWaverley。
Butmyreaderisnotalover，andImustsparehispatience，byattemptingtocondensewithinreasonablecompassthenarrativewhicholdJanetspreadthroughaharangueofnearlytwohours。
WhenWaverleycommunicatedtoFergustheletterhehadreceivedfromRoseBradwardine，byDavieGellatley，givinganaccountofTully-Veolanbeingoccupiedbyasmallpartyofsoldiers，thatcircumstancehadstruckuponthebusyandactivemindoftheChieftain。Eagertodistressandnarrowthepostsoftheenemy，desiroustopreventtheirestablishingagarrisonsonearhim，andwillingalsotoobligetheBaron，-forheoftenhadtheideaofmarriagewithRosefloatingthroughhisbrain，-heresolvedtosendsomeofhispeopletodriveoutthered-coats，andtobringRosetoGlennaquoich。ButjustashehadorderedEvanwithasmallpartyonthisduty，thenewsofCope’shavingmarchedintotheHighlandstomeetanddispersetheforcesoftheChevaliereretheycametoahead，obligedhimtojointhestandardwithhiswholeforces。
HesenttoorderDonaldBeantoattendhim；butthatcautiousfreebooter，whowellunderstoodthevalueofaseparatecommand，insteadofjoining，sentvariousapologieswhichthepressureofthetimescompelledFergustoadmitascurrent，thoughnotwithouttheinternalresolutionofbeingrevengedonhimforhisprocrastination，timeandplaceconvenient。
However，ashecouldnotamendthematter，heissuedorderstoDonaldtodescendintotheLowCountry，drivethesoldiersfromTully-Veolan，and，payingallrespecttothemansionoftheBaron，totakehisabodesomewherenearit，forprotectionofhisdaughterandfamily，andtoharassanddriveawayanyofthearmedvolunteers，orsmallpartiesofmilitary，whichhemightfindmovingaboutthevicinity。
Asthischargeformedasortofrovingcommission，whichDonaldproposedtointerpretinthewaymostadvantageoustohimself，ashewasrelievedfromtheimmediateterrorsofFergus，andashehad，fromformersecretservices，someinterestinthecouncilsoftheChevalier，heresolvedtomakehaywhilethesunshone。Heachievedwithoutdifficulty，thetaskofdrivingthesoldiersfromTully-Veolan；butalthoughhedidnotventuretoencroachupontheinteriorofthefamily，ortodisturbMissRose，beingunwillingtomakehimselfapowerfulenemyintheChevalier’sarmy，ForwellheknewtheBaron’swrathwasdeadly；
yethesetabouttoraisecontributionsandexactionsuponthetenantry，andotherwisetoturnthewartohisownadvantage。
Meanwhilehemountedthewhitecockade，andwaiteduponRosewithapretextofgreatdevotionfortheserviceinwhichherfatherwasengaged，andmanyapologiesforthefreedomhemustnecessarilyuseforthesupportofhispeople。ItwasatthismomentthatRoselearned，byopen-mouthedfame，withallsortsofexaggeration，thatWaverleyhadkilledthesmithofCairnvreckan，inanattempttoarresthim；hadbeencastintoadungeonbyMajorMelvilleofCairnvreckan，andwastobeexecutedbymartiallawwithinthreedays。Intheagonywhichthesetidingsexcited，sheproposedtoDonaldBeantherescueoftheprisoner。Itwastheverysortofservicewhichhewasdesiroustoundertake，judgingitmightconstituteameritofsuchanatureaswouldmakeamendsforanypeccadilloeswhichhemightbeguiltyofinthecountry。Hehadtheart，however，pleadingallthewhiledutyanddiscipline，toholdoff，untilpoorRose，intheextremityofherdistress，offeredtobribehimtotheenterprisewithsomevaluablejewelswhichhadbeenhermother’s。
DonaldBean，whohadservedinFrance，knew，andperhapsover-estimatedthevalueofthesetrinkets。ButhealsoperceivedRose’sapprehensionsofitsbeingdiscoveredthatshehadpartedwithherjewelsforWaverley’sliberation。Resolvedthisscrupleshouldnotparthimandthetreasure，hevoluntarilyofferedtotakeanoaththathewouldnevermentionMissRose’sshareinthetransaction；andforeseeingconvenienceinkeepingtheoath，andnoprobableadvantageinbreakingit，hetooktheengagement-inorder，ashetoldhislieutenant，todealhandsomelybytheyounglady-intheonlyformandmodewhich，byamentalpactionwithhimself，heconsideredasbinding-hesworesecrecyuponhisdrawndirk。HewasthemoreespeciallymovedtothisactofgoodfaithbysomeattentionsthatMissBradwardineshowedtohisdaughterAlice，which，whiletheygainedtheheartofthemountaindamsel，highlygratifiedtheprideofherfather。Alice，whocouldnowspeakalittleEnglish，wasverycommunicativeinreturnforRose’skindness，readilyconfidedtoherthewholepapersrespectingtheintriguewithGardiner’sregiment，ofwhichshewasthedepositary，andasreadilyundertook，atherinstance，torestorethemtoWaverleywithoutherfather’sknowledge。Fortheymayobligethebonnieyoungladyandthehandsomeyounggentleman，’’saidAlice，andwhatusehasmyfatherforawheenbitso’scartedpaper？’’
ThereaderisawarethatshetookanopportunityofexecutingthispurposeontheeveofWaverley’sleavingtheglen。
HowDonaldexecutedhisenterprise，thereaderisaware。
ButtheexpulsionofthemilitaryfromTully-Veolanhadgivenalarm，and，whilehewaslyinginwaitforGilfillan，astrongparty，suchasDonalddidnotcaretoface，wassenttodrivebacktheinsurgentsintheirturn，toencampthere，andtoprotectthecountry。Theofficer，agentlemanandadisciplinarian，neitherintrudedhimselfonMissBradwardine，whoseunprotectedsituationherespected，norpermittedhissoldierstocommitanybreachofdiscipline。Heformedalittlecamp，uponaneminencenearthehouseofTully-Veolan，andplacedproperguardsatthepassesinthevicinity，ThisunwelcomenewsreachedDonaldBeanLeanashewasreturningtoTully-Veolan。
Determined，however，toobtaintheguerdonofhislabour，heresolved，sinceapproachtoTully-Veolanwasimpossible，todeposithisprisonerinJanet’scottage-aplacetheveryexistenceofwhichcouldhardlyhavebeensuspectedevenbythosewhohadlonglivedinthevicinity，unlesstheyhadbeenguidedthither，andwhichwasutterlyunknowntoWaverleyhimself。Thiseffected，heclaimedandreceivedhisreward。Waverley’sillnesswasaneventwhichderangedalltheircalculations。Donaldwasobligedtoleavetheneighbourhoodwithhispeople，andtoseekmorefreecourseforhisadventureselsewhere。AtRose’searnestentreaty，heleftanoldman，aherbalist，whowassupposedtounderstandalittleofmedicine，toattendWaverleyduringhisillness。
Inthemeanwhile，newandfearfuldoubtsstartedinRose’smind。TheyweresuggestedbyoldJanet，whoinsisted，thatarewardhavingbeenofferedfortheapprehensionofWaverley，andhisownpersonaleffectsbeingsovaluable，therewasnosayingtowhatbreachoffaithDonaldmightbetempted。Inanagonyofgriefandterror，RosetookthedaringresolutionofexplainingtothePrincehimselfthedangerinwhichMr。
Waverleystood，judgingthat，bothasapolitician，andamanofhonourandhumanity，CharlesEdwardwouldinteresthimselftopreventhisfallingintothehandsoftheoppositeparty。
Thislettersheatfirstthoughtofsendinganonymously，butnaturallyfeareditwouldnot，inthatcase，becredited。Shethereforesubscribedhername，thoughwithreluctanceandterror，andconsigneditinchargetoayoungman，who，atleavinghisfarmtojointheChevalier’sarmy，madeithispetitiontohertohavesomesortofcredentialstotheAdventurer，fromwhomhehopedtoobtainacommission。
TheletterreachedCharlesEdwardonhisdescenttotheLowlands，and，awareofthepoliticalimportanceofhavingitsupposedthathewasincorrespondencewiththeEnglishJacobites，hecausedthemostpositiveorderstobetransmittedtoDonaldBeanLean，totransmitWaverley，safeanduninjuredinpersonoreffects，tothegovernorofDouneCastle。Thefreebooterdurstnotdisobey，forthearmyofthePrincewasnowsonearhimthatpunishmentmighthavefollowed；besides，hewasapoliticianaswellasarobber，andwasunwillingtocanceltheinterestcreatedthroughformersecretservices，bybeingrefractoryonthisoccasion。Hethereforemadeavirtueofnecessity，andtransmittedorderstohislieutenanttoconveyEdwardtoDoune，whichwassafelyaccomplishedinthemodementionedinaformerchapter。ThegovernorofDounewasdirectedtosendhimtoEdinburghasaprisoner，becausethePrincewasapprehensivethatWaverley，ifsetatliberty，mighthaveresumedhispurposeofreturningtoEngland，withoutaffordinghimanopportunityofapersonalinterview。Inthis，indeedheactedbytheadviceoftheChieftainofGlennaquoich，withwhomitmayberememberedtheChevaliercommunicateduponthemodeofdisposingofEdward，thoughwithouttellinghimhowhecametolearntheplaceofhisconfinement。
This，indeed，CharlesEdwardconsideredasalady’ssecret；
foralthoughRose’sletterwascouchedinthemostcautiousandgeneralterms，andprofessedtobewrittenmerelyfrommotivesofhumanity，andzealforthePrince’sservice，yetsheexpressedsoanxiousawishthatsheshouldnotbeknowntohaveinterfered，thattheChevalierwasinducedtosuspectthedeepinterestwhichshetookinWaverley’ssafety，Thisconjecture，whichwaswellfounded，led，however，tofalseinferences。FortheemotionwhichEdwarddisplayedonapproachingFloraandRoseattheballofHolyrood，wasplacedbytheChevaliertotheaccountofthelatter；andheconcludedthattheBaron’sviewsaboutthesettlementofhisproperty，orsomesuchobstacle，thwartedtheirmutualinclinations。Commonfame，itistrue，frequentlygaveWaverleytoMissMac-Ivor；butthePrinceknewthatcommonfameisveryprodigalinsuchgifts；
and，watchingattentivelythebehaviouroftheladiestowardsWaverley，hehadnodoubtthattheyoungEnglishmanhadnointerestwithFlora，andwasbelovedbyRoseBradwardine。