WhenWaverleyreturnedtoPreston，andrejoinedColonelTalbot，hefoundhimrecoveredfromthestrongandobviousemotionswithwhichaconcurrenceofunpleasingeventshadaffectedhim。Hehadregainedhisnaturalmanner，whichwasthatofanEnglishgentlemanandsoldier，manly，open，andgenerous，butnotunsusceptibleofprejudiceagainstthoseofadifferentcountry，orwhoopposedhiminpoliticaltenets。
WhenWaverleyacquaintedColonelTalbotwiththeChevalier’spurposetocommithimtohischarge，Ididnotthinktohaveowedsomuchobligationtothatyounggentleman，’’hesaid，asisimpliedinthisdestination。IcanatleastcheerfullyjoinintheprayerofthehonestPresbyterianclergyman，that，ashehascomeamongusseekinganearthlycrown，hislaboursmaybespeedilyrewardedwithaheavenlyone。IshallTheclergyman’snamewasMac-Vicar。ProtectedbythecannonoftheCastle，hepreachedeverySundayintheWestKirk，whiletheHighlanderswereinpossessionofEdinburgh；anditwasinpresenceofsomeoftheJacobitesthatheprayedforPrinceCharlesEdwardinthetermsquotedinthetext。
willinglygivemyparolenottoattemptanescapewithoutyourknowledge，since，infact，itwastomeetyouthatIcametoScotland；andIamgladithashappenedevenunderthispredicament。ButIsupposeweshallbebutashorttimetogether。
YourChevalierthatisanamewemaybothgivetohim，withhisplaidsandblue-caps，will，Ipresume，becontinuinghiscrusadesouthward？’’
NotasIhear；IbelievethearmymakessomestayinEdinburgh，tocollectreinforcements。’’
AndtobesiegetheCastle？’’saidTalbot，smilingsarcastically。
Well，unlessmyoldcommander，GeneralPreston，turnfalsemetal，ortheCastlesinkintotheNorthLoch，eventswhichIdeemequallyprobable，Ithinkweshallhavesometimetomakeupouracquaintance。IhaveaguessthatthisgallantChevalierhasadesignthatIshouldbeyourproselyte；
and，asIwishyoutobemine，therecannotbeamorefairproposalthantoaffordusfairconferencetogether。ButasI
spoketo-dayundertheinfluenceoffeelingsIrarelygivewayto，Ihopeyouwillexcusemyenteringagainuponcontroversytillwearesomewhatbetteracquainted。’’
ItisnotnecessarytorecordinthesepagesthetriumphantentranceoftheChevalierintoEdinburghafterthedecisiveaffairofPreston。Onecircumstance，however，maybenoticed，becauseitillustratesthehighspiritofFloraMac-Ivor。TheHighlanders，bywhomthePrincewassurrounded，inthelicenseandextravaganceofthisjoyfulmoment，firedtheirpiecesrepeatedly，andoneofthesehavingbeenaccidentallyloadedwithball，thebulletgrazedtheyounglady’stempleasshewavedherhandkerchieffromabalcony。Fergus，whobeheldNoteY。MissNairne。
theaccident，wasathersideinaninstant；and，onseeingthatthewoundwastrifling，hedrewhisbroadsword，withthepurposeofrushingdownuponthemanbywhosecarelessnessshehadincurredsomuchdanger，when，holdinghimbytheplaid，Donotharmthepoorfellow，’’shecried；forHeaven’ssakedonotharmhim！butthankGodwithmethattheaccidenthappenedtoFloraMac-Ivor；forhaditbefallenaWhigtheywouldhavepretendedthattheshotwasfiredonpurpose。’’
Waverleyescapedthealarmwhichthisaccidentwouldhaveoccasionedtohim，ashewasunavoidablydelayedbythenecessityofaccompanyingColonelTalbottoEdinburgh。
Theyperformedthejourneytogetheronhorseback，andforsometime，asiftosoundeachother’sfeelingsandsentiments，theyconversedupongeneralandordinarytopics。
WhenWaverleyagainentereduponthesubjectwhichhehadmostatheart，thesituation，namely，ofhisfatherandhisuncle，ColonelTalbotseemednowratherdesiroustoalleviatethantoaggravatehisanxiety。ThisappearedparticularlytobethecasewhenheheardWaverley’shistory，whichhedidnotscrupletoconfidetohim。
Andso，’’saidtheColonel，therehasbeennomaliceprepense，aslawyers，Ithink，termit，inthisrashstepofyours；
andyouhavebeentrepannedintotheserviceofthisItalianknight-errantbyafewcivilspeechesfromhim，andoneortwoofhisHighlandrecruitingsergeants？Itissadlyfoolish，tobesure，butnotnearlysobadasIwasledtoexpect。However，youcannotdesert，evenfromthePretender，atthepresentmoment，-thatseemsimpossible。ButIhavelittledoubtthat，inthedissensionsincidenttothisheterogeneousmassofwildanddesperatemen，someopportunitymayarise，byavailingyourselfofwhich，youmayextricateyourselfhonourablyfromyourrashengagementbeforethebubbleburst。Ifthiscanbemanaged，IwouldhaveyougotoaplaceofsafetyinFlanders，whichIshallpointout。AndIthinkIcansecureyourpardonfromGovernmentafterafewmonths’residenceabroad。’’
Icannotpermityou，ColonelTalbot，’’answeredWaverley，tospeakofanyplanwhichturnsonmydesertinganenterpriseinwhichImayhaveengagedhastily，butcertainlyvoluntarily，andwiththepurposeofabidingtheissue。’’
Well，’’saidColonelTalbot，smiling，leavememythoughtsandhopesatleastatliberty，ifnotmyspeech。Buthaveyouneverexaminedyourmysteriouspacket？’’
Itisinmybaggage，’’repliedEdward；weshallfinditinEdinburgh。’’
InEdinburghtheysoonarrived。Waverley’squartershadbeenassignedtohim，bythePrince’sexpressorders，inahandsomelodging，wheretherewasaccommodationforColonelTalbot。Hisfirstbusinesswastoexaminehisportmanteau，and，afteraveryshortsearch，outtumbledtheexpectedpacket。
Waverleyopenediteagerly。Underablankcover，simplyaddressedtoE。Waverley，Esq。，hefoundanumberofopenletters。TheuppermostweretwofromColonelGardiner，addressedtohimself。Theearliestindatewasakindandgentleremonstranceforneglectofthewriter’sadvicerespectingthedisposalofhistimeduringhisleaveofabsence，-therenewalofwhich，heremindedCaptainWaverley，wouldspeedilyexpire。
Indeed，’’theletterproceeded，haditbeenotherwise，thenewsfromabroad，andmyinstructionsfromtheWar-office，musthavecompelledmetorecallit，asthereisgreatdanger，sincethedisasterinFlanders，bothofforeigninvasionandinsurrectionamongthedisaffectedathome。Ithereforeentreatyouwillrepair，assoonaspossible，tothehead-quartersoftheregiment；andIamconcernedtoadd，thatthisisstillthemorenecessary，asthereissomediscontentinyourtroop，andIpostponeinquiryintoparticularsuntilIcanhavetheadvantageofyourassistance。’’
Thesecondletter，datedeightdayslater，wasinsuchastyleasmighthavebeenexpectedfromtheColonel’sreceivingnoanswertothefirst。ItremindedWaverleyofhisdutyasamanofhonour，anofficer，andaBriton；tooknoticeoftheincreasingdissatisfactionofhismen，andthatsomeofthemhadbeenheardtohintthattheircaptainencouragedandapprovedoftheirmutinousbehaviour；and，finallythewriterexpressedtheutmostregretandsurprisethathehadnotobeyedhiscommandsbyrepairingtohead-quarters，remindedhimthathisleaveofabsencehadbeenrecalled，andconjuredhim，inastyleinwhichpaternalremonstrancewasmingledwithmilitaryauthority，toredeemhiserrorbyimmediatelyjoininghisregiment。
ThatImaybecertain，’’concludedtheletter，thatthisactuallyreachesyou，IdespatchitbyCorporalTims，ofyourtroop，withorderstodeliveritintoyourownhand。’’
Uponreadingtheseletters，Waverley，withgreatbitternessoffeeling，wascompelledtomakethe_amendehonorable_tothememoryofthebraveandexcellentwriter；forsurely，asColonelGardinermusthavehadeveryreasontoconcludetheyhadcomesafelytohand，lesscouldnotfollow，ontheirbeingneglected，thanthatthirdandfinalsummons，whichWaverleyactuallyreceivedatGlennaquoich，thoughtoolatetoobeyit。
Andhisbeingsuperseded，inconsequenceofhisapparentneglectofthislastcommand，wassofarfrombeingaharshorsevereproceeding，thatitwasplainlyinevitable。ThenextletterheunfoldedwasfromtheMajoroftheregiment，acquaintinghimthatareport，tothedisadvantageofhisreputation，waspublicinthecountry，stating，thatoneMr。FalconerofBallihopple，orsomesuchname，hadproposed，inhispresence，atreasonabletoast，whichhepermittedtopassinsilence，althoughitwassogrossanaffronttotheroyalfamily，thatagentlemanincompany，notremarkableforhiszealforgovernment，hadneverthelesstakenthematterup；andthat，supposingtheaccounttrue，CaptainWaverleyhadthussufferedanother，comparativelyunconcerned，toresentanaffrontdirectedagainsthimpersonallyasanofficer，andtogooutwiththepersonbywhomitwasoffered。TheMajorconcluded，thatnooneofCaptainWaverley’sbrother-officerscouldbelievethisscandalousstory，butitwasnecessarilytheirjointopinion，thathisownhonour，equallywiththatoftheregiment，dependeduponitsbeinginstantlycontradictedbyhisauthority，etc。etc。etc。
Whatdoyouthinkofallthis？’’saidColonelTalbot，towhomWaverleyhandedthelettersafterhehadperusedthem。
Think！itrendersthoughtimpossible。Itisenoughtodrivememad。’’
Becalm，myyoungfriend；letusseewhatarethesedirtyscrawlsthatfollow。’’
Thefirstwasaddressed，ForMasterW。RuffinThese，’’-Dearsur，sumofouryonggulpinswillnotbite，thofItuoldthemyoushoedmethesquoiresownseel。ButTimswilldeliveryouthelettrsasdesired，andtellouldAddemhegavethemtosquoir’shond，astobesureyoursisthesame，andshallbereadyforsignal，andhoyforHoyChurchandSachefrel，asfadursingsatharvest-whome。
Yours，deersur，H。H。
Poscriff。Do’etellsquoirewelongstoheerfromhim，andhasdootingsabouthisnotwritinghimself，andLieftenantBottlerissmoky。’’
ThisRuffin，Isuppose，then，isyourDonaldoftheCavern，whohasinterceptedyourletters，andcarriedonacorrespondencewiththepoordevilHoughton，asifunderyourauthority？’’
Itseemstootrue。ButwhocanAddembe？’’
PossiblyAdam，forpoorGardiner，asortofpunonhisname。’’
Theotherlettersweretothesamepurpose，andtheysoonreceivedyetmorecompletelightuponDonaldBean’smachinations。
JohnHodges，oneofWaverley’sservants，whohadremainedwiththeregiment，andhadbeentakenatPreston，nowmadehisappearance。Hehadsoughtouthismaster，withthepurposeofagainenteringhisservice。Fromthisfellowtheylearned，that，sometimeafterWaverleyhadgonefromtheheadquartersoftheregiment，apedlar，calledRuthven，Ruffin，orRivane，knownamongthesoldiersbythenameofWilyWill，hadmadefrequentvisitstothetownofDundee。Heappearedtopossessplentyofmoney，soldhiscommoditiesverycheap，seemedalwayswillingtotreathisfriendsattheale-house，andeasilyingratiatedhimselfwithmanyofWaverley’stroop，particularlySergeantHoughton，andoneTims，alsoanon-commissionedofficer。Totheseheunfolded，inWaverley’sname，aplanforleavingtheregiment，andjoininghimintheHighlands，wherereportsaidtheclanshadalreadytakenarmsingreatnumbers。
Themen，whohadbeeneducatedasJacobites，sofarastheyhadanyopinionatall，andwhoknewtheirlandlord，SirEverard，hadalwaysbeensupposedtoholdsuchtenets，easilyfellintothesnare。ThatWaverleywasatadistanceintheHighlands，wasreceivedasasufficientexcusefortransmittinghislettersthroughthemediumofthepedlar；andthesightofhiswell-knownsealseemedtoauthenticatethenegotiationsinhisname，wherewritingmighthavebeendangerous。Thecabal，however，begantotakeair，fromtheprematuremutinouslanguageofthoseconcerned。WilyWilljustifiedhisappellative；
for，aftersuspicionarose，hewasseennomore。WhentheGazetteappeared，inwhichWaverleywassuperseded，greatpartofhistroopbrokeoutintoactualmutiny，butweresurroundedanddisarmedbytherestoftheregiment。Inconsequenceofthesentenceofacourt-martial，HoughtonandTimswerecondemnedtobeshot，butafterwardspermittedtocastlotsforlife。Houghton，thesurvivor，showedmuchpenitence，beingconvincedfromtherebukesandexplanationsofColonelGardiner，thathehadreallyengagedinaveryheinouscrime。
Itisremarkable，that，assoonasthepoorfellowwassatisfiedofthis，hebecamealsoconvincedthattheinstigatorhadactedwithoutauthorityfromEdward，saying，IfitwasdishonourableandagainstOldEngland，thesquirecouldknownoughtaboutit；heneverdid，orthoughttodo，anythingdishonourable，-nomoredidn’tSirEverard，nornoneofthemaforehim，andinthatbeliefhewouldliveanddiethatRuffinhaddoneitallofhisownhead。’’
Thestrengthofconvictionwithwhichheexpressedhimselfuponthissubject，aswellashisassurancesthatthelettersintendedforWaverleyhadbeendeliveredtoRuthven，madethatrevolutioninColonelGardiner’sopinionwhichheexpressedtoTalbot。