Waverley，withfeelingsmoreeasilyconceivedthandescribed，sawhimselfobligedtofollowthisdoughtyfemalecommander。
Thegallanttrooperwasaslikealambasadrunkcorporalofdragoons，aboutsixfeethigh，withverybroadshoulders，andverythinlegs，nottomentionagreatscaracrosshisnose，couldwellbe。Mrs。Nosebagaddressedhimwithsomethingwhich，ifnotanoath，soundedverylikeone，andcommandedhimtoattendtohisduty。Youbed-dfora，’’commencedthegallantcavalier；but，lookingupinordertosuittheactiontothewords，andalsotoenforcetheepithetwhichhemeditated，withanadjectiveapplicabletotheparty，herecognisedthespeaker，madehismilitarysalam，andalteredhistone-Lordloveyourhandsomeface，MadamNosebag，isityou？Why，ifapoorfellowdoeshappentofireaslugofamorning，Iamsureyouwerenevertheladytobringhimtoharm。’’
Well，yourascallion，go，mindyourduty；thisgentlemanandIbelongtotheservice；butbesureyoulookafterthatshycockintheslouchedhatthatsitsinthecornerofthecoach。
Ibelievehe’soneoftherebelsindisguise。’’
D-nhergooseberrywig！’’saidthecorporal，whenshewasoutofhearing。Thatgimlet-eyedjade-motheradjutant，aswecallher-isagreaterplaguetotheregimentthanprevot-marshal，sergeant-major，andoldHubble-de-Shuffthecolonelintothebargain-Come，MasterConstable，let’sseeifthisshycock，asshecallshim，who，bytheway，wasaQuakerfromLeeds，withwhomMrs。Nosebaghadhadsometartargumentonthelegalityofbearingarms，willstandgodfathertoasupofbrandy，foryourYorkshirealeiscoldonmystomach。’’
Thevivacityofthisgoodlady，asithelpedEdwardoutofthisscrape，wasliketohavedrawnhimintooneortwoothers。
Ineverytownwheretheystopped，shewishedtoexaminethe_corpsdegarde，_iftherewasone，andonceverynarrowlymissedintroducingWaverleytoarecruiting-sergeantofhisownregiment。ThensheCaptain’dandButler’dhimtillhewasalmostmadwithvexationandanxiety；andneverwashemorerejoicedinhislifeattheterminationofajourney，thanwhenthearrivalofthecoachinLondonfreedhimfromtheattentionsofMadamNosebag。
Itwastwilightwhentheyarrivedintown；andhavingshakenoffhiscompanions，andwalkedthroughagoodmanystreetstoavoidthepossibilityofbeingtracedbythem，Edwardtookahackney-coachanddrovetoColonelTalbot’shouse，inoneoftheprincipalsquaresatthewestendofthetown。Thatgentleman，bythedeathofrelations，hadsucceededsincehismarriagetoalargefortune，possessedconsiderablepoliticalinterest，andlivedinwhatiscalledgreatstyle。
WhenWaverleyknockedathisdoor，hefounditatfirstdifficulttoprocureadmittance，butatlengthwasshownintoanapartmentwheretheColonelwasattable。LadyEmily，whoseverybeautifulfeatureswerestillpallidfromindisposition，sateoppositetohim。TheinstantheheardWaverley’svoice，hestartedupandembracedhimFrankStanley，mydearboy，howd’yedo？-Emily，mylove，thisisyoungStanley。’’
ThebloodstartedtotheLady’scheekasshegaveWaverleyareception，inwhichcourtesywasmingledwithkindness，whilehertremblinghandandfalteringvoiceshowedhowmuchshewasstartledanddiscomposed。Dinnerwashastilyreplaced，andwhileWaverleywasengagedinrefreshinghimself，theColonelproceeded-Iwonderyouhavecomehere，Frank；
thedoctorstellmetheairofLondonisverybadforyourcomplaints。Youshouldnothaveriskedit。ButIamdelightedtoseeyou，andsoisEmily，thoughIfearwemustnotreckonuponyourstayinglong。’’
Someparticularbusinessbroughtmeup，’’mutteredWaverley。
Isupposedso，butIshan’tallowyoutostaylong-Spontoon’’
toanelderlymilitary-lookingservantoutoflivery，takeawaythesethings，andanswerthebellyourself，ifI
ring。Don’tletanyoftheotherfellowsdisturbus-MynephewandIhavebusinesstotalkof。’’
Whentheservantshadretired，InthenameofGod，Waverley，whathasbroughtyouhere？Itmaybeasmuchasyourlifeisworth。’’
DearMr。Waverley，’’saidLadyEmily，towhomIowesomuchmorethanacknowledgmentscaneverpay，howcouldyoubesorash？’’
Myfather-myuncle-thisparagraph，’’-hehandedthepapertoColonelTalbot。
IwishtoHeaventhesescoundrelswerecondemnedtobesqueezedtodeathintheirownpresses，’’saidTalbot。Iamtoldtherearenotlessthanadozenoftheirpapersnowpublishedintown，andnowonderthattheyareobligedtoinventliestofindsalefortheirjournals。Itistrue，however，mydearEdward，thatyouhavelostyourfather；butastothisflourishofhisunpleasantsituationhavinggrateduponhisspirits，andhurthishealth-thetruthis-forthoughitisharshtosaysonow，yetitwillrelieveyourmindfromtheideaofweightyresponsibility-thetruththenis，thatMr。RichardWaverley，throughthiswholebusiness，showedgreatwantofsensibility，bothtoyoursituationandthatofyouruncle；andthelasttimeIsawhim，hetoldme，withgreatglee，thatasIwassogoodastotakechargeofyourinterests，hehadthoughtitbesttopatchupaseparatenegotiationforhimself，andmakehispeacewithGovernmentthroughsomechannelswhichformerconnectionsleftstillopentohim。’’
Andmyuncle-mydearuncle？’’
Isinnodangerwhatever。Itistruelookingatthedateofthepapertherewasafoolishreportsometimeagotothepurportherequoted，butitisentirelyfalse。SirEverardisgonedowntoWaverley-Honour，freedfromalluneasiness，unlessuponyourownaccount。Butyouareinperilyourself-
yournameisineveryproclamation-warrantsareouttoapprehendyou。Howandwhendidyoucomehere？’’
Edwardtoldhisstoryatlength，suppressinghisquarrelwithFergus；forbeinghimselfpartialtoHighlanders，hedidnotwishtogiveanyadvantagetotheColonel’snationalprejudiceagainstthem。
AreyousureitwasyourfriendGlen’sfootboyyousawdeadinCliftonMoor？’’
Quitepositive。’’
Thenthatlittlelimbofthedevilhascheatedthegallows，forcut-throatwaswritteninhisface；though’’turningtoLadyEmilyitwasaveryhandsomefacetoo-Butforyou，Edward，IwishyouwouldgodownagaintoCumberland，orratherI
wishyouhadneverstirredfromthence，forthereisanembargoonalltheseaports，andastrictsearchfortheadherentsofthePretender；andthetongueofthatconfoundedwomanwillwaginherheadliketheclackofamill，tillsomehoworothershewilldetectCaptainButlertobeafeignedpersonage。’’
Doyouknowanything，’’askedWaverley，ofmyfellow-traveller？’’
Herhusbandwasmyserjeant-majorforsixyears；shewasabuxomwidow，withalittlemoney-hemarriedher-wassteady，andgotonbybeingagooddrill。ImustsendSpontoontoseewhatsheisabout；hewillfindheroutamongtheoldregimentalconnexions。To-morrowyoumustbeindisposed，andkeepyourroomfromfatigue。LadyEmilyistobeyournurse，andSpontoonandIyourattendants。Youbearthenameofanearrelationofmine，whomnoneofmypresentpeopleeversaw，exceptSpontoon；sotherewillbenoimmediatedanger。Soprayfeelyourheadacheandyoureyesgrowheavyassoonaspossible，thatyoumaybeputuponthesicklist；
and，Emily，doyouorderanapartmentforFrankStanley，withalltheattentionwhichaninvalidmayrequire。’’
InthemorningtheColonelvisitedhisguest-Now，’’saidhe，Ihavesomegoodnewsforyou。Yourreputationasagentlemanandofficeriseffectuallyclearedofneglectofduty，andaccessiontothemutinyinGardiner’sregiment。Ihavehadacorrespondenceonthissubjectwithaveryzealousfriendofyours，yourScottishparson，Morton；hisfirstletterwasaddressedtoSirEverard；butIrelievedthegoodBaronetofthetroubleofansweringit。Youmustknow，thatyourfreebootingacquaintance，DonaldoftheCave，hasatlengthfallenintothehandsofthePhilistines。Hewasdrivingoffthecattleofacertainproprietor，calledKillan-somethingorother-’’
Killancureit？’’
Thesame。Now，thegentlemanbeing，itseems，agreatfarmer，andhavingaspecialvalueforhisbreedofcattle-
being，moreover，ratherofatimiddisposition，hadgotapartyofsoldierstoprotecthisproperty。SoDonaldranhisheadunawaresintothelion’smouth，andwasdefeatedandmadeprisoner。Beingorderedforexecution，hisconsciencewasassailedontheonehandbyaCatholicpriest，-ontheotherbyyourfriendMorton。HerepulsedtheCatholicchieflyonaccountofthedoctrineofextremeunction，whichthiseconomicalgentlemanconsideredasanexcessivewasteofoil。SohisconversionfromastateofimpenitencefelltoMr。Morton’sshare，who，Idaresay，acquittedhimselfexcellently，though，I
suppose，DonaldmadebutaqueerkindofChristianafterall。
Heconfessed，however，beforeamagistrate-oneMajorMelville，whoseemstohavebeenacorrect，friendlysortofperson-hisfullintriguewithHoughton，explainingparticularlyhowitwascarriedon，andfullyacquittingyouoftheleastaccessiontoit。Healsomentionedhisrescuingyoufromthehandsofthevolunteerofficer，andsendingyou，byordersofthePret-Chevalier，Imean-asaprisonertoDoune，fromwhenceheunderstoodyouwerecarriedprisonertoEdinburgh。Theseareparticularswhichcannotbuttellinyourfavour。Hehintedthathehadbeenemployedtodeliverandprotectyou，andrewardedfordoingso；buthewouldnotconfessbywhom，alleging，that，thoughhewouldnothavemindedbreakinganyordinaryoathtosatisfythecuriosityofMr。Morton，towhosepiousadmonitionsheowedsomuch，yetinthepresentcasehehadbeensworntosilenceupontheedgeofhisdirk，-which，itseems，constituted，inhisopinion，aninviolableobligation。’’
NoteBB。OathupontheDirk。
Andwhathasbecomeofhim？’’
Oh，hewashangedatStirlingaftertherebelsraisedthesiege，withhislieutenant，andfourplaidsbesides；hehavingtheadvantageofagallowsmoreloftythanhisfriends。’’
Well，Ihavelittlecauseeithertoregretorrejoiceathisdeath；andyethehasdonemebothgoodandharmtoaveryconsiderableextent。’’
Hisconfession，atleast，willserveyoumaterially，sinceitwipesfromyourcharacterallthosesuspicionswhichgavetheaccusationagainstyouacomplexionofanaturedifferentfromthatwithwhichsomanyunfortunategentlemen，noworlatelyinarmsagainsttheGovernment，maybejustlycharged。Theirtreason-Imustgiveititsname，thoughyouparticipateinitsguilt-isanactionarisingfrommistakenvirtue，andthereforecannotbeclassedasadisgrace，thoughitbedoubtlesshighlycriminal。Wheretheguiltyaresonumerous，clemencymustbeextendedtofarthegreaternumber；andIhavelittledoubtofprocuringaremissionforyou，providedwecankeepyououtoftheclawsofjusticetillshehasselectedandgorgeduponhervictims；
forinthis，asinothercases，itwillbeaccordingtothevulgarproverb，`Firstcome，firstserved。’Besides，GovernmentaredesirousatpresenttointimidatetheEnglishJacobites，amongwhomtheycanfindfewexamplesforpunishment。Thisisavindictiveandtimidfeelingwhichwillsoonwearoff，for，ofallnations，theEnglishareleastbloodthirstybynature。Butitexistsatpresent，andyoumustthereforebekeptoutofthewayinthemeantime。’’
NowenteredSpontoonwithananxiouscountenance。ByhisregimentalacquaintanceshehadtracedoutMadamNosebag，andfoundherfullofire，fuss，andfidget，atdiscoveryofanimpostor，whohadtravelledfromthenorthwithherundertheassumednameofCaptainButlerofGardiner’sdragoons。Shewasgoingtolodgeaninformationonthesubject，tohavehimsoughtforasanemissaryofthePretender；butSpontoon，anoldsoldier，
whilehepretendedtoapprove，contrivedtomakeherdelayherintention。Notime，however，wastobelost：theaccuracyofthisgooddame’sdescriptionmightprobablyleadtothediscoverythatWaverleywasthepretendedCaptainButler；anidentificationfraughtwithdangertoEdward，perhapstohisuncle，andeventoColonelTalbot。Whichwaytodirecthiscoursewasnow，therefore，thequestion。
ToScotland，’’saidWaverley。
ToScotland！’’saidtheColoner；withwhatpurpose？-
nottoengageagainwiththerebelsIhope？’’
No-Iconsideredmycampaignended，when，afterallmyefforts，Icouldnotrejointhem；andnow，byallaccounts，theyaregonetomakeawintercampaignintheHighlands，wheresuchadherentsasIamwouldratherbeburdensomethanuseful。