Eachmusedovertheparticularsoftheexamination，andeachvieweditthroughthemediumofhisownfeelings。Bothweremenofreadyandacutetalent，andbothwereequallycompetenttocombinevariouspartsofevidence，andtodeducefromthemthenecessaryconclusions。Butthewidedifferenceoftheirhabitsandeducationoftenoccasionedagreatdiscrepancyintheirrespectivedeductionsfromadmittedpremises。
MajorMelvillehadbeenversedincampsandcities；hewasvigilantbyprofession，andcautiousfromexperience；hadmetwithmuchevilintheworld，andtherefore，thoughhimselfanuprightmagistrateandanhonourableman，hisopinionsofotherswerealwaysstrict，andsometimesunjustlysevere。Mr。
Morton，onthecontrary，hadpassedfromtheliterarypursuitsofacollege，wherehewasbelovedbyhiscompanions，andrespectedbyhisteachers，tothecaseandsimplicityofhispresentcharge，wherehisopportunitiesofwitnessingevilwerefew，andneverdweltuponbutinordertoencouragerepentanceandamendment；andwheretheloveandrespectofhisparishionersrepaidhisaffectionatezealintheirbehalf，byendeavouringtodisguisefromhimwhattheyknewwouldgivehimthemostacutepain，namely，theirownoccasionaltransgressionsofthedutieswhichitwasthebusinessofhislifetorecommend。Thusitwasacommonsayingintheneighbourhood(thoughbothwerepopularcharacters)，thatthelairdknewonlytheillintheparish，andtheministeronlythegood。
Aloveofletters，thoughkeptinsubordinationtohisclericalstudiesandduties，alsodistinguishedthepastorofCairnvreckan，andhadtingedhismindinearlierdayswithaslightfeelingofromance，whichnoafterincidentsofreallifehadentirelydissipated。Theearlylossofanamiableyoungwoman，whomhehadmarriedforlove，andwhowasquicklyfollowedtothegravebyanonlychild，hadalsoserved，evenafterthelapseofmanyyears，tosoftenadispositionnaturallymildandcontemplative。
Hisfeelingsonthepresentoccasionwerethereforelikelytodifferfromthoseoftheseveredisciplinarian，strictmagistrate，anddistrustfulmanoftheworld。
Whentheservantshadwithdrawn，thesilenceofbothpartiescontinued，untilMajorMelville，fillinghisglass，andpushingthebottletoMr。Morton，commenced。
Adistressingaffairthis，Mr。Morton。Ifearthisyoungsterhasbroughthimselfwithinthecompassofahalter。’’
Godforbid！’’answeredtheclergyman。
Marry，andamen，’’saidthetemporalmagistrate；butI
thinkevenyourmercifullogicwillhardlydenytheconclusion。’’
Surely，Major，’’answeredtheclergyman，Ishouldhopeitmightbeaverted，foraughtwehaveheardto-night？’’
Indeed！’’repliedMelville。But，mygoodparson，youareoneofthosewhowouldcommunicatetoeverycriminalthebenefitofclergy。’’
UnquestionablyIwould：mercyandlong-sufferingarethegroundsofthedoctrineIamcalledtoteach。’’
True，religiouslyspeaking；butmercytoacriminalmaybegrossinjusticetothecommunity。Idon’tspeakofthisyoungfellowinparticular，whoIheartilywishmaybeabletoclearhimself，forIlikebothhismodestyandhisspirit。ButIfearhehasrusheduponhisfate。’’
Andwhy？HundredsofmisguidedgentlemenarenowinarmsagainsttheGovernment；many，doubtless，uponprincipleswhicheducationandearlyprejudicehavegildedwiththenamesofpatriotismandheroism；-Justice，whensheselectshervictimsfromsuchamultitude(forsurelyallwillnotbedestroyed)，mustregardthemoralmotive。Hewhomambition，orhopeofpersonaladvantage，hasledtodisturbthepeaceofawell-orderedgovernment，lethimfallavictimtothelaws；
butsurelyyouth，misledbythewildvisionsofchivalryandimaginaryloyalty，maypleadforpardon。’’
Ifvisionarychivalryandimaginaryloyaltycomewithinthepredicamentofhightreason，’’repliedthemagistrate，IknownocourtinChristendom，mydearMr。Morton，wheretheycansueouttheirHabeasCorpus。’’
ButIcannotseethatthisyouth’sguiltisatallestablishedtomysatisfaction，’’saidtheclergyman。
Becauseyourgoodnatureblindsyourgoodsense，’’repliedMajorMelville。Observenow：thisyoungman，descendedofafamilyofhereditaryJacobites，hisuncletheleaderoftheToryinterestinthecountyof，hisfatheradisobligedanddiscontentedcourtier，histutoranon-juror，andtheauthoroftwotreasonablevolumes-thisyouth，Isay，entersintoGardiner’sdragoons，bringingwithhimabodyofyoungfellowsfromhisuncle’sestate，whohavenotstickledatavowing，intheirway，thehighchurchprinciplestheylearnedatWaverley-Honour，intheirdisputeswiththeircomrades。TotheseyoungmenWaverleyisunusuallyattentive；theyaresuppliedwithmoneybeyondasoldier’swants，andinconsistentwithhisdiscipline；
andareunderthemanagementofafavouritesergeant，throughwhomtheyholdanunusuallyclosecommunicationwiththeircaptain，andaffecttoconsiderthemselvesasindependentoftheotherofficers，andsuperiortotheircomrades。’’
Allthis，mydearMajor，isthenaturalconsequenceoftheirattachmenttotheiryounglandlord，andoftheirfindingthemselvesinaregimentleviedchieflyinthenorthofIrelandandthewestofScotland，andofcourseamongcomradesdisposedtoquarrelwiththem，bothasEnglishmen，andasmembersoftheChurchofEngland。’’
Wellsaid，parson！’’repliedthemagistrate-Iwouldsomeofyoursynodheardyou-Butletmegoon。Thisyoungmanobtainsleaveofabsence，goestoTully-Veolan-theprinciplesoftheBaronofBradwardineareprettywellknown，nottomentionthatthislad’sunclebroughthimoffintheyearfifteen；heengagesthereinabrawl，inwhichheissaidtohavedisgracedthecommissionhebore；ColonelGardinerwritestohim，firstmildly，thenmoresharply-Ithinkyouwillnotdoubthishavingdoneso，sincehesaysso；themessinvitehimtoexplainthequarrelinwhichheissaidtohavebeeninvolved；heneitherrepliestohiscommandernorhiscomrades。
Inthemeanwhile，hissoldiersbecomemutinousanddisorderly，andatlength，whentherumourofthisunhappyrebellionbecomesgeneral，hisfavouriteSergeantHoughton，andanotherfellow，aredetectedincorrespondencewithaFrenchemissary，accredited，ashesays，byCaptainWaverley，whourgeshim，accordingtothemen’sconfession，todesertwiththetroopandjointheircaptain，whowaswithPrinceCharles。Inthemeanwhilethistrustycaptainis，byhisownadmission，residingatGlennaquoichwiththemostactive，subtle，anddesperateJacobiteinScotland；hegoeswithhimatleastasfarastheirfamoushuntingrendezvous，andIfearalittlefarther。Meanwhiletwoothersummonsesaresenthim；onewarninghimofthedisturbancesinhistroop，anotherperemptorilyorderinghimtorepairtotheregiment，which，indeed，commonsensemighthavedictated，whenheobservedrebellionthickeninganroundhim。Hereturnsanabsoluterefusal，andthrowsuphiscommission。’’
Hehadbeenalreadydeprivedofit，’’saidMr。Morton。
Butheregrets，’’repliedMelville，thatthemeasurehadanticipatedhisresignation。Hisbaggageisseizedathisquarters，andatTully-Veolan，andisfoundtocontainastockofpestilentjacobiticalpamphlets，enoughtopoisonawholecountry，besidestheunprintedlucubrationsofhisworthyfriendandtutorMr。Pembroke。’’
Hesaysheneverreadthem，’’answeredtheminister。
InanordinarycaseIshouldbelievehim，’’repliedthemagistrate，fortheyareasstupidandpedanticincomposition，asmischievousintheirtenets。Butcanyousupposeanythingbutvaluefortheprinciplestheymaintainwouldinduceayoungmanofhisagetolugsuchtrashaboutwithhim？
Then，whennewsarriveoftheapproachoftherebels，hesetsoutinasortofdisguise，refusingtotellhisname；andifyonoldfanatictelltruth，attendedbyaverysuspiciouscharacter，andmountedonahorseknowntohavebelongedtoGlennaquoich，andbearingonhispersonlettersfromhisfamilyexpressinghighrancouragainstthehouseofBrunswick，andacopyofversesinpraiseofoneWogan，whoabjuredtheserviceoftheParliamenttojointheHighlandinsurgents，wheninarmstorestorethehouseofStuart，withabodyofEnglishcavalry-theverycounterpartofhisownplot-andsummedupwitha`Gothouanddolikewise，’fromthatloyalsubject，andmostsafeandpeaceablecharacter，FergusMac-IvorofGlennaquoich，VichIanVohr，andsoforth。And，lastly，’’
continuedMajorMelville，warminginthedetailofhisarguments，wheredowefindthissecondeditionofCavalierWogan？Why，truly，intheverytrackmostproperforexecutionofhisdesign，andpistolingthefirstoftheking’ssubjectswhoventurestoquestionhisintentions。’’
Mr。Mortonprudentlyabstainedfromargument，whichheperceivedwouldonlyhardenthemagistrateinhisopinion，andmerelyaskedhowheintendedtodisposeoftheprisoner？
Itisaquestionofsomedifficulty，consideringthestateofthecountry，’’saidMajorMelville。
Couldyounotdetainhim(beingsuchagentleman-likeyoungman)hereinyourownhouse，outofharm’sway，tillthisstormblowover？’’
Mygoodfriend，’’saidMajorMelville，neitheryourhousenorminewillbelongoutofharm’sway，evenwereitlegaltoconfinehimhere。Ihavejustlearnedthatthecommander-in-chief，whomarchedintotheHighlandstoseekoutanddispersetheinsurgents，hasdeclinedgivingthembattleatCorryerick，andmarchedonnorthwardwithallthedisposableforceofGovernmenttoInverness，John-o’-Groat’sHouse，orthedevil，forwhatIknow，leavingtheroadtotheLowCountryopenandundefendedtotheHighlandarmy。’’
GoodGod！’’saidtheclergyman。Isthemanacoward，atraitor，oranidiot？’’
Noneofthethree，Ibelieve，’’answeredMelville。SirJohnhasthecommon-placecourageofacommonsoldier，ishonestenough，doeswhatheiscommanded，andunderstandswhatistoldhim，butisasfittoactforhimselfincircumstancesofimportance，asI，mydearparson，tooccupyyourpulpit。’’
ThisimportantpublicintelligencenaturallydivertedthediscoursefromWaverleyforsometime；atlength，however，thesubjectwasresumed。
Ibelieve，’’saidMajorMelville，thatImustgivethisyoungmaninchargetosomeofthedetachedpartiesofarmedvolunteers，whowerelatelysentouttooverawethedisaffecteddistricts。TheyarenowrecalledtowardsStirling，andasmallbodycomesthiswayto-morrowornextday，commandedbythewestlandman，-what’shisname？-Yousawhim，andsaidhewastheverymodelofoneofCromwell’smilitarysaints。’’
Gilfillan，theCameronian，’’answeredMr。Morton。Iwishtheyounggentlemanmaybesafewithhim。Strangethingsaredoneintheheatandhurryofmindsinsoagitatingacrisis，andIfearGilfillanisofasectwhichhassufferedpersecutionwithoutlearningmercy。’’
HehasonlytolodgeMr。WaverleyinStirlingCastle，’’saidtheMajor：Iwillgivestrictinjunctionstotreathimwell。
Ireallycannotdeviseanybettermodeforsecuringhim，andI
fancyyouwouldhardlyadvisemetoencountertheresponsibilityofsettinghimatliberty。’’
Butyouwillhavenoobjectiontomyseeinghimto-morrowinprivate？’’saidtheminister。
None，certainly；yourloyaltyandcharacteraremywarrant。
Butwithwhatviewdoyoumaketherequest？’’
Simply，’’repliedMr。Morton，tomaketheexperimentwhetherhemaynotbebroughttocommunicatetomesomecircumstanceswhichmayhereafterbeusefultoalleviate，ifnottoexculpatehisconduct。’’
Thefriendsnowpartedandretiredtorest，eachfilledwiththemostanxiousreflectionsonthestateofthecountry。
CHAPTERTHIRTY-THIRD
ACONFIDANT。
Waverleyawokeinthemorningfromtroubleddreamsandunrefreshingslumbers，toafullconsciousnessofthehorrorsofhissituation。Howitmightterminateheknewnot。Hemightbedelivereduptomilitarylaw，which，inthemidstofcivilwar，wasnotlikelytobescrupulousinthechoiceofitsvictimsorthequalityoftheevidence。NordidhefeelmuchmorecomfortableatthethoughtsofatrialbeforeaScottishcourtofjustice，whereheknewthelawsandformsdifferedinmanyrespectsfromthoseofEngland，andhadbeentaughttobelieve，howevererroneously，thatthelibertyandrightsofthesubjectwerelesscarefullyprotected。AsentimentofbitternessroseinhismindagainsttheGovernment，whichheconsideredasthecauseofhisembarrassmentandperil，andhecursedinternallyhisscrupulousrejectionofMac-Ivor’sinvitationtoaccompanyhimtothefield。
WhydidnotI，’’hesaidtohimself，likeothermenofhonour，taketheearliestopportunitytowelcometoBritainthedescendantofherancientkings，andlinearheirofherthrone？
WhydidnotI
