wadneverhelpmetomysillerforsendingoutnaigsagainsttheGovernment，why，conscience！sir，Ithoughtmybestchanceforpaymentwase’ento_gaeout_<>mysell；andyemayTo_goout，_or_tohavebeenout，_inScotland，wasaconventionalphrasesimilartothatoftheIrishrespectingamanhavingbeen_up，_bothhavingreferencetoanindividualwhohadbeenengagedininsurrection。Itwasaccountedill-breedinginScotland，aboutfortyyearssince，tousethephrase_rebellion_or_rebel，_whichmightbeinterpretedbysomeofthepartiespresentasapersonalinsult。ItwasalsoesteemedmorepoliteevenforstaunchWhigstodenominateCharlesEdwardtheChevalier，thantospeakofhimasthePretender；andthiskindofaccommodatingcourtesywasusuallyobservedinsocietywhereindividualsofeachpartymixedonfriendlyterms。
judge，sir，asIhaedealta’mylifeinhalters，Ithinknamickleo’puttingmycraiginperilofaSt。Johnstone’stippet。’’<>
(_St。Johnstone’sTippet，_literallya_halter。_PerthwasformerlyknownasSt。John’sTown，fromthenameoftheTutelarySaint。InanoldpoembyH。Adamson，1638，thereoccurstheproverbialsaying-
Andincontempt，whenanyroguetheysee，Theysay，SaintJohnstone’sribbon’smeetforthee。’’
ThisProverb，saystheeditorofAdamsonin1774，iswellunderstoodinPerthandthroughtheshire。Itisappliedtopeoplewhodeservetobehanged)。
Youarenot，then，byprofessionasoldier？’’saidWaverley。
Na，na；thankGod，’’answeredthisdoughtypartisan，I
wasnabredatsaeshortatether；Iwasbroughtuptohackandmanger。Iwasbredahorse-couper，sir；andifImightlivetoseeyouatWhitson-tryst，oratStagshawbank，orthewinterfairatHawick，andyewantedaspankerthatwouldleadthefield，I’sebecautionIwouldserveyeeasy；forJamieJinkerwasne’ertheladtoimposeuponagentleman。Ye’reagentleman，sir，andshouldkenahorse’spoints；yeseethatthroughgaugingthingthatBalmawhapple’son；Iselledher’tillhim。
ShewasbredoutofLick-the-Ladle，thatwantheking’splateatCaverton-Edge，byDukeHamilton’sWhite-foot，’’etc。etc。etc。
ButasJinkerwasenteredfullsailuponthepedigreeofBalmawhapple’smare，havingalreadygotasfarasgreat-grand-sireandgreat-grand-dam，andwhileWaverleywaswatchingforanopportunitytoobtainfromhimintelligenceofmoreinterest，thenoblecaptaincheckedhishorseuntiltheycameup，andthen，withoutdirectlyappearingtonoticeEdward，saidsternlytothegenealogist，Ithought，lieutenant，myorderswerepreceese，thatnooneshouldspeaktotheprisoner？’’
Themetamorphosedhorse-dealerwassilencedofcourse，andslunktotherear，whereheconsoledhimselfbyenteringintoavehementdisputeuponthepriceofhaywithafarmer，whohadreluctantlyfollowedhislairdtothefield，ratherthangiveuphisfarm，whereoftheleasehadjustexpired。Waverleywasthereforeoncemoreconsignedtosilence，foreseeingthatfurtherattemptsatconversationwithanyofthepartywouldonlygiveBalmawhappleawished-foropportunitytodisplaytheinsolenceofauthority，andthesulkyspiteofatempernaturallydogged，andrenderedmoresobyhabitsoflowindulgenceandtheincenseofservileadulation。
Inabouttwohours’time，thepartywereneartheCastleofStirling，overwhosebattlementstheunionflagwasbrightenedasitwavedintheeveningsun。Toshortenhisjourney，orperhapstodisplayhisimportance，andinsulttheEnglishgarrison，Balmawhapple，incliningtotheright，tookhisroutethroughtheroyalparkwhichreachestoandsurroundstherockuponwhichthefortressissituated。
Withamindmoreatease，Waverleycouldnothavefailedtoadmirethemixtureofromanceandbeautywhichrendersinterestingthescenethroughwhichhewasnowpassingthefieldwhichhadbeenthesceneofthetournamentsofold-therockfromwhichtheladiesbeheldthecontest，whileeachmadevowsforthesuccessofsomefavouriteknight-thetowersoftheGothicchurch，wherethesevowsmightbepaid-and，surmountingall，thefortressitself，atonceacastleandpalace，wherevalourreceivedtheprizefromroyalty，andknightsanddamesclosedtheeveningamidtherevelryofthedance，thesong，andthefeast。Allthesewereobjectsfittedtoarouseandinterestaromanticimagination。
ButWaverleyhadotherobjectsofmeditation，andanincidentsoonoccurredofanaturetodisturbmeditationofanykind。Balmawhapple，intheprideofhisheart，ashewheeledhislittlebodyofcavalryroundthebaseofthecastle，commandedhistrumpettosoundaflourish，andhisstandardtobedisplayed。Thisinsultproducedapparentlysomesensation；
forwhenthecavalcadewasatsuchdistancefromthesouthernbatteryastoadmitofagunbeingdepressedsoastobearuponthem，aflashoffireissuedfromoneoftheembrasuresupontherock；anderethereportwithwhichitwasattendedcouldbeheard，therushingsoundofacannon-ballpassedoverBalmawhapple’shead，andthebullet，buryingitselfinthegroundatafewyards’distance，coveredhimwiththeearthwhichitdroveup。Therewasnoneedtobidthepartytrudge。Infact，everyman，actingupontheimpulseofthemoment，soonbroughtMr。Jinker’ssteedstoshowtheirmettle，andthecavaliers，retreatingwithmorespeedthanregularity，nevertooktoatrot，asthelieutenantafterwardsobserved，untilaninterveningeminencehadsecuredthemfromanyrepetitionofsoundesirableacomplimentonthepartofStirlingCastle。ImustdoBalmawhapple，however，thejusticetosay，thathenotonlykepttherearofhistroop，andlabouredtomaintainsomeorderamongthem，but，intheheightofhisgallantry，answeredthefireofthecastlebydischargingoneofhishorse-pistolsatthebattlements；
although，thedistancebeingnearlyhalf-a-mile，Icouldneverlearnthatthismeasureofretaliationwasattendedwithanyparticulareffect。
ThetravellersnowpassedthememorablefieldofBannockburn，andreachedtheTorwood-aplacegloriousorterribletotherecollectionsoftheScottishpeasant，asthefeatsofWallace，orthecrueltiesofWudeWillieGrime，predominateinhisrecollection。AtFalkirk，atownformerlyfamousinScottishhistory，andsoontobeagaindistinguishedasthesceneofmilitaryeventsofimportance，Balmawhappleproposedtohaltandreposefortheevening。Thiswasperformedwithverylittleregardtomilitarydiscipline，hisworthyquarter-masterbeingchieflysolicitoustodiscoverwherethebestbrandymightbecomeat。Sentinelsweredeemedunnecessary，andtheonlyvigilsperformedwerethoseofsuchofthepartyascouldprocureliquor。Afewresolutemenmighteasilyhavecutoffthedetachment；butoftheinhabitantssomewerefavourable，manyindifferent，andtherestoverawed。Sonothingmemorableoccurredinthecourseoftheevening，exceptthatWaverley’srestwassorelyinterruptedbytherevellershallooingforththeirJacobitesongswithoutremorseormitigationofvoice。
Earlyinthemorningtheywereagainmounted，andontheroadtoEdinburgh，thoughthepallidvisagesofsomeofthetroopbetrayedthattheyhadspentanightofsleeplessdebauchery。TheyhaltedatLinlithgow，distinguishedbyitsancientpalace，which，SixtyYearssince，wasentireandhabitable，andwhosevenerableruins，_notquiteSixtyYearssince，_
verynarrowlyescapedtheunworthyfateofbeingconvertedintoabarrackforFrenchprisoners。Mayreposeandblessingsattendtheashesofthepatrioticstatesman<>who，amongsthis(LordPresidentBlair。)
lastservicestoScotland，interposedtopreventthisprofanation！
AstheyapproachedthemetropolisofScotland，throughachampaignandcultivatedcountry，thesoundsofwarbegantobeheard。Thedistant，yetdistinctreportofheavycannon，firedatintervals，apprizedWaverleythattheworkofdestructionwasgoingforward。EvenBalmawhappleseemedmovedtotakesomeprecautions，bysendinganadvancedpartyinfrontofhistroop，keepingthemainbodyintolerableorder，andmovingsteadilyforward。
Marchinginthismannertheyspeedilyreachedaneminence，fromwhichtheycouldviewEdinburghstretchingalongtheridgyhillwhichslopeseastwardfromtheCastle。Thelatter，beinginastateofsiege，orratherofblockade，bythenortherninsurgents，whohadalreadyoccupiedthetownfortwoorthreedays，firedatintervalsuponsuchpartiesofHighlandersasexposedthemselves，eitheronthemainstreet，orelsewhereinthevicinityofthefortress。Themorningbeingcalmandfair，theeffectofthisdroppingfirewastoinvesttheCastleinwreathsofsmoke，theedgesofwhichdissipatedslowlyintheair，whilethecentralveilwasdarkenedeverandanonbyfreshcloudspouredforthfromthebattlements；thewholegiving，bythepartialconcealment，anappearanceofgrandeurandgloom，renderedmoreterrificwhenWaverleyreflectedonthecausebywhichitwasproduced，andthateachexplosionmightringsomebraveman’sknell。
Eretheyapproachedthecity，thepartialcannonadehadwhollyceased。Balmawhapple，however，havinginhisrecollectiontheunfriendlygreetingwhichhistroophadreceivedfromthebatteryofStirling，hadapparentlynowishtotempttheforbearanceoftheartilleryoftheCastle。Hethereforeleftthedirectroad，andsweepingconsiderablytothesouthward，soastokeepoutoftherangeofthecannon，approachedtheancientpalaceofHolyrood，withouthavingenteredthewallsofthecity。Hethendrewuphismeninfrontofthatvenerablepile，anddeliveredWaverleytothecustodyofaguardofHighlanders，whoseofficerconductedhimintotheinteriorofthebuilding。
Along，low，andill-proportionedgallery，hungwithpictures，affirmedtobetheportraitsofkings，who，iftheyeverflourishedatall，livedseveralhundredyearsbeforetheinventionofpaintinginoilcolours，servedasasortofguard-chamber，orvestibule，totheapartmentswhichtheadventurousCharlesEdwardnowoccupiedinthepalaceofhisancestors。Officers，bothintheHighlandandLowlandgarb，passedandrepassedinhaste，orloiteredinthehall，asifwaitingfororders。Secretarieswereengagedinmakingoutpasses，musters，andreturns。
Allseemedbusy，andearnestlyintentuponsomethingofimportance；
butWaverleywassufferedtoremainseatedintherecessofawindowunnoticedbyanyone，inanxiousreflectionuponthecrisisofhisfate，whichseemednowrapidlyapproaching。
Whilehewasdeepsunkinhisreverie，therustleoftartanswasheardbehindhim，afriendlyarmclaspedhisshoulders，andafriendlyvoiceexclaimed，SaidtheHighlandprophetsooth？-ormustsecond-sightgofornothing？’’
Waverleyturned，andwaswarmlyembracedbyFergusMac-Ivor。
AthousandwelcomestoHolyrood，oncemorepossessedbyherlegitimatesovereign！DidInotsayweshouldprosper，andthatyouwouldfallintothehandsofthePhilistinesifyoupartedfromus？’’
DearFergus！’’saidWaverley，eagerlyreturninghisgreeting，itislongsinceIhaveheardafriend’svoice。WhereisFlora？’’
Safe，andatriumphantspectatorofoursuccess。’’
Inthisplace？’’saidWaverley。
Ay，inthiscityatleast，’’answeredhisfriend，andyoushallseeher；butfirstyoumustmeetafriendwhomyoulittlethinkof，whohasbeenfrequentinhisinquiriesafteryou。’’
Thussaying，hedraggedWaverleybythearmoutoftheguard-chamber，and，ereheknewwherehewasconducted，Edwardfoundhimselfinapresence-room，fittedupwithsomeattemptatroyalstate。
Ayoungman，wearinghisownfairhair，distinguishedbythedignityofhismienandthenobleexpressionofhiswell-formedandregularfeatures，advancedoutofacircleofmilitarygentlemenandHighlandChiefs，bywhomhewassurrounded。
InhiseasyandgracefulmannersWaverleyafterwardsthoughthecouldhavediscoveredhishighbirthandrank，althoughthestaronhisbreast，andtheembroideredgarterathisknee，hadnotappearedasitsindications。
LetmepresenttoyourRoyalHighness，’’saidFergus，bowingprofoundly
ThedescendantofoneofthemostancientandloyalfamiliesinEngland，’’saidtheyoungChevalier，interruptinghim。I
begyourpardonforinterruptingyou，mydearMac-Ivor；butnomasterofceremoniesisnecessarytopresentaWaverleytoaStuart。’’
Thussaying，heextendedhishandtoEdwardwiththeutmostcourtesy，whocouldnot，hadhedesiredit，haveavoidedrenderinghimthehomagewhichseemedduetohisrank，andwascertainlytherightofhisbirth。Iamsorrytounderstand，Mr。Waverley，that，owingtocircumstanceswhichhavebeenasyetbutillexplained，youhavesufferedsomerestraintamongmyfollowersinPerthshire，andonyourmarchhere；
butweareinsuchasituationthatwehardlyknowourfriends，andIamevenatthismomentuncertainwhetherIcanhavethepleasureofconsideringMr。Waverleyasamongmine。’’
