Iwouldhavekeptitsecretfromyou；forIthinkitwillgrieveyou，andyetyoucanadministernoconsolation。
Butyouhavesurprisedme-Iseeyouaresurprisedyourself，-
andIhatemystery。Readthatletter。’’
TheletterwasfromColonelTalbot’ssister，andinthesewords：
Ireceivedyours，mydearestbrother，byHedges。SirE。
W。andMr。R。arestillatlarge，butarenotpermittedtoleaveLondon。IwishtoHeavenIcouldgiveyouasgoodanaccountofmattersinthesquare。ButthenewsoftheunhappyaffairatPrestoncameuponus，withthedreadfuladditionthatyouwereamongthefallen。YouknowLadyEmily’sstateofhealth，whenyourfriendshipforSirE。inducedyoutoleaveher。ShewasmuchharassedwiththesadaccountsfromScotlandoftherebellionhavingbrokenout；butkeptupherspirits，as，shesaid，itbecameyourwife，andforthesakeofthefutureheir，solonghopedforinvain。Alas，mydearbrother，thesehopesarenowended！Notwithstandingallmywatchfulcare，thisunhappyrumourreachedherwithoutpreparation。Shewastakenillimmediately；andthepoorinfantscarcesurviveditsbirth。WouldtoGodthiswereall！Butalthoughthecontradictionofthehorriblereportbyyourownletterhasgreatlyrevivedherspirits，yetDr。apprehends，Igrievetosay，serious，andevendangerous，consequencestoherhealth，especiallyfromtheuncertaintyinwhichshemustnecessarilyremainforsometime，aggravatedbytheideasshehasformedoftheferocityofthosewithwhomyouareaprisoner。
Dotherefore，mydearbrother，assoonasthisreachesyou，endeavourtogainyourrelease，byparole，byransom，oranywaythatispracticable。IdonotexaggerateLadyEmily’sstateofhealth；butImustnot-darenot-suppressthetruth-Ever，mydearPhilip，yourmostaffectionatesister，LucyTalbot。’’
Edwardstoodmotionlesswhenhehadperusedthisletter；
fortheconclusionwasinevitable，thatbytheColonel’sjourneyinquestofhim，hehadincurredthisheavycalamity。Itwassevereenough，eveninitsirremediablepart；forColonelTalbotandLadyEmily，longwithoutafamily，hadfondlyexultedinthehopeswhichwerenowblasted。Butthisdisappointmentwasnothingtotheextentofthethreatenedevil；
andEdward，withhorror，regardedhimselfastheoriginalcauseofboth。
Erehecouldcollecthimselfsufficientlytospeak，ColonelTalbothadrecoveredhisusualcomposureofmanner，thoughhistroubledeyedenotedhismentalagony。
Sheisawoman，myyoungfriend，whomayjustifyevenasoldier’stears。’’Hereachedhimtheminiature，exhibitingfeatureswhichfullyjustifiedtheeulogium；andyet，Godknows，whatyouseeofherthereistheleastofthecharmsshepossesses-possessed，Ishouldperhapssay-butGod’swillbedone！’’
Youmustfly-youmustflyinstantlytoherrelief。Itisnot-itshallnotbetoolate。’’
Fly！-howisitpossible？Iamaprisoner-uponparole。’’
Iamyourkeeper-Irestoreyourparole-Iamtoanswerforyou。’’
Youcannotdosoconsistentlywithyourduty；norcanI
acceptadischargefromyouwithdueregardtomyownhonour-youwouldbemaderesponsible。’’
Iwillansweritwithmyhead，ifnecessary，’’saidWaverley，impetuously。Ihavebeentheunhappycauseofthelossofyourchild-makemenotthemurdererofyourwife。’’
No，mydearEdward，’’saidTalbot，takinghimkindlybythehand，youareinnorespecttoblame；andifIconcealedthisdomesticdistressfortwodays，itwaslestyoursensibilityshouldviewitinthatlight。Youcouldnotthinkofme，hardlyknewofmyexistence，whenIleftEnglandinquestofyou。Itisaresponsibility，Heavenknows，sufficientlyheavyformortality，thatwemustanswerfortheforeseenanddirectresultofouractions，-fortheirindirectandconsequentialoperation，thegreatandgoodBeing，whoalonecanforeseethedependenceofhumaneventsoneachother，hathnotpronouncedhisfrailcreaturesliable。’’
ButthatyoushouldhaveleftLadyEmily，’’saidWaverley，withmuchemotion，inthesituationofallothersthemostinterestingtoahusband，toseeka’’
Ionlydidmyduty，’’answeredColonelTalbot，calmly，andIdonot，oughtnottoregretit。Ifthepathofgratitudeandhonourwerealwayssmoothandeasy，therewouldbelittlemeritinfollowingit；butitmovesoftenincontradictiontoourinterestandpassions，andsometimestoourbetteraffections。
Thesearethetrialsoflife，andthis，thoughnottheleastbitter，’’(thetearscameunbiddentohiseyes)isnotthefirstwhichithasbeenmyfatetoencounter-Butwewilltalkofthisto-morrow，’’hesaid，wringingWaverley’shands。
Good-night；strivetoforgetitforafewhours。Itwilldawn，Ithink，bysix，anditisnowpasttwo。Good-night。’’
Edwardretired，withouttrustinghisvoicewithareply。
WhenColonelTalbotenteredthebreakfast-parlournextmorning，helearnedfromWaverley’sservantthatourherohadbeenabroadatanearlyhour，andwasnotyetreturned。Themorningwaswelladvancedbeforeheagainappeared。Hearrivedoutofbreath，butwithanairofjoythatastonishedColonelTalbot。
There，’’saidhe，throwingapaperonthetable，thereismymorning’swork-Alick，packuptheColonel’sclothes。
Makehaste，makehaste。’’
TheColonelexaminedthepaperwithastonishment。ItwasapassfromtheChevaliertoColonelTalbot，torepairtoLeith，oranyotherportinpossessionofhisRoyalHighness’stroops，andtheretoembarkforEnglandorelsewhere，athisfreepleasure；heonlygivinghisparoleofhonournottobeararmsagainstthehouseofStuartforthespaceofatwelvemonth。
InthenameofGod，’’saidtheColonel，hiseyessparklingwitheagerness，howdidyouobtainthis？’’
IwasattheChevalier’sleveeassoonasheusuallyrises。
HewasgonetothecampatDuddingston。Ipursuedhimthither；askedandobtainedanaudience-butIwilltellyounotawordmore，unlessIseeyoubegintopack。’’
BeforeIknowwhetherIcanavailmyselfofthispassport，orhowitwasobtained？’’
O，youcantakeoutthethingsagain，youknow-Now，I
seeyoubusy，Iwillgoon。WhenIfirstmentionedyourname，hiseyessparkledalmostasbrightasyoursdidtwominutessince。`Hadyou，’heearnestlyasked，`shownanysentimentsfavourabletohiscause？’`Notintheleast，norwasthereanyhopeyouwoulddoso。’Hiscountenancefell。I
requestedyourfreedom。`Impossible，’hesaid；-`yourimportance，asafriendandconfidantofsuchandsuchpersonages，mademyrequestaltogetherextravagant。’Itoldhimmyownstoryandyours；andaskedhimtojudgewhatmyfeelingsmustbebyhisown。Hehasaheart，andakindone，ColonelTalbot，youmaysaywhatyouplease。Hetookasheetofpaper，andwrotethepasswithhisownhand。`Iwillnottrustmyselfwithmycouncil，’hesaid；`theywillarguemeoutofwhatisright。Iwillnotendurethatafriend，valuedasI
valueyou，shouldbeloadedwiththepainfulreflectionswhichmustafflictyouincaseoffurthermisfortuneinColonelTalbot’sfamily；norwillIkeepabraveenemyaprisonerundersuchcircumstances。Besides，’saidhe，`IthinkIcanjustifymyselftomyprudentadvisers，bypleadingthegoodeffectsuchlenitywillproduceonthemindsofthegreatEnglishfamilieswithwhomColonelTalbotisconnected。’
Therethepoliticianpeepedout，’’saidtheColonel。
Well，atleastheconcludedlikeaking’sson-`Takethepassport；Ihaveaddedaconditionforform’ssake；butiftheColonelobjectstoit，lethimdepartwithoutgivinganyparolewhatever。Icomeheretowarwithmen，butnottodistressorendangerwomen。’’’
Well，IneverthoughttohavebeensomuchindebtedtothePretend’’
TothePrince，’’saidWaverley，smiling。
TotheChevalier，’’saidtheColonel；itisagoodtravellingname，andwhichwemaybothfreelyuse。Didhesayanythingmore？’’
Onlyaskediftherewasanythingelsehecouldobligemein；andwhenIrepliedinthenegative，heshookmebythehand，andwishedallhisfollowerswereasconsiderate，sincesomefriendsofminenotonlyaskedallhehadtobestow，butmanythingswhichwereentirelyoutofhispower，orthatofthegreatestsovereignuponearth。Indeed，hesaid，noprinceseemed，intheeyesofhisfollowers，soliketheDeityashimself，ifyouweretojudgefromtheextravagantrequestswhichtheydailypreferredtohim。’’
Pooryounggentleman！’’saidtheColonel；Isupposehebeginstofeelthedifficultiesofhissituation。Well，dearWaverley，thisismorethankind，andshallnotbeforgottenwhilePhilipTalbotcanrememberanything。Mylife-pshaw-letEmilythankyouforthat-thisisafavourworthfiftylives。Icannothesitateongivingmyparoleinthecircumstances：
thereitis-(hewroteitoutinform)-andnow，howamItogetoff？’’
Allthatissettled：yourbaggageispacked，myhorseswait，andaboathasbeenengaged，bythePrince’spermission，toputyouonboardtheFoxfrigate。IsentamessengerdowntoLeithonpurpose。’’
Thatwilldoexcellentlywell。CaptainBeaverismyparticularfriend：hewillputmeashoreatBerwickorShields，fromwhenceIcanrideposttoLondon；-andyoumustentrustmewiththepacketofpaperswhichyourecoveredbymeansofyourMissBeanLean。Imayhaveanopportunityofusingthemtoyouradvantage-ButIseeyourHighlandfriend，Glenwhatdoyoucallhisbarbarousname？andhisorderlywithhim-Imustnotcallhimhisorderlycut-throatanymore，Isuppose。Seehowhewalksasiftheworldwerehisown，withthebonnetononesideofhishead，andhisplaidpuffedoutacrosshisbreast！Ishouldlikenowtomeetthatyouthwheremyhandswerenottied：Iwouldtamehispride，orheshouldtamemine。’’
Forshame，ColonelTalbot！youswellatsightoftartan，asthebullissaidtodoatscarlet。YouandMac-Ivorhavesomepointsnotmuchunlike，sofarasnationalprejudiceisconcerned。’’
Thelatterpartofthisdiscoursetookplaceinthestreet。
TheypassedtheChief，theColonelandhesternlyandpunctiliouslygreetingeachother，liketwoduellistsbeforetheytaketheirground。Itwasevidentthedislikewasmutual。I
neverseethatsurlyfellowthatdogshisheels，’’saidtheColonel，afterhehadmountedhishorse，butheremindsmeoflinesI
havesomewhereheard-uponthestage，Ithink：-
ClosebehindhimStalkssullenBertram，likeasorcerer’sfiend，Pressingtobeemployed。’’
Iassureyou，Colonel，’’saidWaverley，thatyoujudgetooharshlyoftheHighlanders。’’
Notawhit，notawhit；Icannotsparethemajot-I
cannotbatethemanace。Letthemstayintheirownbarrenmountains，andpuffandswell，andhangtheirbonnetsonthehornsofthemoon，iftheyhaveamind：butwhatbusinesshavetheytocomewherepeoplewearbreeches，andspeakanintelligiblelanguage？Imeanintelligibleincomparisonwiththeirgibberish，foreventheLowlanderstalkakindofEnglishlittlebetterthanthenegroesinJamaica。IcouldpitythePr，ImeantheChevalierhimself，forhavingsomanydesperadoesabouthim。Andtheylearntheirtradesoearly。
Thereisakindofsubalternimp，forexample，asortofsuckingdevil，whomyourfriendGlenna-Glenamuckthere，hassometimesinhistrain。Tolookathimheisaboutfifteenyears；
butheisacenturyoldinmischiefandvillany。Hewasplayingatquoitstheotherdayinthecourt；agentleman-adecent-lookingpersonenough-camepast，andasaquoithithisshin，heliftedhiscane：butmyyoungbravowhipsouthispistol，likeBeauClincherinthetriptotheJubilee，andhadnotascreamof_Gardezl’eau_fromanupperwindowsetallpartiesascamperingforfearoftheinevitableconsequences，thepoorgentlemanwouldhavelosthislifebythehandsofthatlittlecockatrice。’’
Afinecharacteryou’llgiveofScotlanduponyourreturn，ColonelTalbot。’’
O，JusticeShallow，’’saidtheColonel，willsavemethetrouble-`Barren，barren-beggarsall，beggarsall。Marry，goodair，’-andthatonlywhenyouarefairlyoutofEdinburgh，andnotyetcometoLeith，asisourcaseatpresent。’’
Inashorttimetheyarrivedattheseaport：
TheboatrockedatthepierofLeith，Fullloudthewindblewdowntheferry；
TheshiprodeattheBerwickLaw
Farewell，Colonel；mayyoufindallasyouwouldwishit！
Perhapswemaymeetsoonerthanyouexpect：theytalkofanimmediateroutetoEngland。’’
