Andthis，then，wasthylastfield，’’saidWaverleytohimself，hiseyefillingattherecollectionofthemanysplendidpointsofFergus’scharacter，andoftheirformerintimacy，allhispassionsandimperfectionsforgotten-HerefellthelastVichIanVohr，onanamelessheath；andinanobscurenight-skirmishwasquenchedthatardentspirit，whothoughtitlittletocutawayforhismastertotheBritishthrone！Ambition，policy，bravery，allfarbeyondtheirsphere，herelearnedthefateofmortals。Thesolesupport，too，ofasister，whosespirit，asproudandunbending，wasevenmoreexaltedthanthineown；hereendedallthyhopesforFlora，andthelongandvaluedlinewhichitwasthyboasttoraiseyetmorehighlybythyadventurousvalour！’’
AstheseideaspressedonWaverley’smind，heresolvedtogoupontheopenheath，andsearchif，amongtheslain，hecoulddiscoverthebodyofhisfriend，withthepiousintentionofprocuringforhimthelastritesofsepulture。Thetimorousyoungmanwhoaccompaniedhimremonstrateduponthedangeroftheattempt，butEdwardwasdetermined。Thefollowersofthecamphadalreadystrippedthedeadofalltheycouldcarryaway；butthecountrypeople，unusedtoscenesofblood，hadnotyetapproachedthefieldofaction，thoughsomestoodfearfullygazingatadistance。Aboutsixtyorseventydragoonslayslainwithinthefirstenclosure，uponthehighroad，andontheopenmoor。OftheHighlanders，notaboveadozenhadfallen，chieflythosewho，venturingtoofaronthemoor，couldnotregainthestrongground。HecouldnotfindthebodyofFergusamongtheslain。Onalittleknoll，separatedfromtheothers，laythecarcassesofthreeEnglishdragoons，twohorses，andthepageCallumBeg，whosehardskullatrooper’sbroadswordhad，atlength，effectuallycloven。ItwaspossiblehisclanhadcarriedoffthebodyofFergus；butitwasalsopossiblehehadescaped，especiallyasEvanDhu，whowouldneverleavehischief，wasnotfoundamongthedead；orhemightbeprisoner，andthelessformidabledenunciationinferredfromtheappearanceoftheBodachGlasmighthaveprovedthetrueone。Theapproachofaparty，sentforthepurposeofcompellingthecountrypeopletoburythedead，andwhohadalreadyassembledseveralpeasantsforthatpurpose，nowobligedEdwardtorejoinhisguide，whoawaitedhimingreatanxietyandfearundershadeoftheplantations。
Afterleavingthisfieldofdeath，therestoftheirjourneywashappilyaccomplished。AtthehouseofFarmerWilliams，Edwardpassedforayoungkinsman，educatedforthechurch，whowascometoresidetheretilltheciviltumultspermittedhimtopassthroughthecountry。ThissilencedsuspicionamongthekindandsimpleyeomanryofCumberland，andaccountedsufficientlyforthegravemannersandretiredhabitsofthenewguest。TheprecautionbecamemorenecessarythanWaverleyhadanticipated，asavarietyofincidentsprolongedhisstayatFasthwaite，asthefarmwascalled。
Atremendousfallofsnowrenderedhisdepartureimpossibleformorethantendays。Whentheroadsbegantobecomealittlepracticable，theysuccessivelyreceivednewsoftheretreatoftheChevalierintoScotland；then，thathehadabandonedthefrontiers，retiringuponGlasgow；andthattheDukeofCumberlandhadformedthesiegeofCarlisle。Hisarmy，therefore，cutoffallpossibilityofWaverley’sescapingintoScotlandinthatdirection。Ontheeasternborder，MarshalWade，withalargeforce，wasadvancinguponEdinburgh；
andallalongthefrontier，partiesofmilitia，volunteers，andpartisans，wereinarmstosuppressinsurrection，andapprehendsuchstragglersfromtheHighlandarmyashadbeenleftinEngland。ThesurrenderofCarlisle，andtheseveritywithwhichtherebelgarrisonwerethreatened，soonformedalladditionalreasonagainstventuringuponasolitaryandhopelessjourneythroughahostilecountryandalargearmy，tocarrytheassistanceofasingleswordtoacausewhichseemedaltogetherdesperate。
Inthislonelyandsecludedsituation，withouttheadvantageofcompanyorconversationwithmenofcultivatedminds，theargumentsofColonelTalbotoftenrecurredtothemindofourhero。Astillmoreanxiousrecollectionhauntedhisslumbers-itwasthedyinglookandgestureofColonelGardiner。Mostdevoutlydidhehope，astherarelyoccurringpostbroughtnewsofskirmisheswithvarioussuccess，thatitmightneveragainbehislottodrawhisswordincivilconflict。ThenhismindturnedtothesupposeddeathofFergus，tothedesolatesituationofFlora，and，withyetmoretenderrecollection，tothatofRoseBradwardine，whowasdestituteofthedevotedenthusiasmofloyalty，which，toherfriend，hallowedandexaltedmisfortune。
Thesereverieshewaspermittedtoenjoy，undisturbedbyqueriesorinterruption-anditwasinmanyawinterwalkbytheshoresofUllswater，thatheacquiredamorecompletemasteryofaspirittamedbyadversitythanhisformerexperiencehadgivenhim；andthathefelthimselfentitledtosayfirmly，thoughperhapswithasigh，thattheromanceofhislifewasended，andthatitsrealhistoryhadnowcommenced。Hewassooncalledupontojustifyhispretensionsbyreasonandphilosophy。
ThefamilyatFasthwaiteweresoonattachedtoEdward。
Hehad，indeed，thatgentlenessandurbanitywhichalmostuniversallyattractscorrespondingkindness；andtotheirsimpleideashislearninggavehimconsequence，andhissorrowsinterest。
Thelastheascribed，evasively，tothelossofabrotherintheskirmishnearClifton；andinthatprimitivestateofsociety，wherethetiesofaffectionwerehighlydeemedof，hiscontinueddepressionexcitedsympathy，butnotsurprise。
IntheendofJanuary，hismorelivelypowerswerecalledoutbythehappyunionofEdwardWilliams，thesonofhishost，withCicelyJopson。Ourherowouldnotcloudwithsorrowthefestivityattendingtheweddingoftwopersonstowhomhewassohighlyobliged。Hethereforeexertedhimself，danced，sung，playedatthevariousgamesoftheday，andwastheblithestofthecompany。Thenextmorning，however，hehadmoreseriousmatterstothinkof。
Theclergymanwhohadmarriedtheyoungcouplewassomuchpleasedwiththesupposedstudentofdivinity，thathecamenextdayfromPenrithonpurposetopayhimavisit。
Thismighthavebeenapuzzlingchapterhadheenteredintoanyexaminationofourhero’ssupposedtheologicalstudies；butfortunatelyhelovedbettertohearandcommunicatethenewsoftheday。Hebroughtwithhimtwoorthreeoldnewspapers，inoneofwhichEdwardfoundapieceofintelligencethatsoonrenderedhimdeaftoeverywordwhichtheReverendMr。
Twigtythewassayinguponthenewsfromthenorth，andtheprospectoftheDuke’sspeedilyovertakingandcrushingtherebels。Thiswasanarticleinthese，ornearlythesewords：
Diedathishouse，inHillStreet，BerkeleySquare，uponthe10thinst。，RichardWaverley，Esq。，secondsonofSirGilesWaverleyofWaverley-Honour，etc。etc。Hediedofalingeringdisorder，augmentedbytheunpleasantpredicamentofsuspicioninwhichhestood，havingbeenobligedtofindbailtoahighamount，tomeetanimpendingaccusationofhigh-treason。Anaccusationofthesamegravecrimehangsoverhiselderbrother，SirEverardWaverley，therepresentativeofthatancientfamily；
andweunderstandthedayofhistrialwillbefixedearlyinthenextmonthunlessEdwardWaverley，sonofthedeceasedRichard，andheirtotheBaronet，shallsurrenderhimselftojustice。Inthatcase，weareassured，itishisMajesty’sgraciouspurposetodropfurtherproceedingsuponthechargeagainstSirEverard。ThisunfortunateyounggentlemanisascertainedtohavebeeninarmsinthePretender’sservice，andtohavemarchedalongwiththeHighlandtroopsintoEngland。ButhehasnotbeenheardofsincetheskirmishatClifton，onthe18thDecemberlast。’’
Suchwasthisdistractingparagraph-GoodGod！’’exclaimedWaverley，amIthenaparricide？-Impossible！Myfather，whonevershowedtheaffectionofafatherwhilehelived，cannothavebeensomuchaffectedbymysupposeddeathastohastenhisown。No，Iwillnotbelieveit，-itweredistractiontoentertainforamomentsuchahorribleidea。Butitwere，ifpossible，worsethanparricidetosufferanydangertohangovermynobleandgenerousuncle，whohaseverbeenmoretomethanafather，ifsuchevilcanbeavertedbyanysacrificeonmypart！’’
WhilethesereflectionspassedlikethestingsofscorpionsthroughWaverley’ssensorium，theworthydivinewasstartledinalongdisquisitiononthebattleofFalkirkbytheghastlinesswhichtheycommunicatedtohislooks，andaskedhimifhewasill。Fortunatelythebride，allsmirkandblush，hadjustenteredtheroom。Mrs。Williamswasnoneofthebrightestofwomen，butshewasgood-natured，andreadilyconcludingthatEdwardhadbeenshockedbydisagreeablenewsinthepapers，interferedsojudiciously，that，withoutexcitingsuspicion，shedrewoffMr。Twigtythe’sattention，andengagedituntilhesoonaftertookhisleave。Waverleythenexplainedtohisfriends，thathewasunderthenecessityofgoingtoLondonwithaslittledelayaspossible。
Onecauseofdelay，however，didoccur，towhichWaverleyhadbeenverylittleaccustomed。Hispurse，thoughwellstockedwhenhefirstwenttoTully-Veolan，hadnotbeenreinforcedsincethatperiod；andalthoughhislifesincehadnotbeenofanaturetoexhaustithastily(forhehadlivedchieflywithhisfriendsorwiththearmy)，yethefound，that，aftersettlingwithhiskindlandlord，heshouldbetoopoortoencountertheexpenseoftravellingpost。Thebestcoursetherefore，seemedtobe，togetintothegreatnorthroadaboutBoroughbridge，andtheretakeaplaceintheNorthernDiligence，-ahugeold-fashionedtub，drawnbythreehorses，whichcompletedthejourneyfromEdinburghtoLondon(Godwilling，astheadvertisementexpressedit)inthreeweeks。Ourhero，therefore，tookanaffectionatefarewellofhisCumberlandfriends，whosekindnesshepromisednevertoforget，andtacitlyhopedonedaytoacknowledgebysubstantialproofsofgratitude。
Aftersomepettydifficulties，andvexatiousdelays，andafterputtinghisdressintoashapebetterbefittinghisrank，thoughperfectlyplainandsimple，heaccomplishedcrossingthecountry，andfoundhimselfinthedesiredvehicle，vis-
-vistoMrs。Nosebag，theladyofLieutenantNosebag，adjutantandriding-masterofthedragoons，-ajollywomanofaboutfifty，wearingabluehabit，facedwithscarlet，andgraspingasilver-mountedhorsewhip。
Thisladywasoneofthoseactivemembersofsocietywhotakeuponthem_fairelefraisdelaconversation。_Shehadjustreturnedfromthenorth，andinformedEdwardhownearlyherregimenthadcutthepetticoatpeopleintoribandsatFalkirk，onlysomehowtherewasoneofthosenasty，awkwardmarshes，thattheyareneverwithoutinScotland，Ithink，andsoourpoordearlittleregimentsufferedsomething，asmyNosebagsays，inthatunsatisfactoryaffair。You，sir，haveservedinthedragoons？’’Waverleywastakensomuchatunawares，thatheacquiesced。
O，Iknewitatonce；Isawyouweremilitaryfromyourair，andIamsureyoucouldbenoneofthefoot-wobblers，asmyNosebagcallsthem。Whatregimentpray？’’Herewasadelightfulquestion。Waverley，however，justlyconcludedthatthisgoodladyhadthewholearmy-listbyheart；and，toavoiddetection，byadheringtotruth，answered-Gardiner’sdragoons，ma’am；butIhaveretiredsometime。’’
Oaye，thoseaswontheraceatthebattleofPreston，asmyNosebagsays。Pray，sir，wereyouthere？’’
Iwassounfortunate，madam，’’hereplied，astowitnessthatengagement。’’
AndthatwasamisfortunethatfewofGardiner’sstoodtowitness，Ibelieve，sir-ha！ha！ha！-Ibegyourpardon；butasoldier’swifelovesajoke。’’
Devilconfoundyou！’’thoughtWaverley；whatinfernalluckhaspennedmeupwiththisinquisitivehag！’’
Fortunatelythegoodladydidnotsticklongtoonesubject。
WearecomingtoFerrybridge，now，’’shesaid，wheretherewasapartyofourslefttosupportthebeadles，andconstables，andjustices，andthesesortofcreaturesthatareexaminingpapersandstoppingrebels，andallthat。’’TheywerehardlyintheinnbeforeshedraggedWaverleytothewindow，exclaiming，YondercomesCorporalBridoon，ofourpoordeartroop；he’scomingwiththeconstableman：Bridoon’soneofmylambs，asNosebagcalls’em。Come，Mr。a-a，-pray，what’syourname，sir？’’
Butler，ma`am，’’saidWaverley，resolvedrathertomakefreewiththenameofaformerfellow-officer，thanruntheriskofdetectionbyinventingonenottobefoundintheregiment。
O，yougotatrooplately，whenthatshabbyfellow，Waverley，wentovertotherebels。Lord，IwishouroldcrossCaptainCrumpwouldgoovertotherebels，thatNosebagmightgetthetroop！-Lord，whatcanBridoonbestandingswingingonthebridgefor？I’llbehangedifhea’nthazy，asNosebagsays-
Come，sir，asyouandIbelongtotheservice，we’llgoputtherascalinmindofhisduty。’’