mustbegleavetodeposit，withallhumility，mycommissioninhisRoyalHighness’shands，andtoretirefromtheservice。Hewasnotpreparedforthis；-hetoldmetotakeupmycommission；
saidsomehandsomethingsofmyservices，andgrantedmyrequest。Youarethereforeoncemoreafreeman，andIhavepromisedforyouthatyouwillbeagoodboyinfuture，andrememberwhatyouowetothelenityofGovernment。
Thusyousee_my_princecanbeasgenerousas_yours。_
Idonotpretend，indeed，thatheconfersafavourwithalltheforeigngracesandcomplimentsofyourChevaliererrant；buthehasaplainEnglishmanner，andtheevidentreluctancewithwhichhegrantsyourrequest，indicatesthesacrificewhichhemakesofhisowninclinationtoyourwishes。Myfriend，theadjutant-general，hasprocuredmeaduplicateoftheBaron’sprotection(theoriginalbeinginMajorMelville’spossession)，whichIsendtoyou，asIknowthatifyoucanfindhimyouwillhavepleasureinbeingthefirsttocommunicatethejoyfulintelligence。HewillofcourserepairtotheDuchranwithoutlossoftime，theretoridequarantineforafewweeks。Asforyou，Igiveyouleavetoescorthimthither，andtostayaweekthere，asIunderstandacertainfairladyisinthatquarter。
AndIhavethepleasuretotellyou，thatwhateverprogressyoucanmakeinhergoodgraceswillbehighlyagreeabletoSirEverardandMrs。Rachel，whowillneverbelieveyourviewsandprospectssettled，andthethreeerminespassantinactualsafety，untilyoupresentthemwithaMrs。EdwardWaverley。
Now，certainlove-affairsofmyown-agoodmanyyearssince-interruptedsomemeasureswhichwerethenproposedinfavourofthethreeerminespassant；soIamboundinhonourtomakethemamends。Thereforemakegooduseofyourtime，forwhenyourweekisexpired，itwillbenecessarythatyougotoLondontopleadyourpardoninthelawcourts。
Ever，dearWaverley，yoursmosttruly，=PhilipTalbot。=’’
Happy’sthewooingThat’snotlongadoing。
Whenthefirstrapturoussensationoccasionedbytheseexcellenttidingshadsomewhatsubsided，EdwardproposedinstantlytogodowntotheglentoacquainttheBaronwiththeirimport。
ButthecautiousBailiejustlyobserved，thatiftheBaronweretoappearinstantlyinpublic，thetenantryandvillagersmightbecomeriotousinexpressingtheirjoy，andgiveoffencetothepowersthatbe，’’asortofpersonsforwhomtheBailiealwayshadunlimitedrespect。HethereforeproposedthatMr。WaverleyshouldgotoJanetGellatley’s，andbringtheBaronupundercloudofnighttoLittleVeolan，wherehemightoncemoreenjoytheluxuryofagoodbed。Inthemeanwhile，hesaid，hehimselfwouldgotoCaptainFoster，andshowhimtheBaron’sprotection，andobtainhiscountenanceforharbouringhimthatnight，-andhewouldhavehorsesreadyonthemorrowtosethimonhiswaytotheDuchranalongwithMr。Stanley，whilkdenomination，Iapprehend，yourhonourwillforthepresentretain，’’saidtheBailie。
Certainly，Mr。Macwheeble；butwillyounotgodowntotheglenyourselfintheeveningtomeetyourpatron？’’
ThatIwadwi’a’myheart；andmickleobligedtoyourhonourforputtingmeinmindo’myboundenduty。ButitwillbepastsunsetaforeIgetbackfraetheCaptain’s，andattheseunsonsyhourstheglenhasabadname-there’ssomethingnothatcannyaboutauldJanetGellatley。TheLairdhe’llnobelievethaethings，buthewasayeowerrashandventuresome-andfearedneithermannordeevil-andsae’sseeno’t。ButrightsureamISirGeorgeMackenyiesays，thatnodivinecandoubttherearewitches，sincetheBiblesaysthoushaltnotsufferthemtolive；andthatnolawyerinScotlandcandoubtit，sinceitispunishablewithdeathbyourlaw。Sothere’sbaithlawandgospelforit。AnhishonourwinnabelievetheLeviticus，hemightayebelievetheStatute-book；
buthemaytakhisainwayo’t-it’sa’anetoDuncanMacwheeble。
However，IshallsendtoaskupauldJanetthise’en；
it’sbestnotolightlythemthathavethatcharacter-andwe’llwantDavietoturnthespit，forI’llgarEppieputdownafatgoosetothefireforyourhonourstoyoursupper。’’
Whenitwasnearsunset，Waverleyhastenedtothehut：
andhecouldnotbutallowthatsuperstitionhadchosennoimproperlocality，orunfitobject，forthefoundationofherfantasticterrors。ItresembledexactlythedescriptionofSpenser：
There，inagloomyhollowglen，shefoundAlittlecottagebuiltofsticksandreeds，Inhomelywise，andwall’dwithsodsaround，Inwhichawitchdiddwellinloathlyweeds，Andwilfulwant，allcarelessofherneeds；
SochoosingsolitarytoabideFarfromallneighbours，thatherdevilishdeeds，Andhellisharts，frompeopleshemighthide，Andhurtfaroff，unknown，whomsoeversheespied。
Heenteredthecottagewiththeseversesinhismemory。
PooroldJanet，bentdoublewithage，andblearedwithpeat-smoke，wastotteringaboutthehutwithabirchbroom，mutteringtoherselfassheendeavouredtomakeherhearthandflooralittlecleanforthereceptionofherexpectedguests。Waverley’sstepmadeherstart，lookup，andfalla-trembling，somuchhadhernervesbeenontherackforherpatron’ssafety。WithdifficultyWaverleymadehercomprehendthattheBaronwasnowsafefrompersonaldanger；andwhenhermindhadadmittedthatjoyfulnews，itwasequallyhardtomakeherbelievethathewasnottoenteragainuponpossessionofhisestate。
Itbehovedtobe，’’shesaid，hewadgetitbackagain；naebodywadbesaegrippleastotakhisgearaftertheyhadgi’enhimapardon；andforthatInch-Grabbit，Icouldwhileswishmysellawitchforhissake，ifIwerenafearedtheEnemywadtakmeatmyword。’’Waverleythengavehersomemoney，andpromisedthatherfidelityshouldberewarded。HowcanIberewarded，sir，saeweel，asjusttoseemyauldmaisterandMissRosecomebackandbruiktheirain？’’
WaverleynowtookleaveofJanet，andsoonstoodbeneaththeBaron’sPatmos。Atalowwhistle，heobservedtheveteranpeepingouttoreconnoitre，likeanoldbadgerwithhisheadoutofhishole。Yehaecomeratherearly，mygoodlad，’’saidhe，descending；Iquestionifthered-coatshaebeatthetattooyet，andwe’renotsafetillthen。’’
Goodnewscannotbetoldtoosoon，’’saidWaverley；andwithinfinitejoycommunicatedtohimthehappytidings。
Theoldmanstoodforamomentinsilentdevotion，thenexclaimed，PraisebetoGod！-Ishallseemybairnagain。’’
Andnever，Ihope，topartwithhermore，’’saidWaverley。
ItrustinGod，not，unlessitbetowinthemeansofsupportingher；
formythingsarebutinabrucklestate；-butwhatsignifieswarld’sgear？’’
Andif，’’saidWaverley，modestly，therewereasituationinlifewhichwouldputMissBradwardinebeyondtheuncertaintyoffortune，andintheranktowhichshewasborn，wouldyouobjecttoit，mydearBaron，becauseitwouldmakeoneofyourfriendsthehappiestmanintheworld？’’TheBaronturned，andlookedathimwithgreatearnestness。Yes，’’continuedEdward，Ishallnotconsidermysentenceofbanishmentasrepealed，unlessyouwillgivemepermissiontoaccompanyyoutotheDuchran，and’’
TheBaronseemedcollectingallhisdignitytomakeasuitablereplytowhat，atanothertime，hewouldhavetreatedasthepropoundingatreatyofalliancebetweenthehousesofBradwardineandWaverley。Buthiseffortswereinvain；thefatherwastoomightyfortheBaron；theprideofbirthandrankweresweptaway：inthejoyfulsurprise，aslightconvulsionpassedrapidlyoverhisfeatures，ashegavewaytothefeelingsofnature，threwhisarmsaroundWaverley’sneck，andsobbedout，-Myson！myson！ifIhadbeentosearchtheworld，I
wouldhavemademychoicehere。’’Edwardreturnedtheembracewithgreatsympathyoffeeling，andforalittlewhiletheybothkeptsilence。AtlengthitwasbrokenbyEdward。
ButMissBradwardine？’’
Shehadneverawillbutheroldfather’s；besides，youarealikelyyouth，ofhonestprinciples，andhighbirth；no，sheneverhadanyotherwillthanmine，andinmyproudestdaysIcouldnothavewishedamaireligibleespousalforherthanthenephewofmyexcellentoldfriend，SirEverard-ButI
hope，youngman，yedealnarashlyinthismatter？Ihopeyehaesecuredtheapprobationofyourainfriendsandallies，particularlyofyouruncle，whois_inlocoparentis？_Ah！wemauntakheedo’that。’’EdwardassuredhimthatSirEverardwouldthinkhimselfhighlyhonouredintheflatteringreceptionhisproposalhadmetwith，andthatithadhisentireapprobation；
inevidenceofwhich，heputColonelTalbot’sletterintotheBaron’shand。TheBaronreaditwithgreatattention。
SirEverard，’’hesaid，alwaysdespisedwealthincomparisonofhonourandbirth；andindeedhehadnooccasiontocourtthe_DivaPecunia。_YetInowwish，sincethisMalcolmturnsoutsuchaparricide，forIcancallhimnobetter，astothinkofalienatingthefamilyinheritance-Inowwish(hiseyesfixedonapartoftheroofwhichwasvisibleabovethetrees)thatIcouldhaveleftRosetheauldhurley-house，andtheriggsbelongingtoit-Andyet，’’saidhe，resumingmorecheerfully，it’smaybeasweelasitis；for，asBaronofBradwardine，I
mighthavethoughtitmydutytoinsistuponcertaincompliancesrespectingnameandbearings，whilknow，asalandlesslairdwi’atocherlessdaughter，noonecanblamemefordepartingfrom。’’
Now，Heavenbepraised！’’thoughtEdward，thatSirEverarddoesnothearthesescruples！-thethreeerminespassantandrampantbearwouldcertainlyhavegonetogetherbytheears。’’Hethen，withalltheardourofayounglover，assuredtheBaron，thathesoughtforhishappinessonlyinRose’sheartandhand，andthoughthimselfashappyinherfather’ssimpleapprobation，asifhehadsettledanearldomuponhisdaughter。
TheynowreachedLittleVeolan。Thegoosewassmokingonthetable，andtheBailiebrandishedhisknifeandfork。A
joyousgreetingtookplacebetweenhimandhispatron。Thekitchen，too，haditscompany。AuldJanetwasestablishedattheingle-nook；Daviehadturnedthespittohisimmortalhonour；andevenBanandBuscar，intheliberalityofMacwheeble’sjoy，hadbeenstuffedtothethroatwithfood，andnowlaysnoringonthefloor。
ThenextdayconductedtheBaronandhisyoungfriendtotheDuchran，wheretheformerwasexpected，inconsequenceofthesuccessofthenearlyunanimousapplicationoftheScottishfriendsofGovernmentinhisfavour。Thishadbeensogeneralandsopowerfulthatitwasalmostthoughthisestatemighthavebeensaved，haditnotpassedintotherapacioushandsofhisunworthykinsman，whoseright，arisingoutoftheBaron’sattainder，couldnotbeaffectedbyapardonfromthecrown。
Theoldgentleman，however，said，withhisusualspirit，hewasmoregratifiedbytheholdhepossessedinthegoodopinionofhisneighboursthanhewouldhavebeeninbeingrehabilitatedandrestored_inintegrum，_haditbeenfoundpracticable。’’
Weshallnotattempttodescribethemeetingofthefatheranddaughter-lovingeachothersoaffectionately，andseparatedtundersuchperilouscircumstances。StilllessshallweattempttoanalyzethedeepblushofRoseatreceivingthecomplimentsofWaverley，orstoptoinquirewhethershehadanycuriosityrespectingtheparticularcauseofhisjourneytoScotlandatthatperiod。WeshallnoteventroublethereaderwiththehumdrumdetailsofacourtshipSixtyYearssince。Itisenoughtosay，thatundersostrictamartinetastheBaronallthingswere，conductedindueform。Hetookuponhimself，themorningaftertheirarrival，thetaskofannouncingtheproposalofWaverleytoRose，whichsheheardwithaproperdegreeofmaidentimidity。Famedoes，however，say，thatWaverleyhad，theeveningbefore，foundfiveminutestoapprizeherofwhatwascoming，whiletherestofthecompanywerelookingatthreetwistedserpentswhichformeda_jetd’eau_inthegarden。
Myfairreaderswilljudgeforthemselves；but，formypart，Icannotconceivehowsoimportantanaffaircouldbecommunicatedinsoshortaspaceoftime；atleast，itcertainlytookafullhourintheBaron’smodeofconveyingit。
Waverleywasnowconsideredasareceivedloverinalltheforms。Hewasmade，bydintofsmirkingandnoddingonthepartoftheladyofthehouse，tositnexttoMissBradwardineatdinner，tobeMissBradwardine’spartneratcards。Ifhecameintotheroom，sheofthefourMissRubrickswhochancedtobenextRosewassuretorecollectthatherthimble，orherscissors，wereattheotherendoftheroom，inordertoleavetheseatnearesttoMissBradwardinevacantforhisoccupation。
