Themummery，too，ofexposingthesenselesshead-theyhavenotthewittograceminewithapapercoronet；therewouldbesomesatireinthat，Edward。IhopetheywillsetitontheScotchgatethough，thatImaylook，evenafterdeath，tothebluehillsofmyowncountry，whichIlovesodearly。TheBaronwouldhaveadded，Moritur，etmoriensdulces，reminisciturArgos。’’
Abustle，andthesoundofwheelsandhorses’feet，wasnowheardinthecourt-yardoftheCastle。AsIhavetoldyouwhyyoumustnotfollowme，andthesesoundsadmonishmethatmytimefliesfast，tellmehowyoufoundpoorFlora？’’
Waverley，withavoiceinterruptedbysuffocatingsensations，gavesomeaccountofthestateofhermind。
PoorFlora！’’answeredtheChief，Shecouldhaveborneherownsentenceofdeath，butnotmine。You，Waverley，willsoonknowthehappinessofmutualaffectioninthemarriedstate-long，long，mayRoseandyouenjoyit！-butyoucanneverknowthepurityoffeelingwhichcombinestwoorphans，likeFloraandme，leftaloneasitwereintheworld，andbeingallinalltoeachotherfromourveryinfancy。Butherstrongsenseofduty，andpredominantfeelingofloyalty，willgivenewnervetohermindaftertheimmediateandacutesensationofthispartinghaspassedaway。ShewillthenthinkofFergusasoftheheroesofourrace，uponwhosedeedsshelovedtodwell。’’
Shallshenotseeyou，then？’’askedWaverley。Sheseemedtoexpectit。’’
Anecessarydeceitwillspareherthelastdreadfulparting：
Icouldnotpartwithherwithouttears，andIcannotbearthatthesemenshouldthinktheyhavepowertoextortthem。Shewasmadetobelieveshewouldseemeatalaterhour，andthisletter，whichmyconfessorwilldeliver，willappriseherthatallisover。’’
Anofficernowappeared，andintimatedthattheHighSheriffandhisattendantswaitedbeforethegateoftheCastle，toclaimthebodiesofFergusMac-IvorandEvanMaccombich。I
come，’’saidFergus。Accordingly，supportingEdwardbythearm，andfollowedbyEvanDhuandthepriest，hemoveddownthestairsofthetower，thesoldiersbringinguptherear。Thecourtwasoccupiedbyasquadronofdragoonsandabattalionofinfantry，drawnupinhollowsquare。Withintheirrankswasthesledge，orhurdle，onwhichtheprisonersweretobedrawntotheplaceofexecution，aboutamiledistantfromCarlisle。Itwaspaintedblack，anddrawnbyawhitehorse。
AtoneendofthevehiclesattheExecutioner，ahorrid-lookingfellow，asbeseemedhistrade，withthebroadaxeinhishand；
attheotherend，nextthehorse，wasanemptyseatfortwopersons。ThroughthedeepanddarkGothicarchway，thatopenedonthedrawbridge，wereseenonhorsebacktheHighSheriffandhisattendants，whomtheetiquettebetwixtthecivilandmilitarypowersdidnotpermittocomefarther。Thisiswell=gotup=foraclosingscene，’’saidFergus，smilingdisdainfullyashegazedaroundupontheapparatusofterror。
EvanDhuexclaimedwithsomeeagerness，afterlookingatthedragoons，ThesearetheverychieldsthatgallopedoffatGladsmuir，beforewecouldkilladozeno’them。Theylookboldenoughnow，however。’’Thepriestentreatedhimtobesilent。
Thesledgenowapproached，andFergusturninground，embracedWaverley，kissedhimoneachsideoftheface，andsteppednimblyintohisplace。Evansatdownbyhisside。
Thepriestwastofollowinacarriagebelongingtohispatron，theCatholicgentlemanatwhosehouseFloraresided。AsFerguswavedhishandtoEdward，theranksclosedaroundthesledge，andthewholeprocessionbegantomoveforward。Therewasamomentarystopatthegateway，whilethegovernoroftheCastleandtheHighSheriffwentthroughashortceremony，themilitaryofficertheredeliveringoverthepersonsofthecriminalstothecivilpower。GodsaveKingGeorge！’’saidtheHighSheriff，Whentheformalityconcluded，Fergusstooderectinthesledge，andwithafirmandsteadyvoice，replied，GodsaveKing_James！_’’ThesewerethelastwordswhichWaverleyheardhimspeak。
Theprocessionresumeditsmarch，andthesledgevanishedfrombeneaththeportal，underwhichithadstoppedforaninstant。Thedeadmarchwasthenheard，anditsmelancholysoundsweremingledwiththoseofamuffledpeal，tolledfromtheneighbouringcathedral。Thesoundofthemilitarymusicdiedawayastheprocessionmovedon-thesullenclangofthebellswassoonheardtosoundalone。
Thelastofthesoldiershadnowdisappearedfromunderthevaultedarchwaythroughwhichtheyhadbeenfilingforseveralminutes；thecourt-yardwasnowtotallyempty，butWaverleystillstoodthereasifstupefied，hiseyesfixeduponthedarkpasswherehehadsolatelyseenthelastglimpseofhisfriend。
Atlength，afemaleservantofthegovernor’s，struckwithcompassionatthestupefiedmiserywhichhiscountenanceexpressed，askedhimifhewouldnotwalkintohermaster’shouseandsitdown？Shewasobligedtorepeatherquestiontwiceerehecomprehendedher，butatlengthitrecalledhimtohimself。Decliningthecourtesybyahastygesture，hepulledhishatoverhiseyes，and，leavingtheCastle，walkedasswiftlyashecouldthroughtheemptystreets，tillheregainedhisinn，thenrushedintoanapartment，andboltedthedoor。
Inaboutanhourandahalf，whichseemedanageofunutterablesuspense，thesoundofthedrumsandfifes，performingalivelyair，andtheconfusedmurmurofthecrowdwhichnowfilledthestreets，solatelydeserted，apprizedhimthatallwasfinished，andthatthemilitaryandpopulacewerereturningfromthedreadfulscene。Iwillnotattempttodescribehissensations。
Intheeveningthepriestmadehimavisit，andinformedhimthathedidsobydirectionsofhisdeceasedfriend，toassurehimthatFergusMac-Ivorhaddiedashelived，andrememberedhisfriendshiptothelast。Headded，hehadalsoseenFlora，whosestateofmindseemedmorecomposedsinceallwasover。Withher，andsisterTheresa，thepriestproposednextdaytoleaveCarlisle，forthenearestseaportfromwhichtheycouldembarkforFrance。Waverleyforcedonthisgoodmanaringofsomevalue，andasumofmoneytobeemployed(ashethoughtmightgratifyFlora)intheservicesoftheCatholicchurch，forthememoryofhisfriend。_Fungarqueinanimunere，_’’herepeated，astheecclesiasticretired。Yetwhynotclasstheseactsofremembrancewithotherhonours，withwhichaffection，inallsects，pursuesthememoryofthedead？’’
Thenextmorning，ereday-light，hetookleaveofthetownofCarlisle，promisingtohimselfneveragaintoenteritswalls。
HedaredhardlylookbacktowardstheGothicbattlementsofthefortifiedgateunderwhichhepassed(fortheplaceissurroundedwithanoldwall。)They’renothere，’’saidAlickPolwarth，whoguessedthecauseofthedubiouslookwhichWaverleycastbackward，andwho，withthevulgarappetiteforthehorrible，wasmasterofeachdetailofthebutchery-theheadsareowertheScotchgate，astheyca’it。It’sagreatpityofEvanDhu，whowasaveryweel-meaning，good-naturedman，tobeaHielandman；andindeedsowastheLairdo’
Glennaquoichtoo，forthatmatter，whenhewasnainaneo’histirrivies。’’
TheimpressionofhorrorwithwhichWaverleyleftCarlislesoftenedbydegreesintomelancholy-agradationwhichwasacceleratedbythepainful，yetsoothingtaskofwritingtoRose；
and，whilehecouldnotsuppresshisownfeelingsofthecalamity，heendeavouredtoplaceitinalightwhichmightgrieveherwithoutshockingherimagination。Thepicturewhichhedrewforherbenefithegraduallyfamiliarisedtohisownmind；andhisnextlettersweremorecheerful，andreferredtotheprospectsofpeaceandhappinesswhichlaybeforethem。Yet，thoughhisfirsthorriblesensationshadsunkintomelancholy，Edwardhadreachedhisnativecountybeforehecould，asusualonformeroccasions，lookroundforenjoymentuponthefaceofnature。
Hethen，forthefirsttimesinceleavingEdinburgh，begantoexperiencethatpleasurewhichalmostallfeelwhoreturntoaverdant，populous，andhighlycultivatedcountry，fromscenesofwastedesolation，orofsolitaryandmelancholygrandeur。Buthowwerethosefeelingsenhancedwhenheenteredonthedomainsolongpossessedbyhisforefathers；recognisedtheoldoaksofWaverley-Chase；thoughtwithwhatdelightheshouldintroduceRosetoallhisfavouritehaunts；beheldatlengththetowersofthevenerablehallariseabovethewoodswhichemboweredit，andfinallythrewhimselfintothearmsofthevenerablerelationstowhomheowedsomuchdutyandaffection！
Thehappinessoftheirmeetingwasnottarnishedbyasinglewordofreproach。Onthecontrary，whateverpainSirEverardandMrs。RachelhadfeltduringWaverley’sperilousengagementwiththeyoungChevalier，itassortedtoowellwiththeprinciplesinwhichtheyhadbeenbroughtup，toincurreprobation，orevencensure。ColonelTalbotalsohadsmoothedtheway，withgreataddress，forEdward’sfavourablereception，bydwellinguponhisgallantbehaviourinthemilitarycharacter，particularlyhisbraveryandgenerosityatPreston；until，warmedattheideaoftheirnephew’sengaginginsinglecombat，makingprisoner，andsayingfromslaughtersodistinguishedanofficerastheColonelhimself，theimaginationoftheBaronetandhissisterrankedtheexploitsofEdwardwiththoseofWilibert，Hildebrand，andNigel，thevauntedheroesoftheirline。
TheappearanceofWaverley，embrownedbyexercise，anddignifiedbythehabitsofmilitarydiscipline，hadacquiredanathleticandhardycharacter，whichnotonlyverifiedtheColonel’snarration，butsurprisedanddelightedalltheinhabitantsofWaverley-Honour。Theycrowdedtosee，tohearhim，andtosinghispraises。Mr。Pembroke，whosecretlyextolledhisspiritandcourageinembracingthegenuinecauseoftheChurchofEngland，censuredhispupilgently，nevertheless，forbeingsocarelessofhismanuscripts，whichindeedhesaid，hadoccasionedhimsomepersonalinconvenience，as，upontheBaronet’sbeingarrestedbyaking’smessenger，hehaddeemeditprudenttoretiretoaconcealmentcalledThePriest’sHole，’’fromtheuseithadbeenputtoinformerdays；whereheassuredourhero，thebutlerhadthoughtitsafetoventurewithfoodonlyonceintheday，sothathehadbeenrepeatedlycompelledtodineuponvictualseitherabsolutelycold，or，whatwasworse，onlyhalfwarm，nottomentionthatsometimeshisbedhadnotbeenarrangedfortwodaystogether。Waverley’smindinvoluntarilyturnedtothePatmosoftheBaronofBradwardine，whowaswellpleasedwithJanet’sfare，andafewbunchesofstrawstowedinacleftinthefrontofasand-cliff：buthemadenoremarksuponacontrastwhichcouldonlymortifyhisworthytutor。
AllwasnowinabustletoprepareforthenuptialsofEdward，aneventtowhichthegoodoldBaronetandMrs。
Rachellookedforwardasiftotherenewaloftheirownyouth。
Thematch，asColonelTalbothadintimated，hadseemedtotheminthehighestdegreeeligible，havingeveryrecommendationbutwealth，ofwhichtheythemselveshadmorethanenough。
Mr。ClippursewasthereforesummonedtoWaverley-Honour，underbetterauspicesthanatthecommencementofourstory。
ButMr。Clippursecamenotalone；for，beingnowstrickeninyears，hehadassociatedwithhimanephew，ayoungervulture(asourEnglishJuvenal，whotellsthetaleofSwallowtheattorney，mighthavecalledhim)，andtheynowcarriedonbusinessasMessrs。ClippurseandHookem。Theseworthygentlemenhaddirectionstomakethenecessarysettlementsonthemostsplendidscaleofliberality，asifEdwardweretowedapeeressinherownright，withherpaternalestatetackedtothefringeofherermine。
Butbeforeenteringuponasubjectofproverbialdelay，I
mustremindmyreaderoftheprogressofastonerolleddownhillbyanidletruantboy(apastimeatwhichIwasmyselfexpertinmymorejuvenileyears)：itmovesatfirstslowly，avoidingbyinflectioneveryobstacleoftheleastimportance；
butwhenithasattaineditsfullimpulse，anddrawsneartheconclusionofitscareer，itsmokesandthundersdown，takingaroodateveryspring，clearinghedgeandditchlikeaYorkshirehuntsman，andbecomingmostfuriouslyrapidinitscoursewhenitisnearesttobeingconsignedtorestforever。Evensuchisthecourseofanarrativelikethatwhichyouareperusing。Theearliereventsarestudiouslydweltupon，thatyou，kindreader，maybeintroducedtothecharacterratherbynarrative，thanbythedullermediumofdirectdescription；butwhenthestorydrawsnearitsclose，wehurryoverthecircumstances，howeverimportant，whichyourimaginationmusthaveforestalled，andleaveyoutosupposethosethingswhichitwouldbeabusingyourpatiencetorelateatlength。
