ForGod’ssake，tothepoint，sir-Ihaveallthatbyheart，’’
saidtheColonel。
ToCosmoComyneBradwardine，Esq。，’’pursuedtheBailie，hisheirsandassignees，simplyandirredeemably-tobeheldeither_ameveldeme_’’
Prayreadshort，sir。’’
Ontheconscienceofanhonestman，Colonel，Ireadasshortasisconsistentwithstyle-Uudertheburdenandreservationalways’’
Mr。Macwheeble，thiswouldoutlastaRussianwinter-Givemeleave。Inshort，Mr。Bradwardine，yourfamilyestateisyourownoncemoreinfullproperty，andatyourabsolutedisposal，butonlyburdenedwiththesumadvancedtorepurchaseit，whichIunderstandisutterlydisproportionedtoitsvalue。’’
Anauldsang-anauldsang，ifitpleaseyourhonours，’’
criedtheBailie，rubbinghishands；-lookattherental-book。’’
WhichsumbeingadvancedbyMr。EdwardWaverley，chieflyfromthepriceofhisfather’spropertywhichIboughtfromhim，issecuredtohisladyyourdaughter，andherfamilybythismarriage。’’
ItisaCatholicsecurity，’’shoutedtheBailie，toRoseComyneBradwardine，_alias_Wauverley，inliferent，andthechildrenofthesaidmarriageinfee；andImadeupaweebitminuteofanantenuptialcontract，_intuitumatrimonij，_soitcannotbesubjecttoreductionhereafter，asadonation_intervirumetuxorem。_’’
ItisdifficulttosaywhethertheworthyBaronwasmostdelightedwiththerestitutionofhisfamilyproperty，orwiththedelicacyandgenerositythatlefthimunfetteredtopursuehispurposeindisposingofitafterhisdeath，andwhichavoided，asmuchaspossible，eventheappearanceoflayinghimunderpecuniaryobligation。Whenhisfirstpauseofjoyandastonishmentwasover，histhoughtsturnedtotheunworthyheir-male，who，hepronounced，hadsoldhisbirthright，likeEsau，foramesso’pottage。’’
Butwhacookittheparritchforhim？’’exclaimedtheBailie；Iwadliketokenthat-whabutyourhonour’stocommand，DuncanMacwheeble？Hishonour，youngMr。
Wauverley，putita’intomyhandfraethebeginning-fraethefirstcallingo’thesummons，asImaysay。Icircumventedthem-Iplayedatbogleaboutthebushwi’them-Icajoledthem；andifIhavenagienInch-GrabbitandJamieHowieabonniebegunk，theykenthemselves。Himawriter！Ididnagaeslapdashtothemwi’ouryoungbra’bridegroom，togarthembaudupthemarket；na，na；Iscaredthemwi’ourwildtenantry，andtheMac-Ivors，thatarebutillsettledyet，tilltheydurstnaononyerrandwhatsoevergangowerthedoor-staneaftergloaming，forfearJohnHeatherblutter，orsomesiccandare-the-deil，shouldtakabaffatthem：then，ontheotherhand，Ibeflumm’dthemwi’ColonelTalbot-wadtheyoffertokeepupthepriceagain’theDuke’sfriend？didtheynakenwhawasmaster？hadtheynaseeneneugh，bythesadexampleofmonyapairmisguidedunhappybody’’
WhowenttoDerby，forexample，Mr。Macwheeble？’’saidtheColoneltohim，aside。
Owhisht，Colonel，fortheloveo’God！letthatfleesticki’thewa’。ThereweremonygoodfolkatDerby；andit’sillspeakingofhalters，’’-withaslycastofhiseyetowardtheBaron，whowasinadeepreverie。
Startingoutofitatonce，hetookMacwheeblebythebutton，andledhimintooneofthedeepwindowrecesses，whenceonlyfragmentsoftheirconversationreachedtherestoftheparty。
Itcertainlyrelatedtostamp-paperandparchment；fornoothersubject，evenfromthemouthofhispatron，andhe，oncemore，anefficientone，couldhavearrestedsodeeplytheBailie’sreverentandabsorbedattention。
Iunderstandyourhonourperfectly；itcanbeduneaseasyastakingoutadecreetinabsence。’’
Toherandhim，aftermydemise，andtotheirheirs-male，-
butpreferringthesecondson，ifGodshallblessthemwithtwo，whoistocarrythenameandarmsofBradwardineofthatIlk，withoutanyothernameorarmorialbearingswhatsoever。’’
Tut，yourhonour！’’whisperedtheBailie，I’llmakaslightjottingthemorn；itwillcostbutacharterofresignation_infavorem；_andI’llhaeitreadyforthenextterminExchequer。’’
Theirprivateconversationended，theBaronwasnowsummonedtodothehonoursofTully-Veolantonewguests。Thesewere，MajorMelvilleofCairnvreckan，andtheReverendMr。
Morton，followedbytwoorthreeothersoftheBaron’sacquaintances，whohadbeenmadeprivytohishavingagainacquiredtheestateofhisfathers。Theshoutsofthevillagerswerealsoheardbeneathinthecourt-yard；forSaundersSaunderson，whohadkeptthesecretforseveraldayswithlaudableprudence，hadunloosedhistongueuponbeholdingthearrivalofthecarriages。
But，whileEdwardreceivedMajorMelvillewithpoliteness，andtheclergymanwiththemostaffectionateandgratefulkindness，hisfather-in-lawlookedalittleawkward，asuncertainhowheshouldanswerthenecessaryclaimsofhospitalitytohisguests，andforwardthefestivityofhistenants。LadyEmilyrelievedhim，byintimating，that，thoughshemustbeanindifferentrepresentativeofMrs。EdwardWaverleyinmanyrespects，shehopetheBaronwouldapproveoftheentertainmentshehadordered，inexpectationofsomanyguests；andthattheywouldfindsuchotheraccommodationsprovided，asmightinsomedegreesupporttheancienthospitalityofTully-Veolan。
ItisimpossibletodescribethepleasurewhichthisassurancegavetheBaron，who，withanairofgallantryhalfappertainingtothestiffScottishlaird，andhalftotheofficerintheFrenchservice，offeredhisarmtothefairspeaker，andledtheway，insomethingbetweenastrideandaminuetstep，intothelargediningparlour，followedbyalltherestofthegoodcompany。
BydintofSaunderson’sdirectionsandexertions，allhere，aswellasintheotherapartments，hadbeendisposedasmuchaspossibleaccordingtotheoldarrangement；andwherenewmoveableshadbeennecessary，theyhadbeenselectedinthesamecharacterwiththeoldfurniture。Therewasoneadditiontothisfineoldapartment，however，whichdrewtearsintotheBaron’seyes。Itwasalargeandspiritedpainting，representingFergusMac-IvorandWaverleyintheirHighlanddress；thesceneawild，rocky，andmountainouspass，downwhichtheclanweredescendinginthebackground。Itwastakenfromaspiritedsketch，drawnwhiletheywereinEdinburghbyayoungmanofhighgenius，andhadbeenpaintedonafull-lengthscalebyaneminentLondonartist。Raeburnhimself(whoseHighlandChiefsdoallbutwalkoutofthecanvas)
couldnothavedonemorejusticetothesubject；andtheardent，fiery，andimpetuouscharacteroftheunfortunateChiefofGlennaquoichwasfinelycontrastedwiththecontemplative，fanciful，andenthusiasticexpressionofhishappierfriend。
BesidethispaintinghungthearmswhichWaverleyhadborneintheunfortunatecivilwar。Thewholepiecewasbeheldwithadmiration，anddeeperfeelings。
Menmust，however，eat，inspitebothofsentimentandvirtu；andtheBaron，whileheassumedthelowerendofthetable，insistedthatLadyEmilyshoulddothehonoursofthehead，thattheymight，hesaid，setameetexampletothe_youngfolk。_Afterapauseofdeliberation，employedinadjustinginhisownbraintheprecedencebetweenthePresbyteriankirkandEpiscopalchurchofScotland，herequestedMr。Morton，asthestranger，wouldcraveablessing，-observing，thatMr。
Rubrick，whowasat_home，_wouldreturnthanksforthedistinguishedmerciesithadbeenhislottoexperience。Thedinnerwasexcellent。Saundersonattendedinfullcostume，withalltheformerdomestics，whohadbeencollected，exceptingoneortwo，thathadnotbeenheardofsincetheaffairofCulloden。
Thecellarswerestockedwithwinewhichwaspronouncedtobesuperb，andithadbeencontrivedthattheBearoftheFountain，inthecourt-yard，should(forthatnightonly)playexcellentbrandypunchforthebenefitofthelowerorders。
Whenthedinnerwasover，theBaron，abouttoproposeatoast，castasomewhatsorrowfullookuponthesideboard，-
which，however，exhibitedmuchofhisplate，thathadeitherbeensecretedorpurchasedbyneighbouringgentlemenfromthesoldiery，andbythemgladlyrestoredtotheoriginalowner。
Inthelatetimes，’’hesaid，thosemustbethankfulwhohavesavedlifeandland：yet，whenIamabouttopronouncethistoast，Icannotbutregretanoldheir-loom，LadyEmily-a_poculumpotatorium，_ColonelTalbot’’
HeretheBaron’selbowwasgentlytouchedbyhisMajorDomo，and，turninground，hebeheld，inthehandsofAlexanderabAlexandro，thecelebratedcupofSaintDuthac，theBlessedBearofBradwardine！Iquestioniftherecoveryofhisestateaffordedhimmorerapture。Bymyhonour，’’hesaid，onemightalmostbelieveinbrowniesandfairies，LadyEmily，whenyourLadyshipisinpresence！’’
Iamtrulyhappy，’’saidColonelTalbot，thatbytherecoveryofthispieceoffamilyantiquity，ithasfallenwithinmypowertogiveyousometokenofmydeepinterestinallthatconcernsmyyoungfriendEdward。ButthatyoumaynotsuspectLadyEmilyforasorceress，ormeforaconjuror，whichisnojokeinScotland，ImusttellyouthatFrankStanley，yourfriend，whohasbeenseizedwithatartanfevereversinceheheardEdward’stalesofoldScottishmanners，happenedtodescribetousatsecondhandthisremarkablecup。Myservant，Spontoon，who，likeatrueoldsoldier，observeseverythingandsayslittle，gavemeafterwardstounderstandthathethoughthehadseenthepieceofplateMr。Stanleymentioned，inthepossessionofacertainMrs。Nosebag，who，havingbeenoriginallythehelpmateofapawnbroker，hadfoundopportunity，duringthelateunpleasantscenesinScotland，totradealittleinheroldline，andsobecamethedepositaryofthemorevaluablepartofthespoilofhalfthearmy。Youmaybelievethecupwasspeedilyrecovered；anditwillgivemeverygreatpleasureifyouallowmetosupposethatitsvalueisnotdiminishedbyhavingbeenrestoredthroughmymeans。’’
AtearmingledwiththewinewhichtheBaronfilled，asheproposedacupofgratitudetoColonelTalbot，andTheProsperityoftheunitedHousesofWaverley-HonourandBradwardine！’’
Itonlyremainsformetosay，thatasnowishwaseverutteredwithmoreaffectionatesincerity，therearefewwhich，allowingforthenecessarymutabilityofhumanevents，havebeen，uponthewhole，morehappilyfulfilled。
Ourjourneyisnowfinished，gentlereader；andifyourpatiencehasaccompaniedmethroughthesesheets，thecontractis，onyourpart，strictlyfulfilled。Yet，likethedriverwhohasreceivedhisfullhire，Istilllingernearyou，andmake，withbecomingdiffidence，atriflingadditionalclaimuponyourbountyandgoodnature。Youareasfree，however，toshutthevolumeoftheonepetitioner，astocloseyourdoorinthefaceoftheother。
Thisshouldhavebeenaprefatorychapter，butfortworeasons：-First，thatmostnovelreaders，asmyownconscienceremindsme，areapttobeguiltyofthesinofomissionrespectingthatsamematterofprefaces；-Secondly，thatitisageneralcustomwiththatclassofstudents，tobeginwiththelastchapterofawork；sothat，afterall，theseremarks，beingintroducedlastinorder，havestillthebestchancetobereadintheirproperplace。
ThereisnoEuropeannationwhich，withinthecourseofhalfacentury，orlittlemore，hasundergonesocompleteachangeasthiskingdomofScotland。Theeffectsoftheinsurrectionof1745-thedestructionofthepatriarchalpoweroftheHighlandchiefs-theabolitionoftheheritablejurisdictionsoftheLowlandnobilityandbarons-thetotaleradicationoftheJacobiteparty，which，aversetointerminglewiththeEnglish，oradopttheircustoms，longcontinuedtopridethemselvesuponmaintainingancientScottishmannersandcustoms-commencedthisinnovation。Thegradualinfluxofwealth，andextensionofcommerce，havesinceunitedtorenderthepresentpeopleofScotlandaclassofbeingsasdifferentfromtheirgrandfathersastheexistingEnglisharefromthoseofQueenElizabeth’stime。
ThepoliticalandeconomicaleffectsofthesechangeshavebeentracedbyLordSelkirkwithgreatprecisionandaccuracy。Butthechange，thoughsteadilyandrapidlyprogressive，has，nevertheless，beengradual；andlikethosewhodriftdownthestreamofadeepandsmoothriver，wearenotawareoftheprogresswehavemade，untilwefixoureyeonthenowdistantpointfromwhichwehavebeendrifted-Suchofthepresentgenerationascanrecollectthelasttwentyortwenty-fiveyearsoftheeighteenthcentury，willbefullysensibleofthetruthofthisstatementespeciallyiftheiracquaintanceandconnexionslayamongthosewho，inmyyoungertime，werefacetiouslycalledfolksoftheoldleaven，’’whostillcherishedalingering，thoughhopeless，attachmenttothehouseofStuart。Thisracehasnowalmostentirelyvanishedfromtheland，andwithit，doubtless，muchabsurdpoliticalprejudice-butalsomanylivingexamplesofsingularanddisinterestedattachmenttotheprinciplesofloyaltywhichtheyreceivedfromtheirfathers，andofoldScottishfaith，hospitality，worth，andhonour。
