recognisehishandparticularlyinthemodeofyourrescuefromthatcantingrascalGilfillan，andIhavelittledoubtthatDonaldhimselfplayedthepartofthepedlaronthatoccasion；buthowheshouldnothaveplunderedyou，orputyoutoransom，oravailedhimselfinsomewayorotherofyourcaptivityforhisownadvantage，passesmyjudgment。’’
　　Whenandhowdidyouheartheintelligenceofmyconfinement？’’
　　askedWaverley。
　　Theprincehimselftoldme，’’saidFergus，andinquiredveryminutelyintoyourhistory。Hethenmentionedyourbeingatthatmomentinthepowerofoneofournorthernparties-youknowIcouldnotaskhimtoexplainparticulars-
　　andrequestedmyopinionaboutdisposingofyou。Irecommendedthatyoushouldbebroughthereasaprisoner，becauseIdidnotwishtoprejudiceyoufartherwiththeEnglishGovernment，incaseyoupursuedyourpurposeofgoingsouthward。
　　Iknewnothing，youmustrecollect，ofthechargebroughtagainstyouofaidingandabettinghightreason，which，Ipresume，hadsomeshareinchangingyouroriginalplan。
　　Thatsullen，good-for-nothingbrute，Balmawhapple，wassenttoescortyoufromDoune，withwhathecallshistroopofhorse。
　　Astohisbehaviour，inadditiontohisnaturalantipathytoeverythingthatresemblesagentleman，IpresumehisadventurewithBradwardineranklesinhisrecollection，theratherthatI
　　daresayhismodeoftellingthatstorycontributedtotheevilreportswhichreachedyourquondamregiment。’’
　　Verylikely，’’saidWaverley；butnowsurely，mydearFergus，youmayfindtimetotellmesomethingofFlora。’’
　　Why，’’repliedFergus，Icanonlytellyouthatsheiswell，andresidingforthepresentwitharelationinthiscity。
　　Ithoughtitbettersheshouldcomehere，assinceoursuccessagoodmanyladiesofrankattendourmilitarycourt；andI
　　assureyou，thatthereisasortofconsequenceannexedtothenearrelativeofsuchapersonasFloraMac-Ivor；andwherethereissuchajustlingofclaimsandrequests，amanmustuseeveryfairmeanstoenhancehisimportance。’’
　　TherewassomethinginthislastsentencewhichgratedonWaverley’sfeelings。HecouldnotbearthatFlorashouldbeconsideredasconductingtoherbrother’spreferment，bytheadmirationwhichshemustunquestionablyattract；andalthoughitwasinstrictcorrespondencewithmanypointsofFergus’scharacter，itshockedhimasselfish，andunworthyofhissister’shighmind，andhisownindependentpride。Fergus，towhomsuchmanuvreswerefamiliar，astoonebroughtupattheFrenchcourt，didnotobservetheunfavourableimpressionwhichhehadunwarilymadeuponhisfriend’smind，andconcludedbysaying，thattheycouldhardlyseeFlorabeforetheevening，whenshewouldbeattheconcertandball，withwhichthePrince’spartyweretobeentertained。SheandIhadaquarrelabouthernotappearingtotakeleaveofyou。Iamunwillingtorenewit，bysolicitinghertoreceiveyouthismorning；andperhapsmydoingsomightnotonlybeineffectual，butpreventyourmeetingthisevening。’’
　　Whilethusconversing，Waverleyheardinthecourt，beforethewindowsoftheparlour，awell-knownvoice。Iavertoyou，myworthyfriend，’’saidthespeaker，thatitisatotalderelictionofmilitarydiscipline；andwereyounotasitwerea_tyro，_yourpurposewoulddeservestrongreprobation。Foraprisonerofwarisonnoaccounttobecoercedwithfetters，ordetained_inergastulo，_aswouldhavebeenthecasehadyouputthisgentlemanintothepitofthepeel-houseatBalmawhapple。
　　Igrant，indeed，thatsuchaprisonermayforsecuritybecoerced_incarcere，_thatis，inapublicprison。’’
　　ThegrowlingvoiceofBalmawhapplewasheardastakingleaveindispleasure，butthewordland-louper，’’alonewasdistinctlyaudible。HehaddisappearedbeforeWaverleyreachedthehouse，inordertogreettheworthyBaronofBradwardine。
　　Theuniforminwhichhewasnowattired，abluecoat，namely，withgoldlace，ascarletwaistcoatandbreeches，andimmensejack-boots，seemedtohaveaddedfreshstiffnessandrigiditytohistall，perpendicularfigure；andtheconsciousnessofmilitarycommandandauthorityhadincreasedinthesameproportion，theself-importanceofhisdemeanour，andthedogmatismofhisconversation。
　　HereceivedWaverleywithhisusualkindness，andexpressedimmediateanxietytohearanexplanationofthecircumstancesattendingthelossofhiscommissioninGardiner’sdragoonsnot，’’hesaid，thathehadtheleastapprehensionofhisyoungfriendhavingdoneaughtwhichcouldmeritsuchungeneroustreatmentashehadreceivedfromGovernment，butbecauseitwasrightandseemlythattheBaronofBradwardineshouldbe，inpointoftrustandinpointofpower，fullyabletorefuteallcalumniesagainsttheheirofWaverley-Honour，whomhehadsomuchrighttoregardashisownson。’’
　　FergusMac-Ivor，whohadnowjoinedthem，wenthastilyoverthecircumstancesofWaverley’sstory，andconcludedwiththeflatteringreceptionhehadmetfromtheyoungChevalier。
　　TheBaronlistenedinsilence，andattheconclusionshookWaverleyheartilybythehand，andcongratulatedhimuponenteringtheserviceofhislawfulPrince。For，’’continuedhe，althoughithasbeenjustlyheldinallnationsamatterofscandalanddishonourtoinfringethe_sacramentummilitare，_
　　andthatwhetheritwastakenbyeachsoldiersingly，whilktheRomansdenominated_perconjurationem，_orbyonesoldierinnameoftherest，yetnooneeverdoubtedthattheallegiancesoswornwasdischargedbythe_dimissio，_ordischargingofasoldier，whosecasewouldbeashardasthatofcolliers，salters，andother_adscriptigleb，_orslavesofthesoil，wereittobeaccountedotherwise。ThisissomethinglikethebrocardexpressedbythelearnedSanchezinhiswork_DeJure-jurando，_
　　whichyouhavequestionlessconsulteduponthisoccasion。Asforthosewhohavecalumniatedyoubyleasing-making，I
　　protesttoheavenIthinktheyhavejustlyincurredthepenaltyofthe_Memnonialex，_alsocalled_LexRhemnia，_whichisprelecteduponbyTulliusinhisoration_InVerrem。_Ishouldhavedeemed，however，Mr。Waverley，thatbeforedestiningyourselftoanyspecialserviceinthearmyofthePrince，yemighthaveinquiredwhatranktheoldBradwardineheldthere，andwhetherhewouldnothavebeenpeculiarlyhappytohavehadyourservicesintheregimentofhorsewhichheisnowabouttolevy。’’
　　EdwardeludedthisreproachbypleadingthenecessityofgivinganimmediateanswertothePrince’sproposal，andhisuncertaintyatthemomentwhetherhisfriendtheBaronwaswiththearmy，orengageduponserviceelsewhere。
　　Thispunctiliobeingsettled，WaverleymadeenquiryafterMissBradwardine，andwasinformedshehadcometoEdinburghwithFloraMac-Ivor，underguardofapartyoftheChieftain’smen。Thisstepwasindeednecessary，Tully-Veolanhavingbecomeaveryunpleasant，andevendangerousplaceofresidenceforanunprotectedyounglady，onaccountofitsvicinitytotheHighlands，andalsotooneortwolargevillages，which，fromaversionasmuchtotheCateransaszealforpresbytery，haddeclaredthemselvesonthesideofGovernment，andformedirregularbodiesofpartisans，whohadfrequentskirmisheswiththemountaineers，andsometimesattackedthehousesoftheJacobitegentryinthebraes，orfrontierbetwixtthemountainandplain。
　　Iwouldproposetoyou，’’continuedtheBaron，towalkasfarasmyquartersintheLuckenbooths，andtoadmireinyourpassagetheHighStreet，whilkis，beyondashadowofdubitation，finerthananystreet，whetherinLondonorParis。ButRose，poorthing，issorelydiscomposedwiththefiringoftheCastle，thoughIhaveprovedtoherfromBlondelandCoehorn，thatitisimpossibleabulletcanreachthesebuildings；and，besides，I
　　haveitinchargefromhisRoyalHighnesstogotothecamp，orleaguerofourarmy，toseethatthemendo_conclamarevasa，_
　　thatis，trussuptheirbagandbaggageforto-morrow’smarch。’’
　　Thatwillbeeasilydonebymostofus，’’saidMac-Ivor，laughing。
　　Cravingyourpardon，ColonelMac-Ivor，notquitesoeasilyasyeseemtoopine。IgrantmostofyourfolklefttheHighlands，expeditedasitwere，andfreefromtheencumbranceofbaggage；butitisunspeakablethequantityofuselesssprecherywhichtheyhavecollectedontheirmarch。Isawonefellowofyourscravingyourpardononcemorewithapier-glassuponhisback。’’
　　Ay，’’saidFergus，stillingoodhumour，hewouldhavetoldyou，ifyouhadquestionedhim，_agangingfootisayegetting。_-Butcome，mydearBaron，youknowaswellasI，thatahundredUhlans，orasingletroopofSchmirschitz’sPandours，wouldmakemorehavocinacountrythantheknightofthemirrorandalltherestofourclansputtogether。’’
　　Andthatisverytruelikewise，’’repliedtheBaron；theyare，astheheathenauthorsays，_ferocioresinaspectu，mitiores，inactu，_ofahorridandgrimvisage，butmorebenignindemeanourthantheirphysiognomyoraspectmightinfer-
　　ButIstandheretalkingtoyoutwoyoungsters，whenIshouldbeintheKing’sPark。’’
　　ButyouwilldinewithWaverleyandmeonyourreturn？
　　Iassureyou，Baron，thoughIcanlivelikeaHighlanderwhenneedsmust，IremembermyPariseducation，andunderstandperfectly_fairelameilleurechre。_’’
　　Andwhathedeildoubtsit，’’quoththeBaron，laughing，whenyebringonlythecookery，andthegudetounmustfurnishthematerials？-Weel，Ihavesomebusinessinthetountoo：butI’lljoinyouatthree，iftheviverscantarrysolong。’’
　　Sosaying，hetookleaveofhisfriends，andwenttolookafterthechargewhichhadbeenassignedhim。
　　JamesoftheNeedlewasamanofhisword，whenwhiskywasnopartytothecontract；anduponthisoccasionCallumBeg，whostillthoughthimselfinWaverley’sdebt，sincehehaddeclinedacceptingcompensationattheexpenseofmineHostoftheCandlestick’sperson，tooktheopportunityofdischargingtheobligation，bymountingguardoverthehereditarytailorofSliochdnanIvor；and，asheexpressedhimself，targedhimtightly，’’tillthefinishingofthejob。Toridhimselfofthisrestraint，Shemus’sneedleflewthroughthetartanlikelightning；
　　andastheartistkeptchantingsomedreadfulskirmishofFinMacoul，heaccomplishedatleastthreestitchestothedeathofeveryhero。Thedresswas，therefore，soonready，fortheshortcoatfittedthewearer，andtherestoftheapparelrequiredlittleadjustment。
　　OurherohavingnowfairlyassumedthegarbofOldGaul，’’
　　wellcalculatedasitwastogiveanappearanceofstrengthtoafigure，which，thoughtallandwell-made，wasratherelegantthanrobust，Ihopemyfairreaderswillexcusehimifhelookedathimselfinthemirrormorethanonce，andcouldnothelpacknowledgingthatthereflectionseemedthatofaveryhandsomeyoungfellow。Infact，therewasnodisguisingit。Hislight-brownhair-forheworenoperiwig，notwithstandingtheuniversalfashionofthetime-becamethebonnetwhichsurmountedit。Hispersonpromisedfirmnessandagility，towhichtheamplefoldsofthetartanaddedanairofdignity。
　　Hisblueeyesseemedofthatkind，Whichmeltedinlove，andwhichkindledinwar；
　　andanairofbashfulness，whichwasinrealitytheeffectofwantofhabitualintercoursewiththeworld，gaveinteresttohisfeatures，withoutinjuringtheirgraceorintelligence。
　　He’saprattyman-averyprattyman，’’saidEvanDhunowEnsignMaccombichtoFergus’sbuxomlandlady。
　　He’sveraweel，’’saidtheWidowFlockhart，butnonaethingsaeweel-fauredasyourColonel，ensign。’’
　　Iwasnacomparingthem，’’quothEvan，norwasIspeakingabouthisbeingweel-favoured；butonlythatMr。Waverleylookscleanmadeand_deliver，_andlikeaproperladofhisquarters，thatwillnotcrybarleyinabrulzie。And，indeed，he’sglegeneuchatthebroadswordandtarget。Ihaeplayedwi’himmysellatGlennaquoich，andsaehasVichIanVohr，oftenofaSundayafternoon。’’
　　Lordforgieye，EnsignMaccombich，’’saidthealarmedPresbyterian；I’msurethecolonelwadneverdothelikeo’
　　that！’’