第43章

Thatyouaretoexplain；-butdidyounot，forexample，sendtohimforsomebooks？’’

Youremindmeofatriflingcommission，’’saidWaverley，whichIgaveSergeantHoughtonbecausemysergeantcouldnotread。IdorecollectIbadehimbyletterselectsomebooks，ofwhichIsenthimalist，andsendthemtomeatTully-Veolan。’’

Andofwhatdescriptionwerethosebooks？’’

Theyrelatedalmostentirelytoelegantliterature；theyweredesignedforalady’sperusal。’’

Weretherenot，Mr。Waverley，treasonabletractsandpamphletsamongthem？’’

Thereweresomepoliticaltreatises，intowhichIhardlylooked。Theyhadbeensenttomebytheofficiousnessofakindfriend，whoseheartismoretobeesteemedthanhisprudenceorpoliticalsagacity；theyseemedtobedullcompositions。’’

Thatfriend，’’continuedtheperseveringinquirer，wasaMr。Pembroke，anon-juringclergyman，theauthoroftwotreasonableworks，ofwhichthemanuscriptswerefoundamongyourbaggage？’’

Butofwhich，Igiveyoumyhonourasagentleman，’’

repliedWaverley，Ineverreadsixpages。’’

“Iamnotyourjudge，Mr。Waverley；yourexaminationwillbetransmittedelsewhere。Andnowtoproceed-DoyouknowapersonthatpassesbythenameofWilyWill，orWillRuthven？’’

Ineverheardofsuchanametillthismoment。’’

Didyouneverthroughsuchaperson，oranyotherperson，communicatewithSergeantHumphryHoughton，instigatinghimtodesertwithasmanyofhiscomradesashecouldseducetojoinhim，andunitewiththeHighlandersandotherrebelsnowinarmsunderthecommandoftheyoungPretender？’’

IassureyouIamnotonlyentirelyguiltlessoftheplotyouhavelaidtomycharge，butIdetestitfromtheverybottomofmysoul，norwouldIbeguiltyofsuchtreacherytogainathroneeitherformyselforanyothermanalive。’’

YetwhenIconsiderthisenvelope，inthehandwritingofoneofthosemisguidedgentlemenwhoarenowinarmsagainsttheircountry，andtheverseswhichitenclosed，IcannotbutfindsomeanalogybetweentheenterpriseIhavementionedandtheexploitofWogan，whichthewriterseemstoexpectyoushouldimitate。’’

Waverleywasstruckwiththecoincidence，butdeniedthatthewishesorexpectationsoftheletter-writerweretoberegardedasproofsofachargeotherwisechimerical。

But，ifIamrightlyinformed，yourtimewasspent，duringyourabsencefromtheregiment，betweenthehouseofthisHighlandChieftainandthatofMr。BradwardineofBradwardine，alsoinarmsforthisunfortunatecause？’’

Idonotmeantodisguiseit，butIdodeny，mostresolutely，beingprivytoanyoftheirdesignsagainsttheGovernment。’’

Youdonot，however，Ipresume，intendtodenythatyouattendedyourhostGlennaquoichtoarendezvous，where，underapretenceofageneralhunting-match，mostoftheaccomplicesofhistreasonwereassembledtoconcertmeasuresfortakingarms？’’

Iacknowledgehavingbeenatsuchameeting，’’saidWaverley；

butIneitherheardnorsawanythingwhichcouldgiveitthecharacteryouaffixtoit。’’

Fromthenceyouproceeded，’’continuedthemagistrate，withGlennaquoichandapartofhisclantojointhearmyoftheyoungPretender，andreturned，afterhavingpaidyourhomagetohim，todisciplineandarmtheremainder，andunitethemtohisbandsontheirwaysouthward？’’

IneverwentwithGlennaquoichonsuchanerrand。I

neversomuchasheardthatthepersonwhomyoumentionwasinthecountry。’’

Hethendetailedthehistoryofhismisfortuneatthehunting-match，andadded，thatonhisreturnhefoundhimselfsuddenlydeprivedofhiscommission，anddidnotdenythathethen，forthefirsttime，observedsymptomswhichindicatedadispositionintheHighlanderstotakearms；butadded，thathavingnoinclinationtojointheircause，andnolongeranyreasonforremaininginScotland，hewasnowonhisreturntohisnativecountry，towhich