第77章

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：

andhecoul