'Some particular business brought me up,' muttered Waverley.
'I supposed so, but I sha'n't allow you to stay long.—Spontoon' (to an elderly military-looking servant out of livery), 'take away these things, and answer the bell yourself, if I ring. Don't let any of the other fellows disturb us.—My nephew and I have business to talk of.'
When the servants had retired, 'In the name of God, Waverley, what has brought you here? It may be as much as your life is worth.'
'Dear Mr. Waverley,' said Lady Emily,' to whom I owe so much more than acknowledgements can ever pity, how could you be so rash?'
'My father—my uncle—this paragraph,'—he handed the paper to Colonel Talbot.
'I wish to Heaven' these scoundrels were condemned to be squeezed to death in their own presses,' said Talbot. 'I am told there are not less than a dozen of their papers now published in town, and no wonder that they are obliged to invent lies to find sale for their journals. It is true, however, my dear Edward, that you have lost your father; but as to this flourish of his unpleasant situation having grated upon his spirits, and hurt his health—the truth is—for though it is harsh to say so now, yet it will relieve your mind from the idea of weighty responsibility—the truth then is, that Mr. Richard Waverley, through this whole business, showed great want of sensibility, both to your situation and that of your uncle; and the last time I saw him, he told me, with great glee, that, as I was so good as to take charge of your interests, he had thought it best to patch up a separate negotiation for himself, and make his peace with Government through some channels which former connexions left still open to him.'
'And my uncle—my dear uncle?'
'Is in no danger whatever. It is true' (looking at the date of the paper) 'there was a foolish report some time ago to the purport here quoted, but it is entirely false. Sir Everard is gone down to Waverley-Honour, freed from all uneasiness, unless upon your own account. But you are in peril yourself—your name is in every proclamation—warrants are out to apprehend you. How and when did you come here?'
Edward told his story at length, suppressing his quarrel with Fergus; for being himself partial to Highlanders, he did not wish to give any advantage to the Colonel's national prejudice against them.
'Are you sure it was your friend Glen's footboy you saw dead in Clifton Moor?'