he day, and was
the blithest of the company. The next morning, however, he had more
serious matters to think of.

The clergyman who had married the young couple was so much pleased with
the supposed student of divinity, that he came next day from Penrith on
purpose to pay him a visit. This might have been a puzzling chapter had
he entered into any examination of our hero's supposed theological
studies; but fortunately he loved better to hear and communicate the news
of the day. He brought with him two or three old newspapers, in one of
which Edward found a piece of intelligence that soon rendered him deaf to
every word which the Reverend Mr. Twigtythe was saying upon the news from
the north, and the prospect of the Duke's speedily overtaking and
crushing the rebels. This was an article in these, or nearly these
words:--

'Died at his house, in Hill Street, Berkeley Square, upon the 10th inst.,
Richard Waverley, Esq., second son of Sir Giles Waverley of
Waverley-Honour, etc. etc. He died of a lingering disorder, augmented by
the unpleasant predicament of suspicion in which he stood, having been
obliged to find bail to a high amount to meet an impending accusation of
high-treason. An accusation of the same grave crime hangs over his elder
brother, Sir Everard Waverley, the representative of that ancient family;
and we understand the day of his trial will be fixed early in the next
month, unless Edward Waverley, son of the deceased Richard, and heir to
the Baronet, shall surrender himself to justice. In that case we are
assured it is his Majesty's gracious purpose to drop further proceedings
upon the charge against Sir Everard. This unfortunate young gentleman is
ascertained to have been in arms in the Pretender's service, and to have
marched along with the Highland troops into England. But he has not been
heard of since the skirmish at Clifton, on the 18th December last.'

Such was this distracting paragraph. 'Good God!' exclaimed Waverley, 'am
I then a parricide? Impossible! My father, who never showed the affection
of a father while he lived, cannot have been so much affected by my
supposed death as to hasten his own; no, I will not believe it, it were
distraction to entertain for a moment such a horrible idea. But it were,
if possible, worse than parricide to suffer any danger to hang over my
noble and generous uncle, who has ever been more to me than a father, if
such evil can be averted by any sacrifice on my part!