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Scott, Walter, Sir, 1771-1832

"Waverley"


By Colonel Talbot's advice, Waverley declined detaining in his service
the lad whose evidence had thrown additional light on these intrigues. He
represented to him, that it would be doing the man an injury to engage
him in a desperate undertaking, and that, whatever should happen, his
evidence would go some length at least in explaining the circumstances
under which Waverley himself had embarked in it. Waverley therefore wrote
a short state of what had happened to his uncle and his father,
cautioning them, however, in the present circumstances, not to attempt to
answer his letter. Talbot then gave the young man a letter to the
commander of one of the English vessels of war cruising in the frith,
requesting him to put the bearer ashore at Berwick, with a pass to
proceed to ----shire. He was then furnished with money to make an
expeditious journey, and directed to get on board the ship by means of
bribing a fishing-boat, which, as they afterwards learned, he easily
effected.
Tired of the attendance of Callum Beg, who, he thought, had some
disposition to act as a spy on his motions, Waverley hired as a servant a
simple Edinburgh swain, who had mounted the white cockade in a fit of
spleen and jealousy, because Jenny Jop had danced a whole night with
Corporal Bullock of the Fusileers.


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