Have you, since leaving the regiment, held any correspondence, direct or indirect, with this Sergeant Houghton ?' 'I!--I hold correspondence with a man of his rank and situation! How, or for what purpose ?' 'That you are to explain.

But did you not, for example, send to him for some books ?' 'You remind me of a trifling commission,' said Waverley, 'which I gave Sergeant Houghton, because my servant could not read.

I do recollect I bade him, by letter, select some books, of which I sent him a list, and send them to me at Tully-Veolan.' 'And of what description were those books ?' 'They related almost entirely to elegant literature; they were designed for a lady's perusal.' 'Were there not, Mr.Waverley, treasonable tracts and pamphlets among them ?' 'There were some political treatises, into which I hardly looked.

They had been sent to me by the officiousness of a kind friend, whose heart is more to be esteemed than his prudence or political sagacity; they seemed to be dull compositions.' 'That friend,' continued the persevering inquirer, 'was a Mr.Pembroke, a nonjuring clergyman, the author of two treasonable works, of which the manuscripts were found among your baggage ?' 'But of which, I give you my honour as a gentleman,' replied Waverley, 'I never read six pages.' 'I am not your judge, Mr.Waverley; your examination will be transmitted elsewhere.

And now to proceed.