The apartment was thus cleared of every person but Mr.
Morton, whom the Major invited to remain; a sort of factor, who acted as clerk; and Waverley himself.

There ensued a painful and embarrassed pause, till Major Melville, looking upon Waverley with much compassion, and often consulting a paper or memorandum which he held in his hand, requested to know his name.--'Edward Waverley.' 'I thought so; late of the--dragoons, and nephew of Sir Everard Waverley of Waverley-Honour ?' 'The same.' 'Young gentleman, I am extremely sorry that this painful duty has fallen to my lot.' 'Duty, Major Melville, renders apologies superfluous.' 'True, sir; permit me, therefore, to ask you how your time has been disposed of since you obtained leave of absence from your regiment, several weeks ago, until the present moment ?' 'My reply,' said Waverley, 'to so general a question must be guided by the nature of the charge which renders it necessary.

I request to know what that charge is, and upon what authority I am forcibly detained to reply to it ?' 'The charge, Mr.Waverley, I grieve to say, is of a very high nature, and affects your character both as a soldier and a subject.

In the former capacity, you are charged with spreading mutiny and rebellion among the men you commanded, and setting them the example of desertion, by prolonging your own absence from the regiment, contrary to the express orders of your commanding-officer.

The civil crime of which you stand accused is that of high treason, and levying war against the king, the highest delinquency of which a subject can be guilty.' 'And by what authority am I detained to reply to such heinous calumnies ?' 'By one which you must not dispute, nor I disobey.' He handed to Waverley a warrant from the Supreme Criminal Court of Scotland, in full form, for apprehending and securing the person of Edward Waverley, Esq., suspected of treasonable practices and other high crimes and misdemeanours.
The astonishment which Waverley expressed at this communication was imputed by Major Melville to conscious guilt, while Mr.Morton was rather disposed to construe it into the surprise of innocence unjustly suspected.