Waverley seemed to
object to general questions, his interrogatories should be as specific
as his information permitted. He then proceeded in his investigation,
dictating, as he went on, the import of the questions and answers to the
amanuensis, by whom it was written down.
Did Mr. Waverley know one Humphry Houghton, a non-commissioned officer
in Gardiner's dragoons?'
'Certainly; he was sergeant of my troop, and son of a tenant of my
uncle.'
'Exactly--and had a considerable share of your confidence, and an
influence among his comrades?'
'I had never occasion to repose confidence in a person of his
description,' answered Waverley. 'I favoured Sergeant Houghton as a
clever, active young fellow, and I believe his fellow soldiers respected
him accordingly.'
'But you used through this man,' answered Major Melville, 'to
communicate with such of your troop as were recruited upon
Waverley-Honour?'
'Certainly; the poor fellows, finding themselves in a regiment chiefly
composed of Scotch or Irish, looked up to me in any of their little
distresses, and naturally made their countryman, and sergeant, their
spokesman on such occasions.'
'Sergeant Houghton's influence,' continued the Major, 'extended, then,
particularly over those soldiers who followed you to the regiment from
your uncle's estate?'
'Surely;--but what is that to the present purpose?'
'To that I am just coming, and I beseech your candid reply.
Pages:
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360