Theseletters，asmighthavebeenexpected，highlyexcitedWaverley’sindignation。Fromthedesultorystyleofhisstudies，hehadnotanyfixedpoliticalopiniontoplaceinoppositiontothemovementsofindignationwhichhefeltathisfather’ssupposedwrongs。Oftherealcauseofhisdisgrace，Edwardwastotallyignorant；norhadhishabitsatallledhimtoinvestigatethepoliticsoftheperiodinwhichhelived，orremarktheintriguesinwhichhisfatherhadbeensoactivelyengaged。Indeed，anyimpressionswhichhehadaccidentallyadoptedconcerningthepartiesofthetimes，were(owingtothesocietyinwhichhehadlivedatWaverley-Honour)ofanatureratherunfavourabletotheexistinggovernmentanddynasty。
Heentered，therefore，withouthesitation，intotheresentfulfeelingoftherelationswhohadthebesttitletodictatehisconduct；andnotperhapsthelesswillingly，whenherememberedthetediumofhisquarters，andtheinferiorfigurewhichhehadmadeamongtheofficersofhisregiment。Ifhecouldhavehadanydoubtuponthesubject，itwouldhavebeendecidedbythefollowingletterfromhiscommanding-officer，which，asitisveryshort，shallbeinsertedverbatim：-
=Sir，=
Havingcarriedsomewhatbeyondthelineofmyduty，anindulgencewhicheventhelightsofnature，andmuchmorethoseofChristianity，directtowardserrorswhichmayarisefromyouthandinexperience，andthataltogetherwithouteffect，Iamreluctantlycompelled，atthepresentcrisis，tousetheonlyremainingremedywhichisinmypower。Youare，therefore，herebycommandedtorepairto，theheadquartersoftheregiment，withinthreedaysafterthedateofthisletter。Ifyoushallfailtodoso，ImustreportyoutotheWar-Officeasabsentwithoutleave，andalsotakeothersteps，whichwillbedisagreeabletoyou，aswellasto，Sir，YourobedientServant，J。=Gardiner，=Lieut-Col。
CommandingtheRegt。Dragoons。’’
Edward’sbloodboiledwithinhimashereadthisletter。Hehadbeenaccustomedfromhisveryinfancytopossess，inagreatmeasure，thedisposalofhisowntime，andthusacquiredhabitswhichrenderedtherulesofmilitarydisciplineasunpleasingtohiminthisastheywereinsomeotherrespects。
Anideathatinhisowncasetheywouldnotbeenforcedinaveryrigidmannerhadalsoobtainedfullpossessionofhismind，andhadhithertobeensanctionedbytheindulgentconductofhislieutenant-colonel。Neitherhadanythingoccurred，tohisknowledge，thatshouldhaveinducedhiscommanding-officer，withoutanyotherwarningthanthehintswenoticedattheendofthefourteenthchapter，sosuddenlytoassumeaharsh，and，asEdwarddeemedit，soinsolentatoneofdictatorialauthority。
Connectingitwiththelettershehadjustreceivedfromhisfamily，hecouldnotbutsupposethatitwasdesignedtomakehimfeel，inhispresentsituation，thesamepressureofauthoritywhichhadbeenexercisedinhisfather’scase，andthatthewholewasaconcertedschemetodepressanddegradeeverymemberoftheWaverleyfamily。
Withoutapause，therefore，Edwardwroteafewcoldlines，thankinghislieutenant-colonelforpastcivilities，andexpressingregretthatheshouldhavechosentoeffacetheremembranceofthem，byassumingadifferenttonetowardshim。Thestrainofhisletter，aswellaswhathe(Edward)conceivedtobehisduty，inthepresentcrisis，calleduponhimtolaydownhiscommission；andhethereforeenclosedtheformalresignationofasituationwhichsubjectedhimtosounpleasantacorrespondence，andrequestedColonelGardinerwouldhavethegoodnesstoforwardittotheproperauthorities。
Havingfinishedthismagnanimousepistle，hefeltsomewhatuncertainconcerningthetermsinwhichhisresignationoughttobeexpressed，uponwhichsubjectheresolvedtoconsultFergusMac-Ivor。Itmaybeobservedinpassing，thattheboldandprompthabitsofthinking，acting，andspeaking，whichdistinguishedthisyoungChieftain，hadgivenhimaconsiderableascendencyoverthemindofWaverley。Endowedwithatleastequalpowersofunderstanding，andwithmuchfinergenius，Edwardyetstoopedtotheboldanddecisiveactivityofanintellectwhichwassharpenedbythehabitofactingonapreconceivedandregularsystem，aswellasbyextensiveknowledgeoftheworld。
WhenEdwardfoundhisfriend，thelatterhadstillinhishandthenewspaperwhichhehadperused，andadvancedtomeethimwiththeembarrassmentofonewhohasunpleasingnewstocommunicate。Doyourletters，CaptainWaverley。
confirmtheimpleasinginformationwhichIfindinthispaper？’’
Heputthepaperintohishand，wherehisfather’sdisgracewasregisteredinthemostbitterterms，transferredprobablyfromsomeLondonjournal。Attheendoftheparagraphwasthisremarkableinnuendo：-
Weunderstandthat`thissame_Richard，_whohathdoneallthis，’isnottheonlyexampleofthe_WaveringHonour_ofW-v-rl-yH-n-r。SeetheGazetteofthisday。’’
Withhurriedandfeverishapprehensionourheroturnedtotheplacereferredto，andfoundthereinrecorded，EdwardWaverley，captaininregimentdragoons，supersededforabsencewithoutleave；’’andinthelistofmilitarypromotions，referringtothesameregiment，hediscoveredthisfartherarticle，Lieut。JuliusButler，tobecaptain，_vice_EdwardWaverley，superseded。’’
Ourhero’sbosomglowedwiththeresentmentwhichundeservedandapparentlypremeditatedinsultwascalculatedtoexciteinthebosomofonewhohadaspiredafterhonour，andwasthuswantonlyhelduptopublicscornanddisgrace。Uponcomparingthedateofhiscolonel’sletterwiththatofthearticleintheGazette，heperceivedthathisthreatofmakingareportuponhisabsencehadbeenliterallyfulfilled，andwithoutinquiry，asitseemed，whetherEdwardhadeitherreceivedhissummons，orwasdisposedtocomplywithit。Thewhole，therefore，appearedaformedplantodegradehimintheeyesofthepublic；andtheideaofitshavingsucceededfilledhimwithsuchbitteremotions，that，aftervariousattemptstoconcealthem，heatlengththrewhimselfintoMac-Ivor’sarms，andgaveventtotearsofshameandindignation。
ItwasnoneofthisChieftain’sfaultstobeindifferenttothewrongsofhisfriends；andforEdward，independentofcertainplanswithwhichhewasconnected，hefeltadeepandsincereinterest。TheproceedingappearedasextraordinarytohimasithaddonetoEdward。HeindeedknewofmoremotivesthanWaverleywasprivyto，fortheperemptoryorderthatheshouldjoinhisregiment。Butthat，withoutfurtherinquiryintothecircumstancesofanecessarydelay，thecommandingofficer，incontradictiontohisknownandestablishedcharacter，shouldhaveproceededinsoharshandunusualamanner，wasamysterywhichhecouldnotpenetrate。Hesoothedourhero，however，tothebestofhispower，andbegantoturnhisthoughtsonrevengeforhisinsultedhonour。
Edwardeagerlygraspedattheidea。WillyoucarryamessageformetoColonelGardiner，mydearFergus，andobligemeforever？’’
Ferguspaused。Itisanactoffriendshipwhichyoushouldcommand，coulditbeuseful，orleadtotherightingyourhonour；
butinthepresentcase，Idoubtifyourcommanding-officerwouldgiveyouthemeetingonaccountofhishavingtakenmeasures，which，howeverharshandexasperating，werestillwithinthestrictboundsofhisduty。Besides，GardinerisapreciseHuguenot，andhasadoptedcertainideasaboutthesinfulnessofsuchrencontres，fromwhichitwouldbeimpossibletomakehimdepart，especiallyashiscourageisbeyondallsuspicion。Andbesides，I-I-tosaythetruth-Idarenotatthismoment，forsomeveryweightyreasons，gonearanyofthemilitaryquartersorgarrisonsbelongingtothisgovernment。’’
AndamI，’’saidWaverley，tositdownquietandcontentedundertheinjuryIhavereceived？’’
ThatwillIneveradvise，myfriend，’’repliedMac-Ivor。
ButIwouldhavevengeancetofallonthehead，notonthehand；onthetyrannicalandoppressiveGovernmentwhichdesignedanddirectedthesepremeditatedandreiteratedinsults，notonthetoolsofofficewhichtheyemployedintheexecutionoftheinjuriestheyaimedatyou。’’
OntheGovernment！’’saidWaverley。
Yes，’’repliedtheimpetuousHighlander，ontheusurpingHouseofHanover，whomyourgrandfatherwouldnomorehaveservedthanhewouldhavetakenwagesofred-hotgoldfromthegreatfiendofhell！’’
Butsincethetimeofmygrandfathertwogenerationsofthisdynastyhavepossessedthethrone，’’saidEdwardcoolly。
True，’’repliedtheChieftain；andbecausewehavepassivelygiventhemsolongthemeansofshowingtheirnativecharacter-becausebothyouandImyselfhavelivedinquietsubmission，haveeventruckledtothetimessofarastoacceptcommissionsunderthem，andthushavegiventhemanopportunityofdisgracinguspubliclybyresumingthem-arewenotonthataccounttoresentinjurieswhichourfathersonlyapprehended，butwhichwehaveactuallysustained？OristhecauseoftheunfortunateStuartfamilybecomelessjustbecausetheirtitlehasdevolveduponanheirwhoisinnocentofthechargesofmisgovernmentbroughtagainsthisfather？Doyourememberthelinesofyourfavouritepoet？-
HadRichardunconstrainedresignedthethrone，Akingcangivenomorethanishisown；
ThetitlestoodentailedhadRichardhadason。
Yousee，mydearWaverley，IcanquotepoetryaswellasFloraandyou。Butcome，clearyourmoodybrow，andtrusttometoshowyouanhonourableroadtoaspeedyandgloriousrevenge。
LetusseekFlora，whoperhapshasmorenewstotellusofwhathasoccurredduringourabsence。Shewillrejoicetohearthatyouarerelievedofyourservitude。Butfirstaddapostscripttoyourletter，markingthetimewhenyoureceivedthiscalvinisticalColonel’sfirstsummons，andexpressyourregretthatthehastinessofhisproceedingspreventedyouranticipatingthembysendingyourresignation。Thenlethimblushforhisinjustice。’’
Theletterwassealedaccordingly，coveringaformalresignationofthecommission，andMac-Ivordespatcheditwithsomelettersofhisownbyaspecialmessenger，withchargetoputthemintothenearestpost-officeintheLowlands。
CHAPTERTWENTY-SIXTH。
ANECLAIRCISSEMENT。
ThehintwhichtheChieftainhadthrownoutrespectingFlorawasnotunpremeditated。HehadobservedwithgreatsatisfactionthegrowingattachmentofWaverleytohissister，nordidheseeanybartotheirunion，exceptingthesituationwhichWaverley’sfatherheldintheministry，andEdward’sowncommissioninthearmyofGeorgeII。Theseobstacleswerenowremoved，andinamannerwhichapparentlypavedthewayfortheson’sbecomingreconciledtoanotherallegiance。Ineveryotherrespectthematchwouldbemosteligible。Thesafety，happiness，andhonourableprovisionofhissister，whomhedearlyloved，appearedtobeensuredbytheproposedunion；andhisheartswelledwhenheconsideredhowhisowninterestwouldbeexaltedintheeyesoftheex-monarchtowhomhehaddedicatedhisservice，byanalliancewithoneofthoseancient，powerful，andwealthyEnglishfamiliesofthesteadycavalierfaith，toawakenwhosedecayedattachmenttotheStuartfamilywasnowamatterofsuchvitalimportancetotheStuartcause。
NorcouldFergusperceiveanyobstacletosuchascheme。
Waverley’sattachmentwasevident；andashispersonwashandsome，andhistasteapparentlycoincidedwithherown，heanticipatednooppositiononthepartofFlora。Indeed，betweenhisideasofpatriarchalpowerandthosewhichhehadacquiredinFrancerespectingthedisposaloffemalesinmarriage，anyoppositionfromhissister，dearasshewastohim，wouldhavebeenthelastobstacleonwhichhewouldhavecalculated，evenhadtheunionbeenlesseligible。
Influencedbythesefeelings，theChiefnowledWaverleyinquestofMissMac-Ivor，notwithoutthehopethatthepresentagitationofhisguest’sspiritsmightgivehimcouragetocutshortwhatFergustermedtheromanceofthecourtship。TheyfoundFlora，withherfaithfulattendants，UnaandCathleen，busiedinpreparingwhatappearedtoWaverleytobewhitebridalfavours。Disguisingaswellashecouldtheagitationofhismind，WaverleyaskedforwhatjoyfuloccasionMissMac-Ivormadesuchamplepreparation。
ItisforFergus’sbridal，’’shesaidsmiling。
Indeed！’’saidEdward；hehaskepthissecretwell。I
hopehewillallowmetobehisbride’s-man。’’
Thatisaman’soffice，butnotyours，asBeatricesays，’’
retortedFlora。
Andwhoisthefairlady，mayIbepermittedtoask，MissMac-Ivor？’’
DidnotItellyoulongsincethatFerguswooednobridebutHonour？’’answeredFlora。
AndamIthenincapableofbeinghisassistantandcounsellorinthepursuitofhonour？’’saidourhero，colouringdeeply。
