Waverley; or, 'Tis sixty years since — Volume 1Scott, Walter
History
Waverley; or, 'Tis sixty years since — Volume 1
Scott, Walter
Historical fiction; Jacobite Rebellion, 1745-1746 -- Fiction; Scotland -- History -- 18th century -- Fiction
'We understand that "this same RICHARD who hath done all this" is
not the only example of the WAVERING HONOUR of W-v-r-ly H-n-r. See
the Gazette of this day.'
With hurried and feverish apprehension our hero turned to the
place referred to, and found therein recorded, 'Edward Waverley,
captain in----regiment dragoons, superseded for absence without
leave'; and in the list of military promotions, referring to the
same regiment, he discovered this farther article, 'Lieut. Julius
Butler, to be captain, VICE Edward Waverley, superseded.'
Our hero's bosom glowed with the resentment which undeserved and
apparently premeditated insult was calculated to excite in the
bosom of one who had aspired after honour, and was thus wantonly
held up to public scorn and disgrace. Upon comparing the date of
his colonel's letter with that of the article in the Gazette, he
perceived that his threat of making a report upon his absence had
been literally fulfilled, and without inquiry, as it seemed,
whether Edward had either received his summons or was disposed to
comply with it. The whole, therefore, appeared a formed plan to
degrade him in the eyes of the public; and the idea of its having
succeeded filled him with such bitter emotions that, after various
attempts to conceal them, he at length threw himself into Mac-
Ivor's arms, and gave vent to tears of shame and indignation.
It was none of this Chieftain's faults to be indifferent to the
wrongs of his friends; and for Edward, independent of certain
plans with which he was connected, he felt a deep and sincere
interest. The proceeding appeared as extraordinary to him as it
had done to Edward. He indeed knew of more motives than Waverley
was privy to for the peremptory order that he should join his
regiment. But that, without further inquiry into the circumstances
of a necessary delay, the commanding officer, in contradiction to
his known and established character, should have proceeded in so
harsh and unusual a manner was a mystery which he could not
penetrate. He soothed our hero, however, to the best of his power,
and began to turn his thoughts on revenge for his insulted honour.
Edward eagerly grasped at the idea. 'Will you carry a message for
me to Colonel Gardiner, my dear Fergus, and oblige me for ever?'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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