d degrade every member of the
Waverley family.

Without a pause, therefore, Edward wrote a few cold lines, thanking his
lieutenant-colonel for past civilities, and expressing regret that he
should have chosen to efface the remembrance of them by assuming a
different tone towards him. The strain of his letter, as well as what he
(Edward) conceived to be his duty in the present crisis, called upon him
to lay down his commission; and he therefore inclosed the formal
resignation of a situation which subjected him to so unpleasant a
correspondence, and requested Colonel Gardiner would have the goodness to
forward it to the proper authorities.

Having finished this magnanimous epistle, he felt somewhat uncertain
concerning the terms in which his resignation ought to be expressed, upon
which subject he resolved to consult Fergus Mac-Ivor. It may be observed
in passing that the bold and prompt habits of thinking, acting, and
speaking which distinguished this young Chieftain had given him a
considerable ascendency over the mind of Waverley. Endowed with at least
equal powers of understanding, and with much finer genius, Edward yet
stooped to the bold and decisive activity of an intellect which was
sharpened by the habit of acting on a preconceived and regular system, as
well as by extensive knowledge of the world.

When Edward found his friend, the latter had still in his hand the
newspaper which he had perused, and advanced to meet him with the
embarrassment of one who has unpleasing news to communicate. 'Do your
letters, Captain Waverley, confirm the unpleasing information which I
find in this paper?'

He put the paper into his hand, where his father's disgrace was
registered in the most bitter terms, transferred probably from some
London journal. At the end of the paragraph was this remarkable
innuendo:--

'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in----regiment dragoons, superseded for absence without leave'; and in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VICE Edward Waverley, superseded.'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 prem