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 ****** 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?''
Fergus paused.``It is an act of friendship which you should command, could it be useful, or lead to the righting your honour;but in the present case, I doubt if your commanding-officer would give you the meeting on account of his having taken measures, which, however harsh and exasperating, were still within the strict bounds of his duty.Besides, Gardiner is a precise Huguenot, and has adopted certain ideas about the sinfulness of such rencontres, from which it would be impossible to make him depart, especially as his courage is beyond all suspicion.And besides, I---I---to say the truth---I dare not at this moment, for some very weighty reasons, go near any of the military quarters or garrisons belonging to this government.''
``And am I,'' said Waverley, ``to sit down quiet and contented under the injury I have received?''
``That will I never advise, my friend,'' replied Mac-Ivor.
``But I would have vengeance to fall on the head, not on the hand; on the tyrannical and oppressive Government which designed and directed these premeditated and reiterated insults, not on the tools of office which they employed in the execution of the injuries they aimed at you.''
``On the Government!'' said Waverley.
``Yes,'' replied the impetuous Highlander, ``on the usurping House of Hanover, whom your grandfather would no more have served than he would have taken wages of red-hot gold from the great fiend of hell!''
``But since the time of my grandfather two generations of this dynasty have possessed the throne,'' said Edward coolly.
``True,'' replied the Chieftain; ``and because we have passively given them so long the means of showing their native character---because both you and I myself have lived in quiet submission, have even truckled to the times so far as to accept commissions under them, and thus have given them an opportunity of disgracing us publicly by resuming them---are we not on that account to resent injuries which our fathers only apprehended, but which we have actually sustained? Or is the cause of the unfortunate Stuart family become less just because their title has devolved upon an heir who is innocent of the charges of misgovernment brought against his father? Do you remember the lines of your favourite poet?---Had Richard unconstrained resigned the throne, A king can give no more than is his own;The title stood entailed had Richard had a son.
You see, my dear Waverley, I can quote poetry as well as Flora and you.But come, clear your moody brow, and trust to me to show you an honourable road to a speedy and glorious revenge.
Let us seek Flora, who perhaps has more news to tell us of what has occurred during our absence.She will rejoice to hear that you are relieved of your servitude.But first add a postscript to your letter, marking the time when you received this calvinistical Colonel's first summons, and express your regret that the hastiness of his proceedings prevented your anticipating them by sending your resignation.Then let him blush for his injustice.''
The letter was sealed accordingly, covering a formal resignation of the commission, and Mac-Ivor despatched it with some letters of his own by a special messenger, with charge to put them into the nearest post-office in the Lowlands.