第36章

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，aswellasbyextens