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in----regiment dragoons, superseded for absence without leave'; and in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.
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