The major concluded that no one of Captain
Waverley's brother officers could believe this scandalous story, but that
it was necessarily their joint opinion that his own honour, equally with
that of the regiment, depended upon its being instantly contradicted by
his authority, etc. etc. etc.
'What do you think of all this?' said Colonel Talbot, to whom Waverley
handed the letters after he had perused them.
'Think! it renders thought impossible. It is enough to drive me mad.'
'Be calm, my young friend; let us see what are these dirty scrawls that
follow.'
The first was addressed,--
'For Master W. Ruffin, These.'--
'Dear sur, sum of our yong gulpins will not bite, thof I tuold them you
shoed me the squoire's own seel. But Tims will deliver you the lettrs as
desired, and tell ould Addem he gave them to squoir's bond, as to be sure
yours is the same, and shall be ready for signal, and hoy for Hoy Church
and Sachefrel, as fadur sings at harvestwhome. Yours, deer Sur,
'H. H.
'Poscriff.--Do'e tell squoire we longs to heer from him, and has dootings
about his not writing himself, and Lifetenant Bottler is smoky.'
'This Ruffin, I suppose, then, is your Donald of the Cavern, who has
intercepted your letters, and carried on a correspondence with the poor
devil Houghton, as if under your authority?'
'It seems too true.
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