he unfolded was from the major of
the regiment, acquainting him that a report to the disadvantage of his
reputation was public in the country, stating, that one Mr. Falconer of
Ballihopple, or some such name, had proposed in his presence a
treasonable toast, which he permitted to pass in silence, although it was
so gross an affront to the royal family that a gentleman in company, not
remarkable for his zeal for government, had never-the-less taken the
matter up, and that, supposing the account true, Captain Waverley had
thus suffered another, comparatively unconcerned, to resent an affront
directed against him personally as an officer, and to go out with the
person by whom it was offered. 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. But who can Addem be?'

'Possibly Adam, for poor Gardiner, a sort of pun on his name.'

The other letters were to the same purpose; and they soon received yet
more complete light upon Donald Bean's machinations.

John Hodges, one of Waverley's servants, who had remained with the
regiment and had been taken at Preston, now made his appearance. He had
sought out his master with the purpose of again entering hi