He asked and received no share in the busy scenes which were constantly going on around him, and was rather annoyed than interested by the discussion of contending claims, rights, and interests, which often passed in his presence.

All this pointed him out as the person formed to make happy a spirit like that of Rose, which corresponded with his own.
She remarked this point in Waverley's character one day while she sat with Miss Bradwardine.

'His genius and elegant taste,' answered Rose, 'cannot be interested in such trifling discussions.

What is it to him, for example, whether the Chief of the Macindallaghers, who has brought out only fifty men, should be a colonel or a captain?
and how could Mr.Waverley be supposed to interest himself in the violent altercation between your brother and young Corrinaschian, whether the post of honour is due to the eldest cadet of a clan or the youngest ?' 'My dear Rose, if he were the hero you suppose him, he would interest himself in these matters, not indeed as important in themselves, but for the purpose of mediating between the ardent spirits who actually do make them the subject of discord.

You saw when Corrinaschian raised his voice in great passion, and laid his hand upon his sword, Waverley lifted his head as if he had just awaked from a dream, and asked, with great composure, what the matter was.' 'Well, and did not the laughter they fell into at his absence of mind, serve better to break off the dispute than anything he could have said to them ?' 'True, my dear,' answered Flora; 'but not quite so creditably for Waverley as if he had brought them to their senses by force of reason.' 'Would you have him peacemaker general between all the gunpowder Highlanders in the army?
I beg your pardon, Flora--your brother, you know, is out of the question; he has more sense than half of them.