I believe some compunction, perhaps even admiration, mingled itself,
in this case, with Lord Lossie's relish of an odd and amusing
situation, and that he was inclined to compliance with the conditions
of atonement, partly for the sake of mollifying the wounded spirit
of the highlander. He turned to his daughter and said,--
"Did you fix an hour, Flory, for your poor father to make amende
honorable?"
"No, papa; I did not go so far as that."
The marquis kept a few moments' grave silence.
"Your lordship is surely not meditating such a solecism?" said Mr
Morrison, the justice laird.
"Indeed I am," said the marquis.
"It would be too great a condescension," said Mr Cavins; "and your
lordship will permit me to doubt the wisdom of it. These fishermen
form a class by themselves; they are a rough set of men, and only
too ready to despise authority. You will not only injure the prestige
of your rank, my lord, but expose yourself to endless imposition."
"The spirit moves me, and we are commanded not to quench the
spirit," rejoined the marquis with a merry laugh, little thinking
that he was actually describing what was going on in him-that the
spirit of good concerning which he jested, was indeed not working
in him, but gaining on him, in his resolution of that moment.
"Come, Flory," said the marquis, to whom it gave a distinct pleasure
to fly in the face of advice, "we'll go at once, and have it over."
So they set out together for the Seaton, followed by the bagpipes,
carried by the same servant as before, and were received by the
overjoyed Malcolm, and ushered into his grandfather's presence.
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