"
"You booby! do you suppose I would tell you to order clothes I did
not mean to pay for?"
Lady Florimel found her expectation of amusement not likely to be
disappointed.
"Hoots, my lord!" returned Malcolm, "that wad never du. I maun pey
for my ain claes. I wad be in a constant terror o blaudin' (spoiling)
o' them gien I didna, an' that wad be eneuch to mak a body meeserable.
It wad be a' the same, forbye, not an' oot, as weirin' a leevry!"
"Well, well! please your pride, and be damned to you!" said the
marquis.
"Yes, let him please his pride, and be damned to him!" assented
Lady Florimel with perfect gravity.
Malcolm started and stared. Lady Florimel kept an absolute composure.
The marquis burst into a loud laugh. Malcolm stood bewildered for
a moment.
"I'm thinkin' I 'm gaein' daft (delirious)!" he said at length,
putting his hand to his head. "It's time I gaed. Guid mornin', my
lord."
He turned and left the room, followed by a fresh peal from his
lordship, mingling with which his ear plainly detected the silvery
veins of Lady Florimel's equally merry laughter.
When he came to himself and was able to reflect, he saw there must
have been some joke involved: the behaviour of both indicated as
much; and with this conclusion he heartened his dismay.
The next morning Duncan called on Mrs Partan, and begged her
acceptance of his stock in trade, as, having been his lordship's
piper for some time, he was now at length about to occupy his proper
quarters within the policies.
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