Part 9 (1/2)

Macleod turned.

”_Co an so?_” said he, looking down at the chubby-faced boy in the kilts, who had his pipes under his arm. ”Don't you know the Gaelic?”

”I am only learning,” said the young musician. ”Will I take the dog, sir?”

”March along, then, Phiobaire bhig!” Macleod said. ”He will follow me, if he will not follow you.”

Little Piper turned aside into a large hall which had been transformed into a sort of waiting-room; and here Macleod found himself in the presence of a considerable number of children, half of them girls, half of them boys, all dressed in tartan, and seated on the forms along the walls. The children, who were half asleep at this time of the night, woke up with sudden interest at sight of the beautiful collie; and at the same moment Little Piper explained to the gentleman who was in charge of these young ones that the dog had to be tied up somewhere, and that a small adjoining room would answer that purpose. The proposal was most courteously entertained. Macleod, Mr. ----, and Little Piper walked along to this side room, and there Oscar was properly secured.

”And I will get him some water, sir, if he wants it,” said the boy in the kilts.

”Very well,” Macleod said. ”And I will give you my thanks for it; for that is all that a Highlander, and especially a piper, expects for a kindness. And I hope you will learn the Gaelic soon, my boy. And do you know 'c.u.mhadh na Cloinne?' No, it is too difficult for you; but I think if I had the chanter between my fingers myself, I could let you hear 'c.u.mhadh na Cloinne.'”

”I am sure John Maclean can play it,” said the small piper.

”Who is he?”

The gentleman in charge of the youngsters explained that John Maclean was the eldest of the juvenile pipers, five others of whom were in attendance.

”I think,” said Macleod, ”that I am coming down in a little time to make the acquaintance of your young pipers, if you will let me.”

He pa.s.sed up the broad staircase and into the empty supper-room, from which a number of entrances showed him the strange scene being enacted in the larger hall. Who were these people who were moving to the sound of rapid music? A clown in a silken dress of many colors, with bells to his cap and wrists, stood at one of the doors. Macleod became his fellow-spectator of what was going forward. A beautiful Tyrolienne, in a dress of black, silver, and velvet, with her yellow hair hanging in two plaits down her back, pa.s.sed into the room, accompanied by Charles the First in a large wig and cloak; and the next moment they were whirling along in the waltz, coming into innumerable collisions with all the celebrated folk who ever lived in history. And who were these gentlemen in the scarlet collars and cuffs, who but for these adornments would have been in ordinary evening dress? he made bold to ask the friendly clown, who was staring in a pensive manner at the rus.h.i.+ng couples.

”They call it the Windsor uniform,” said the clown. ”_I_ think it mean.

I sha'n't come in a fancy dress again, if st.i.tching on a red collar will do.”

At this moment the waltz came to an end, and the people began to walk up and down the s.p.a.cious apartment. Macleod entered the throng to look about him. And soon he perceived, in one of the little stands at the side of the hall, the n.o.ble lady who had asked him to go to this a.s.sembly, and forthwith he made his way through the crowd to her. He was most graciously received.

”Shall I tell you a secret, Lady ----?” said he. ”You know the children belonging to the charity; they are all below, and they are sitting doing nothing, and they are all very tired and half asleep. It is a shame to keep them there--”

”But the Prince hasn't come yet; and they must be marched round: they show that we are not making fools of ourselves for nothing.”

A sharper person than Macleod might have got in a pretty compliment here: for this lady was charmingly dressed as Flora Macdonald; but he merely said:--

”Very well; perhaps it is necessary. But I think I can get them some amus.e.m.e.nt, if you will only keep the director of them, that is, Mr.

----, out of the way. Now shall I send him to you? Will you talk to him?”

”What do you mean to do?”

”I want to give them a dance. Why should you have all the dancing up here?”

”Mind, I am not responsible. What shall I talk to him about?”

Macleod considered for a moment.

”Tell him that I will take the whole of the girls and boys to the Crystal Palace for a day, if it is permissable; and ask him what it will cost, and all about the arrangements.”

”Seriously?”

”Yes. Why not? They can have a fine run in the grounds, and six pipers to play for them. I will ask them now whether they will go.”