in gold, with rubies and
amethysts for the bells of the heather, glowed on his bonnet. And
Malcolm's guests, as long as Duncan continued able to fill the bag, had
to endure as best they might, between each course at every dinner
without fail, two or three minutes of uproar and outcry from the treble
throat of the powerful Lossie pipes. By his own desire, the piper had a
chair and small table set for him behind and to the right of his chief,
as he called him: there he ate with the family and guests, waited upon
by Davy, part of whose business it was to hand him the pipes at the
proper moment, whereupon he rose to his feet--for even he with all his
experience and habitude was unable in a sitting posture to keep that
stand of pipes full of wind--and raised such a storm of sound as made
the windows tremble. A lady guest would now and then venture to hint
that the custom was rather a trying one for English ears, but Clementina
would never listen to a breath against Duncan's music. Her respect and
affection for the old man were unbounded.

Malcolm was one of the few who understand the shelter of light, the
protection to be gained against lying tongues by the discarding of
needless reticence and the open presentation of the truth. Many men
would not tell a lie, yet seem to have faith in concealment; they would
rather not reveal the truth; darkness seems to offer them the cover of a
friendly wing. But there is no veil like light--no adamantine armor
against hurt like the truth. To Malcolm it was one of the promises of
the kingdom that there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed. He
was anxious, therefore, to tell his people at the coming dinner the main
points of his story, and certain that such openness would also help to
lay the foundation of confidence between him and his people. The one
difficulty in the way was the position of Florimel. But that could not
fail to appear in any case, and he was satisfied that even for her sake
it was far better to speak openly; for then the common heart would take
her in and cover her. He consulted, therefore, with Lenorme, who went to
find her. She came, threw her arms round his neck, and begged him to say
whatever he thought best.

To add the final tinge to the rainbow of Malcolm's joy, on the morning
of the dinner the schoolmaster arrived. It would be hard to say whether
Malcolm or Clementina was the more delighted to see him. He said little
with his tongue, but much with his e