“I should be obliged if you would inform me where the man lives,” returned the lackey--with polite words in supercilious tones. “What d’ ye want wi’ _him_, honest man?” grimly questioned the Partaness, the epithet referring to Duncan, and not the questioner. “That I shall have the honour of informing himself,” he replied. “Weel, ye can hae the honour o’ informin’ yersel’ whaur he bides,” she rejoined, and turned away from her open door. All were not so rude as she, however, for he found at length a little girl willing to show him the way. The style in which his message was delivered was probably modified by the fact that he found Malcolm seated with his grandfather at their evening meal of water-brose and butter; for he had been present when Malcolm was brought before the marquis by Bykes, and had in some measure comprehended the nature of the youth: it was in politest phrase, and therefore entirely to Duncan’s satisfaction in regard of the manner as well as matter of the message, that he requested Mr Duncan MacPhail’s attendance on the marquis the following evening at six o’clock, to give his lordship and some distinguished visitors the pleasure of hearing him play on the bagpipes during dessert. To this summons the old man returned stately and courteous reply, couched in the best English he could command; which, although considerably distorted by Gaelic pronunciation and idioms, was yet sufficiently intelligible to the messenger, who carried home the substance for the satisfaction of his master, and what he could of the form for the amusement of his fellow-servants.