"Yes," answered the other, shaking the flasks, which all proved empty; "but neither at waltz, quadrille, or galope. I have no idea of flying round a room at the rate of ten miles an hour, in mortal terror the while of crushing the ladies dear little feet and white satin shoes with my heavy brogues. Besides, the dance is too intricate for me—’chassez to the right and left, turn your partner, balancez, turn again, galopade à la chassez to places!’ Pooh! I would rather dance Tullochgorm or the _Ruighle Thulaichean_, or any other decent fling; but I have no love for your Spanish dances and galopade quadrilles. They ill become the _sporran_ and _breacan-anfeile_ of the Highlandman, and are no more to be compared to a strathspey than a Toledo is to a real-fluted Andrea Ferrara." The major snapt his fingers, and chanted with a loud voice a verse of the Grant’s reel: "There needs na be sae great a phrase, Wi’ dringing dull Italian lays, I wadna gie our ain strathspeys For half a hundred score o’ em. They’re douff an’ dowie at the best, Douff and dowie, douff and dowie, They’re douff an’ dowie at the best, Wi ’a’ their variorum. They’re douff and dowie at the best, Their allegros and a’ the rest, They canna please a Highland taste, Compared wi’ Tullochgorm." Stuart was leading away Donna Olivia, who laughed excessively at the major’s song, which sounded wondrously uncouth to her ears, when Campbell called to him. "I say, Stuart," said he, "I am going to show the ladies here a new fling. I have sent for Ranald Dhu and the six pipers. Fassifern, Ronald Macdonuil, and myself, are about to perform the sword dance. We astonished old Mohammed Djedda with it in Egypt. You must join us." "I should be most happy, but I am the honoured cavalier of one of the prettiest girls in Aranjuez, and it is impossible I can join you; but we will witness it in the hall." A few minutes afterwards the pipers arrived, and preparations were made for the Highland dance. Claymores were taken from the wall, and laid across each other on the floor. The colonel, Campbell, and two other officers took their places, while seven pipers stood at the end of the hall, and on a given signal struck up an appropriate air.