Prince!" whispered Balmerino to me.

The pipes crashed out a measure of "Wha'll be King but Charlie?" then fell
into quiet sudden as they had begun. "Dhia theasirg an Righ!" (God save
the King) cried a splendid young Highland chief in a voice that echoed
through the hall.

Clanranald's cry was lifted to the rafters by a hundred throats. A hundred
claymores leaped to air, and while the skirling bagpipes pealed forth,
"The King shall enjoy his own again," Charles Stuart beneath an arch of
shining steel trod slowly down the hall to a dais where his fathers had
sat before him.

If the hearts of the ladies had surrendered at discretion, faith! we of
the other sex were not much tardier. The lad was every inch a prince. His
after life did not fulfil the promise of his youth, but at this time he
was one to see, and once having seen, to love. All the great charm of his
race found expression in him. Gallant, gracious, generous, tender-hearted
in victory and cheerful in defeat (as we had soon to learn, alas!), even
his enemies confessed this young Stuart a worthy leader of men. Usually
suffused with a gentle pensiveness not unbecoming, the ardour of his
welcome had given him on this occasion the martial bearing of a heroic
young Achilles. With flushed cheek and sparkling eye he ascended the
dais.

"Ladies, gentlemen, my loyal Highlanders, friends all, the tongue of
Charles Stuart has no words to tell the warm message of his heart.
Unfriended and alone he came among you, resolved with the help of good
swords to win back that throne on which a usurper sits, or failing in that
to perish in the attempt. How nobly you our people have rallied to our
side in this undertaking to restore the ancient liberties of the kingdom
needs not be told. To the arbitrament of battle and to the will of God we
confidently appeal, and on our part we pledge our sacred honour neither to
falter nor to withdraw till this our purpose is accomplished. To this
great task we stand plighted, so help us God and the right."

'Tis impossible to conceive the effect of these few simple sentences.
Again the pipes voiced our dumb emotion in that stirring song,

"We'll owre the water and owre the sea,
We'll owre the water to Charlie;
Come weal, come woe, we'll gather and go,
And live and die wi' Charlie."

The mighty cheer broke forth again and seemed to rock the palace, but
deeper than all cheer