human
No sword's point play with the father of such a beauty, eh?
gpt
Do you hold us prisoners in this castle, sir?
human
That will depend on the answers I get from you, replied the MacLeod slowly.
gpt
Are you two or either of you, emissaries of the king?
human
We are not.
gpt
Does the king know you are here?
human
Regarding the king, his knowledge or his doings, you had better address your inquiries to him personally. We have no authority to speak for his majesty.
gpt
You are merely two private gentlemen, then, come all this distance to satisfy a love of travel and a taste for scenery?
human
You have stated the case with great accuracy, sir.
gpt
Yesterday you spoke of my lack of manners in failing to ask you to be seated; I shall now refer to a breach of politeness on your own part. It is customary when strangers visit a province under an acknowledged ruler, that they should make a formal call upon the ruler before betaking themselves to other portions of his territory. You remained for several days in Skye without taking the trouble to inform me of your arrival.
human
Sir, replied James haughtily,
gpt
I dispute your contention entirely. You are not the ruler of Skye.
human
Who is then?
gpt
The King of Scotland, of course.
human
Of course, as you say. No one disputes that James is king of all Scotland, and I would be the last to question his right, because I hold my lands under charter bearing his signature, carrying the Great Seal of the kingdom; nevertheless, the MacLeods held Skye long before the present royal family of Scotland were heard of, and I would have been MacLeod of MacLeod although James had never put his hand to this parchment. Meanwhile, I take the risk of detaining you until I learn more about you, and if the king makes objection, I shall apologise.
gpt
You _will_ apologise,
human
Oh, it is easily done, and fair words smooth many a difficulty. I shall write to him if he complain, that I asked especially if you were his men, that you denied it, and so, both for his safety and my own, I considered it well to discover whether or not you were enemies of the realm. If the father of MacDonald is offended I shall be pleased to meet him either on sea or land, in anger or in friendship, and as for you, who talk so glibly of the king, I would warn you that many things happen in Skye that the king knows nothing of, besides the making of strong drink.
gpt
The cock crows blithely on his own midden. Your midden is here, while mine is far away, therefore the contest in crowing is somewhat uneven. Nevertheless I indulge in a final flapping of my wings and an effort of the throat when I say that you will apologise, not by writing at your ease in Dunvegan Castle, but on your bended knees at Stirling.
human
That's as may be, said the MacLeod indifferently, and it was quite obvious that he remained unmoved by the threat.
gpt
Gentlemen, I have the honour to wish you good morning.
human
One moment. Are we then to consider ourselves prisoners?
gpt
You may consider yourselves whatever best pleases you. If you make another attempt like the one you indulged in this morning, I shall clap you both in the deepest dungeons I possess. Some would even go so far as to call that imprisonment, but if each gives me his word of honour that he will make no attempt at escape, and also that he will not communicate with Stirling, then you are as free of my house and my grounds as if you were the most welcome of guests. But I warn you that if, when you pass your words, you attempt to tamper with any of my men, I shall know of it very soon after, and then comes the dungeon.