Rose, on the contrary, almost imperceptibly, made a little way in the crowded circle for his advancing the corner of a chair.

'Her manner, upon the whole, is most engaging,' said Waverley to himself.
A dispute occurred whether the Gaelic or Italian language was most liquid, and best adapted for poetry; the opinion for the Gaelic, which probably might not have found supporters elsewhere, was here fiercely defended by seven Highland ladies, who talked at the top of their lungs, and screamed the company deaf, with examples of Celtic EUPHONIA.

Flora, observing the Lowland ladies sneer at the comparison, produced some reasons to show that it was not altogether so absurd; but Rose, when asked for her opinion, gave it with animation in praise of Italian, which she had studied with Waverley's assistance.

'She has a more correct ear than Flora, though a less accomplished musician,' said Waverley to himself.

'I suppose Miss Mac-Ivor will next compare Mac-Murrough nan Fonn to Ariosto!' Lastly, it so befell that the company differed whether Fergus should be asked to perform on the flute, at which he was an adept, or Waverley invited to read a play of Shakespeare; and the lady of the house good-humouredly undertook to collect the votes of the company for poetry or music, under the condition, that the gentleman whose talents were not laid under contribution that evening, should contribute them to enliven the next.