[NOTE: There is a short list of bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of thefile for those who may wish to sample the author's ideas before making anentire meal of them. D. W. ]

THE CONFESSIONS OF HARRY LORREQUER, Vol. 5

[By Charles James Lever (1806-1872)]

Dublin

MDCCCXXXIX. 

Volume 5. (Chapter XXIX-XLI)

Contents:

CHAPTER XXIXCaptain Trevanion's Adventure

CHAPTER XXXDifficulties

CHAPTER XXXIExplanation

CHAPTER XXXIIMr O'Leary's First Love

CHAPTER XXXIIIMr O'Leary's Second Love

CHAPTER XXXIVThe Duel

CHAPTER XXXVEarly Recollections--A First Love

CHAPTER XXXVIWise Resolves

CHAPTER XXXVIIThe Proposal

CHAPTER XXXVIIIThoughts upon Matrimony in general, and in the Army in particular--TheKnight of Kerry and Billy M'Cabe

CHAPTER XXXIXA Reminiscence

CHAPTER XLThe Two Letters

CHAPTER XLIMr O'Leary's Capture

CHAPTER XXIX. 

CAPTAIN TREVANION'S ADVENTURE. 

As the day was now waning apace, and I was still unprovided with any onewho could act as my second, I set out upon a search through the variouslarge hotels in the neighbourhood, trusting that amid my numerousacquaintance I should be fortunate enough to find some of them at Paris. With a most anxious eye I scanned the lists of arrivals at the usualhaunts of my countrymen, in the Rue Rivoli, and the Place Vendome, butwithout success; there were long catalogues of "Milors, " with their"couriers, " &c. But not one name known to me in the number. 

I repaired to Galignani's library, which, though crowded as ever withEnglish, did not present to me one familiar face. From thence I turnedinto the Palais Royale, and at last, completely jaded by walking, andsick from disappointment, I sat down upon a bench in the TuilleriesGarden. 

I had scarcely been there many minutes when a gentleman accosted me inEnglish, saying, "May I ask if this be your property?" showing, at thesame time, a pocket-book which I had inadvertently dropped in pulling outmy handkerchief. As I thanked him for his attention, and was about toturn away, I perceived that he continued to look very steadily at me. Atlength he said, "I think I am not mistaken; I have the pleasure to see Mr. Lorrequer, whomay perhaps recollect my name, Trevanion of the 43rd. The last time wemet was at Malta. "

"Oh, I remember perfectly. Indeed I should be very ungrateful if I didnot; for to your kind offices there I am indebted for my life. You mustsurely recollect the street row at the 'Caserne?'"

"Yes; that was a rather brisk affair while it lasted; but, pray, how longare you here?"

"Merely a few days; and most anxious am I to leave as soon as possible;for, independently of pressing reasons to wish myself elsewhere, I havehad nothing but trouble and worry since my arrival, and at this instantam involved in a duel, without the slightest cause that I can discover, and, what is still worse, without the aid of a single friend to undertakethe requisite negociation for me. "

"If my services can in any way assist--"

"Oh, my dear captain, this is really so great a favour that I cannot sayhow much I thank you. "

"Say nothing whatever, but rest quite assured that I am completely atyour disposal; for although we are not very old friends, yet I have heardso much of you from some of ours, that I feel as if we had been longacquainted. "

This was an immense piece of good fortune to me; for, of all the personsI knew, he was the most suited to aid me at this moment. In addition toa thorough knowledge of the continent and its habits, he spoke Frenchfluently, and had been the most renomme authority in the duello to alarge military acquaintance; joining to a consummate tact and clevernessin his diplomacy, a temper that never permitted itself to be ruffled, anda most unexceptionable reputation for courage. In a word, to have hadTrevanion for your second, was not only to have secured odds in yourfavour, but, still better, to have obtained the certainty that, let theaffair take what turn it might, you were sure of coming out of it withcredit. He was the only man I have ever met, who had much mixed himselfin transactions of this nature, and yet never, by any chance, haddegenerated into the fire-eater; more quiet, unassuming manners it wasimpossible to meet with, and, in the various anecdotes I have heard ofhim, I have always traced a degree of forbearance, that men of less knownbravery might not venture to practise. At the same time, when onceroused by any thing like premeditated insult--or pre-determined affront--he became almost ungovernable, and it would be safer to beard the lionin his den than cross his path. Among the many stories, and there were agreat many current in his regiment concerning him, there was one sosingularly characteristic of the man, that, as I have passingly mentionedhis name here, I may as well relate it; at the same time premising that, as it is well known, I may only be repeating an often-heard tale to manyof my readers. 

When the regiment to which Trevanion belonged became part of the army ofoccupation in Paris, he was left at Versailles seriously ill from theeffects of a sabre-wound he received at Waterloo, and from which hisrecovery at first was exceedingly doubtful. At the end of several weeks, however, he became out of danger, and was able to receive the visits ofhis brother officers, whenever they were fortunate enough to obtain aday's leave of absence, to run down and see him. From them he learnedthat one of his oldest friends in the regiment had fallen in a duel, during the time of his illness, and that two other officers weredangerously wounded--one of whom was not expected to survive. When heinquired as to the reasons of these many disasters, he was informed thatsince the entrance of the allies into Paris, the French officers, boilingwith rage and indignation at their recent defeat, and smarting under thehourly disgrace which the presence of their conquerors suggested, soughtout, by every means in their power, opportunities of insult; but alwaysso artfully contrived as to render the opposite party the challenger, thus reserving to themselves the choice of weapons. When therefore itis borne in mind that the French are the most expert swordsmen in Europe, little doubt can exist as to the issue of these combats; and, in fact, scarcely a morning passed without three or four English or Prussianofficers being carried through the Barriere de l'Etoile, if not dead, atleast seriously wounded, and condemned to carry with them through lifethe inflictions of a sanguinary and savage spirit of revenge. 

While Trevanion listened to this sad recital, and scarcely did a day comewithout adding to the long catalogue of disasters, he at once perceivedthat the quiet deportment and unassuming demeanour which so stronglycharacterise the English officer, were construed by their Frenchopponents into evidences of want of courage, and saw that to sosystematic a plan for slaughter no common remedy could be applied, andthat some "coup d'etat" was absolutely necessary, to put it down onceand for ever. 

In the history of these sanguinary rencontres, one name was continuallyrecurring, generally as the principal, sometimes the instigator of thequarrel. This was an officer of a chasseur regiment, who had thereputation of being the best swordsman in the whole French army, and wasno less distinguished for his "skill at fence, " than his uncompromisinghatred of the British, with whom alone, of all the allied forces, he wasever known to come in contact. So celebrated was the "Capitaine AugustinGendemar" for his pursuits, that it was well known at that time in Paristhat he was the president of a duelling club, associated for the expressand avowed object of provoking to insult, and as certainly dooming todeath every English officer upon whom they could fasten a quarrel. 

The Cafe Philidor, at that period in the Rue Vivienne, was the rendezvousof this reputable faction, and here "le Capitaine" reigned supreme, receiving accounts of the various "affairs" which were transacting--counselling and plotting for the future. His ascendancy among hiscountrymen was perfectly undisputed, and being possessed of greatmuscular strength, with that peculiarly "farouche" exterior, withoutwhich courage is nothing in France, he was in every way calculated forthe infamous leadership he assumed. 

It was, unfortunately, to this same cafe, being situated in what wascalled the English quarter, that the officers of the 43rd regiment werein the habit of resorting, totally unaware of the plots by which theywere surrounded, and quite unsuspecting the tangled web of deliberate andcold-blooded assassination in which they were involved, and here tookplace the quarrel, the result of which was the death of Trevanion'sfriend, a young officer of great promise, and universally beloved in hisregiment. 

As Trevanion listened to these accounts, his impatience became dailygreater, that his weak state should prevent his being among his brotherofficers, when his advice and assistance were so imperatively required, and where, amid all the solicitude for his perfect recovery, he could notbut perceive they ardently wished for him. 

The day at last arrived, and restored to something like his former self, Trevanion once more appeared in the mess-room of his regiment. Amid themany sincere and hearty congratulations on his recovered looks, were nota few half-expressed hints that he might not go much out into the worldfor some little time to come. To these friendly admonitions Trevanionreplied by a good-humoured laugh, and a ready assurance that heunderstood the intended kindness, and felt in no wise disposed to beinvalided again. "In fact, " said he, "I have come up here to enjoy lifea little, not to risque it; but, among the sights of your gay capital, Imust certainly have a peep at your famed captain, of whom I have heardtoo much not to feel an interest in him. "

Notwithstanding the many objections to this, made with a view to delayhis visit to the Philidor to a later period, it was at length agreed, that they should all repair to the cafe that evening, but upon theexpress understanding that every cause of quarrel should be strictlyavoided, and that their stay should be merely sufficient to satisfyTrevanion's curiosity as to the personnel of the renomme captain. 

It was rather before the usual hour of the cafe's filling, that a numberof English officers, among whom was Trevanion, entered the "salon" of the"Philidor;" having determined not to attract any unusual attention, theybroke into little knots and parties of threes and fours, and dispersedthrough the room, where they either sipped their coffee or played atdominoes, then, as now, the staple resource of a French cafe. 

The clock over the "comptoir" struck eight, and, at the same instant, a waiter made his appearance, carrying a small table, which he placedbeside the fire, and, having trimmed a lamp, and placed a large fauteuilbefore it, was about to withdraw, when Trevanion, whose curiosity wasroused by the singularity of these arrangements, determined upon askingfor whose comfort they were intended. The waiter stared for a moment atthe question, with an air as if doubting the seriousness of him who putit, and at last replied--"Pour Monsieur le Capitaine, je crois, " with acertain tone of significance upon the latter words. 

"Le Capitaine! but what captain?" said he, carelessly; "for I am acaptain, and that gentleman there--and there, too, is another, " at thesame instant throwing himself listlessly into the well-cushioned chair, and stretching out his legs at full length upon the hearth. 

The look of horror which this quiet proceeding on his part, elicited fromthe poor waiter, so astonished him that he could not help saying--"isthere any thing the matter with you, my friend; are you ill?"

"No, monsieur, not ill; nothing the matter with me; but you, sir; oh, you, sir, pray come away. "

"Me, " said Trevanion; "me! why, my good man, I was never better in mylife; so now just bring me my coffee and the Moniteur, if you have it;there, don't stare that way, but do as I bid you. "

There was something in the assured tone of these few words that eitheroverawed or repressed every rising feeling of the waiter, for hisinterrogator; for, silently handing his coffee and the newspaper, he leftthe room; not, however, without bestowing a parting glance so full ofterror and dismay that our friend was obliged to smile at it. All thiswas the work of a few minutes, and not until the noise of new arrivalshad attracted the attention of his brother officers, did they perceivewhere he had installed himself, and to what danger he was thus, as theysupposed, unwittingly exposed. 

It was now, however, too late for remonstrance; for already severalFrench officers had noticed the circumstance, and by their interchange oflooks and signs, openly evinced their satisfaction at it, and theirdelight at the catastrophe which seemed inevitable to the lucklessEnglishman. 

In perfect misery at what they conceived their own fault, in notapprising him of the sacred character of that place, they stood silentlylooking at him as he continued to sip his coffee, apparently unconsciousof every thing and person about him. 

There was now a more than ordinary silence in the cafe, which at alltimes was remarkable for the quiet and noiseless demeanour of itsfrequenters, when the door was flung open by the ready waiter, and theCapitaine Augustin Gendemar entered. He was a large, squarely-built man, with a most savage expression of countenance, which a bushy beard andshaggy overhanging moustache served successfully to assist; his eyes wereshaded by deep, projecting brows, and long eyebrows slanting over them, and increasing their look of piercing sharpness; there was in his wholeair and demeanour that certain French air of swaggering bullyism, whichever remained in those who, having risen from the ranks, maintained thelook of ruffianly defiance which gave their early character for couragepeculiar merit. 

To the friendly salutations of his countrymen he returned the slightestand coldest acknowledgments, throwing a glance of disdain around him ashe wended his way to his accustomed place beside the fire; this he didwith as much of noise and swagger as he could well contrive; his sabreand sabretasch clanking behind, his spurs jangling, and his heavy step, made purposely heavier to draw upon him the notice and attention hesought for. Trevanion alone testified no consciousness of his entrance, and appeared totally engrossed by the columns of his newspaper, fromwhich he never lifted his eyes for an instant. Le Capitaine at lengthreached the fire-place, when, no sooner did he behold his accustomed seatin the possession of another, than he absolutely started back withsurprise and anger. 

What might have been his first impulse it is hard to say, for, as theblood rushed to his face and forehead, he clenched his hands firmly, andseemed for an instant, as he eyed the stranger, like a tiger about tospring upon its victim; this was but for a second, for turning rapidlyround towards his party, he gave them a look of peculiar meaning, showingtwo rows of white teeth, with a grin which seemed to say, "I have takenmy line;" and he had done so. He now ordered the waiter, in a voice ofthunder, to bring him a chair, this he took roughly from him, and placed, with a crash, upon the floor, exactly opposite that of Trevanion, andstill so near as scarcely to permit of his sitting down upon it. Thenoisy vehemence of this action at last appeared to have rousedTrevanion's attention, for he now, for the first time, looked up from hispaper, and quietly regarded his vis-a-vis. There could not in the worldbe a stronger contrast to the bland look and courteous expression ofTrevanion's handsome features, than the savage scowl of the enragedFrenchman, in whose features the strong and ill-repressed workings ofpassion were twitching and distorting every lineament and line; indeed nowords could ever convey one half so forcibly as did that look, insult--open, palpable, deep, determined insult. 

Trevanion, whose eyes had been merely for a moment lifted from hispaper, again fell, and he appeared to take no notice whatever of theextraordinary proximity of the Frenchman, still less of the savage andinsulting character of his looks. 

Le Capitaine, having thus failed to bring on the eclaircissement hesought for, proceeded to accomplish it by other means; for, taking thelamp, by the light of which Trevanion was still reading, he placed it athis side of the table, and at the same instant stretching across his arm, he plucked the newspaper from his hand, giving at the same moment aglance of triumph towards the bystanders, as though he would say, "yousee what he must submit to. " Words cannot describe the astonishment ofthe British officers, as they beheld Trevanion, under this gross and openinsult, content himself by a slight smile and half bow, as if returninga courtesy, and then throw his eyes downward, as if engaged in deepthought, while the triumphant sneer of the French, at this unaccountableconduct, was absolutely maddening to them to endure. 

But their patience was destined to submit to stronger proof, for at thisinstant le Capitaine stretched forth one enormous leg, cased in hismassive jack-boot, and with a crash deposited the heel upon the foot oftheir friend Trevanion. At length he is roused, thought they, for aslight flush of crimson flitted across his cheek, and his upper liptrembled with a quick spasmodic twitching; but both these signs were overin a second, and his features were as calm and unmoved as before, and hisonly appearance of consciousness of the affront, was given by his drawingback his chair and placing his legs beneath it, as for protection. 

This last insult, and the tame forbearance with which it was submittedto, produced all their opposite effects upon the by-standers, andlooks of ungovernable rage and derisive contempt were every momentinterchanging; indeed, were it not for the all-absorbing interest whichthe two great actors in the scene had concentrated upon themselves, thetwo parties must have come at once into open conflict. 

The clock of the cafe struck nine, the hour at which Gendemar alwaysretired, so calling to the waiter for his petit verre of brandy, heplaced his newspaper upon the table, and putting both his elbows upon it, and his chin upon his hands, he stared full in Trevanion's face, with alook of the most derisive triumph, meant to crown the achievement of theevening. To this, as to all his former insults, Trevanion appeared stillinsensible, and merely regarded him with his never--changing half smile;the petite verre arrived; le Capitaine took it in his hand, and, with anod of most insulting familiarity, saluted Trevanion, adding with a loudvoice, so as to be heard on every side--"a votre courage, Anglais. " Hehad scarcely swallowed the liqueur when Trevanion rose slowly from hischair, displaying to the astonished gaze of the Frenchman the immenseproportions and gigantic frame of a man well known as the largest officerin the British army; with one stride he was beside the chair of theFrenchman, and with the speed of lightening he seized his nose by onehand, while with the other he grasped his lower jaw, and, wrenching openhis mouth with the strength of an ogre, he spat down his throat. 

So sudden was the movement, that before ten seconds had elapsed, all wasover, and the Frenchman rushed from the room, holding the fragments ofhis jaw-bone, (for it was fractured!) And followed by his countrymen, who, from that hour, deserted the Cafe Philidor, nor was there ever anymention of the famous captain during the stay of the regiment in Paris. 

CHAPTER XXX. 

DIFFICULTIES. 

While we walked together towards Meurice, I explained to Trevanion theposition in which I stood; and having detailed, at full length, thefracas at the Salon, and the imprisonment of O'Leary, entreated hisassistance in behalf of him, as well as to free me from some of my manyembarrassments. 

It was strange enough--though at first so pre-occupied was I with otherthoughts, that I paid but little attention to it--that no part of myeventful evening seemed to make so strong an impression on him as mymention of having seen my cousin Guy, and heard from him of the death ofmy uncle. At this portion of my story he smiled, with so muchsignificance of meaning, that I could not help asking his reason. 

"It is always an unpleasant task, Mr. Lorrequer, to speak in any way, however delicately, in a tone of disparagement of a man's relatives; and, therefore, as we are not long enough acquainted--"

"But pray, " said I, "waive that consideration, and only remember theposition in which I now am. If you know any thing of this business, Ientreat you to tell me--I promise to take whatever you may be disposed tocommunicate, in the same good part it is intended. "

"Well, then, I believe you are right; but, first, let me ask you, how doyou know of your uncle's death; for I have reason to doubt it?"

"From Guy; he told me himself. "

"When did you see him, and where?"

"Why, I have just told you; I saw him last night at the Salon. "

"And you could not be mistaken?"

"Impossible! Besides, he wrote to me a note which I received thismorning--here it is. "

"Hem--ha. Well, are you satisfied that this is his handwriting?" saidTrevanion, as he perused the note slowly twice over. 

"Why, of course--but stop--you are right; it is not his hand, nor do Iknow the writing, now that you direct my attention to it. But what canthat mean? You, surely, do not suppose that I have mistaken any one forhim; for, independent of all else, his knowledge of my family, and myuncle's affairs, would quite disprove that. "

"This is really a complex affair, " said Trevanion, musingly. "How longmay it be since you saw your cousin--before last night, I mean?"

"Several years; above six, certainly. "

"Oh, it is quite possible, then, " said Trevanion, musingly; "do you know, Mr. Lorrequer, this affair seems much more puzzling to me than to you, and for this plain reason--I am disposed to think you never saw yourcousin last night. "

"Why, confound it, there is one circumstance that I think may satisfy youon that head. You will not deny that I saw some one, who very muchresembled him; and certainly, as he lent me above three thousand franksto play with at the table, it looks rather more like his act than that ofa perfect stranger. "

"Have you got the money?" asked Trevanion dryly. 

"Yes, " said I; "but certainly you are the most unbelieving of mortals, and I am quite happy that I have yet in my possession two of the billetsde banque, for, I suppose, without them, you would scarcely credit me. "I here opened my pocket-book, and produced the notes. 

He took them, examined them attentively for an instant, held them betweenhim and the light, refolded them, and, having placed them in mypocket-book, said--"I thought as much--they are forgeries. "

"Hold!" said I, "my cousin Guy, whatever wildness he may have committed, is yet totally incapable of--"

"I never said the contrary, replied Trevanion, in the same dry tone asbefore. 

"Then what can you mean, for I see no alternative between that andtotally discrediting the evidence of my senses?"

"Perhaps I can suggest a middle course, " said Trevanion; "lend me, therefore, a patient hearing for a few moments, and I may be able tothrow some light upon this difficult matter. You may never have heardthat there is, in this same city of Paris, a person so extremely likeyour cousin Guy, that his most intimate friends have daily mistaken onefor the other, and this mistake has the more often been made, from thecircumstances of their both being in the habit of frequenting the sameclass in society, where, knowing and walking with the same people, thedifficulty of discriminating has been greatly increased. Thisindividual, who has too many aliases for one to know which toparticularise him by, is one of that numerous order of beings whom ahigh state of civilization is always engendering and throwing up on thesurface of society; he is a man of low birth and mean connexions, butgifted with most taking manners and an unexceptionable address andappearance; these advantages, and the possession of apparentlyindependent means, have opened to him the access to a certain set ofpeople, who are well known and well received in society, and obtained forhim, what he prizes much more, the admission into several clubs wherehigh play is carried on. In this mixed assemblage, which sporting habitsand gambling, (that grand leveller of all distinctions, ) have broughttogether, this man and your cousin Guy met frequently, and, from theconstant allusion to the wonderful resemblance between them, youreccentric cousin, who, I must say, was never too select in hisacquaintances, frequently amused himself by practical jokes upon theirfriends, which served still more to nurture the intimacy between them;and from this habit, Mr. Dudley Morewood, for such is his latestpatronymic, must have enjoyed frequent opportunities of hearing much ofyour family and relations, a species of information he never neglected, though at the moment it might appear not so immediately applicable to hispurposes. Now, this man, who knows of every new English arrival inParis, with as much certainty as the police itself, would at once beaware of your being here, and having learned from Guy how littleintercourse there had been of late years between you, would not let slipan opportunity of availing himself of the likeness, if any thing couldthereby turn to his profit. "

"Stop, " cried I; "you have opened my eyes completely, for now I rememberthat, as I continued to win last night, this man, who was playing hazardat another table, constantly borrowed from me, but always in gold, invariably refusing the billets de banque as too high for his game. "

"There his object was clear enough; for besides obtaining your gold, hemade you the means of disseminating his false billets de banque. "

"So that I have been actually playing and winning upon this fellow'sforgeries, " said I; "and am perhaps at this very instant inscribed in the'Livre noir' of the police, as a most accomplished swindler; but whatcould be the intention of his note of this morning?"

"As to that, " said Trevanion, "it is hard to say; one thing you mayassuredly rely upon--it is not an unnecessary epistle, whatever be itsobject; he never wastes his powder when the game flies too high; so wemust only wait patiently for the unravelment of his plans, satisfied thatwe, at least, know something. What most surprises me is, his venturing, at present, to appear in public; for it is not above two months since anescapade of his attracted so much attention of the play world here, thathe was obliged to leave, and it was supposed that he would never returnto Paris. "

"One piece of good fortune there is at least, " said I, "which, I cansafely say repays me for any and all the annoyance this unhappy affairmay cause me; it is, that my poor old uncle is still alive and well. Not all my anticipated pleasures, in newly acquired wealth, could haveafforded me the same gratification that this fact does, for, althoughnever so much his favourite as my cousin, yet the sense of protection--the feeling of confidence, which is inseparable from the degree ofrelationship between us--standing, as he has ever done, in the lightof a father to me, is infinitely more pleasurable than the possession ofriches, which must ever suggest to me, the recollection of a kind friendlost to me for ever. But so many thoughts press on me--so many effectsof this affair are staring me in the face--I really know not which way toturn, nor can I even collect my ideas sufficiently, to determine what isfirst to be done. "

"Leave all that to me, " said Trevanion; "it is a tangled web, but I thinkI can unravel it; meanwhile, where does the Militaire reside? for, amongall your pressing engagements, this affair with the Frenchman must comeoff first; and for this reason, although you are not really obliged togive him satisfaction, by his merely producing your card, and insistingthat you are to be responsible for the misdeeds of any one who might showit as his own address, yet I look upon it as a most fortunate thing, while charges so heavy may be at this moment hanging over your head, asthe proceedings of last night involve, that you have a public opportunityof meeting an antagonist in the field--thereby evincing no fear ofpublicity, nor any intention of absconding; for be assured, that thepolice are at this moment in possession of what has occurred, and fromthe fracas which followed, are well disposed to regard the whole as aconcerted scheme to seize upon the property of the banque, a not uncommonwind-up here after luck fails. My advice is therefore, meet the man atonce; I shall take care that the prefect is informed that you have beenimposed upon by a person passing himself off as your relative, and enterbail for your appearance, whenever you are called upon; that being done, we shall have time for a moment's respite to look around us, and considerthe other bearings of this difficult business. "

"Here, then, is the card of address, " said I; "Eugene DejoncourtCapitaine de Cavalerie, No. 8, Chausse D'Antin. "

"Dejoncourt! why, confound it, this is not so pleasant; he is about thebest shot in Paris, and a very steady swordsman besides, I don't likethis. "

"But you forget he is the friend, not the principal here. "

"The more good fortune yours, " said Trevanion, drily; "for I acknowledgeI should not give much for your chance at twenty paces opposite hispistol; then who is the other?"

"Le Baron d'Haulpenne, " said I, "and his name is all that I know of him;his very appearance is unknown to me. "

"I believe I am acquainted with him, " said Trevanion; "but here we are atMeurice. Now I shall just write a few lines to a legal friend, who willmanage to liberate Mr. O'Leary, whose services we shall need, two personsare usual on each side in this country, and then, 'a l'ouvrage. '"

The note written and despatched; Trevanion jumped into a cab, and set outfor the Chausse D'Antin; leaving me to think over, as well as I could, the mass of trouble and confusion that twenty-four hours of life in Parishad involved me in. 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

EXPLANATION. 

It was past seven o'clock when Trevanion made his appearance, accompaniedby O'Leary; and having in few words informed me that a meeting was fixedfor the following morning, near St. Cloud, proposed that we should go todinner at Verey's, after which we should have plenty of time to discussthe various steps to be taken. As we were leaving the hotel for thispurpose, a waiter requested of me to permit Mr. Meurice to speak a fewwords to me; which, having agreed to, I entered the little bureau wherethis Czar of hotels sits enthroned, and what was my surprise to learn therequest he had to prefer, was nothing less than that I would so faroblige him as to vacate the room I possessed in the hotel, adding that mycompliance would confer upon him the power to accommodate a "milor" whohad written for apartments, and was coming with a large suite ofservants. Suspecting that some rumour of the late affair at Frescatimight have influenced my friend Meurice in this unusual demand, Iabruptly refused, and was about to turn away, when he, perhaps guessingthat I had not believed his statements, handed me an open letter, saying, "You see, sir, this is the letter; and, as I am so pressed for spareroom, I must now refuse the writer. "

As my eye glanced at the writing, I started back with amazement toperceive it was in my cousin Guy's hand, requesting that apartments mightbe retained for Sir Guy Lorrequer, my uncle, who was to arrive in Parisby the end of the week. If any doubt had remained on my mind as to thedeception I had been duped by, this would completely have dispelled it, but I had long before been convinced of the trick, and only wondered howthe false Guy--Mr. Dudley Morewood--had contrived to present himself tome so opportunely, and by what means, in so short a space of time, he hadbecome acquainted with my personal appearance. 

As I mentioned this circumstance of the letter to Trevanion, he could notconceal his satisfaction at his sagacity in unravelling the mystery, while this new intelligence confirmed the justness and accuracy of allhis explanations. 

While we walked along towards the Palais Royale, Trevanion endeavourednot very successfully, to explain to my friend O'Leary, the nature of thetrick which had been practised, promising, at another time, somerevelations concerning the accomplished individual who had planned it, which, in boldness and daring, eclipsed even this. 

Any one who in waking has had the confused memory of a dream in whichevents have been so mingled and mixed as to present no uniform narrative, but only a mass of strange and incongruous occurrences, without object orconnexion, may form some notion of the state of restless excitement mybrain suffered from, as the many and conflicting ideas my late adventuressuggested, presented themselves to my mind in rapid succession. 

The glare, the noise, and the clatter of a French cafe are certainly notthe agents most in request for restoring a man to the enjoyment of hiserring faculties; and, if I felt addled and confused before, I hadscarcely passed the threshold of Verey's when I became absolutely likeone in a trance. The large salon was more than usually crowded, and itwas with difficulty that we obtained a place at a table where some otherEnglish were seated, among whom I recognised by lately made acquaintance, Mr. Edward Bingham. 

Excepting a cup of coffee I had taken nothing the entire day, and socompletely did my anxieties of different kinds subdue all appetite, thatthe most recherche viands of this well-known restaurant did not in theleast tempt me. The champagne alone had any attraction for me; and, seduced by the icy coldness of the wine, I drank copiously. This was allthat was wanting to complete the maddening confusion of my brain, and theeffect was instantaneous; the lights danced before my eyes; the lustreswhirled round; and, as the scattered fragments of conversations, oneither side met my ear, I was able to form some not very inaccurateconception of what insanity may be. Politics and literature, Mexicanbonds and Noblet's legs, Pates de perdreaux and the quarantine laws, theextreme gauche and the "Bains Chinois, " Victor Hugo and rouge et noir, had formed a species of grand ballet d'action in my fevered brain, and Iwas perfectly beside myself; occasionally, too, I would revert to my ownconcerns, although I was scarcely able to follow up any train of thoughtfor more than a few seconds together, and totally inadequate todistinguish the false from the true. I continued to confound thecounterfeit with my cousin, and wonder how my poor uncle, for whom I wasabout to put on the deepest mourning, could possibly think of driving meout of my lodgings. Of my duel for the morning, I had the most shadowyrecollection, and could not perfectly comprehend whether it was O'Learyor I was the principal, and indeed cared but little. In this happy stateof independent existence I must have passed a considerable time, and asmy total silence when spoken to, or my irrelevant answers, appeared tohave tired out my companions, they left me to the uninterrupted enjoymentof my own pleasant imaginings. 

"Do you hear, Lorrequer, " at last said Trevanion; "are you asleep, mydear friend? This gentleman has been good enough to invite us tobreakfast to-morrow at St. Cloud. "

I looked up, and was just able to recognise the well-trimmed moustache ofMr. Edward Bingham, as he stood mumbling something before me. "St. Cloud--what of St. Cloud?" said I. 

"We have something in that quarter to-morrow. "

"What is it, O'Leary? Can we go?"

"Oh! certainly--our engagement's an early one. "

"We shall accept your polite invitation with pleasure"--

Here he stooped over, and whispered something in my ear; what, I cannotsay, but I know that my reply, now equally lost to me, produced a heartyfit of laughing to my two friends. 

My next recollection is, finding myself in a crowded loge at the theatre. It seems that O'Leary had acceded to a proposal from some of the otherparty to accompany them to the Porte St. Martin, where Mrs. Bingham andher daughter had engaged a box. Amid all the confusion which troubledthoughts and wine produced in me, I could not help perceiving a studiedpoliteness and attention on the part of Mr. Edward Bingham towards me;and my first sobering reflection came, on finding that a place wasreserved for me beside Miss Bingham, into which, by some contrivance Ican in no wise explain, I found myself almost immediately installed. Toall the excitements of champagne and punch, let the attractions of aFrench ballet be added, and, with a singularly pretty companion at yourside, to whom you have already made sufficient advances to be aware thatyou are no longer indifferent to her, and I venture to predict, that itis much more likely your conversation will incline to flirting thanpolitical economy; and, moreover, that you make more progress during theperformance of one single pas de deux upon the stage, than you havehitherto done in ten morning calls, with an unexceptionable whisker andthe best fitting gloves in Paris. Alas! alas! it is only the rich manthat ever wins at rouge et noir. The well-insured Indiaman, with hercargo of millions, comes safe into port; while the whole venture of somehardy veteran of the wave, founders within sight of his native shore. Sois it ever; where success would be all and every thing, it never comes--but only be indifferent or regardless, and fortune is at your feet, suing and imploring your acceptance of her favours. What would I nothave given for one half of that solicitude now so kindly expressed in myfavour by Miss Bingham, if syllabled by the lips of Lady Jane Callonby--how would my heart have throbbed for one light smile from one, while Iungratefully basked in the openly avowed preference of the other. Thesewere my first thoughts--what were the succeeding ones?

"Comment elle est belle, " said a Frenchwoman, turning round in the boxnext to us, and directing at the same moment the eyes of a moustachedhero upon my fair companion. 

What a turn to my thoughts did this unexpected ejaculation give rise to!I now began to consider her more attentively, and certainly concurredfully in the Frenchwoman's verdict. I had never see her look half sowell before. The great fault in her features, which were mostclassically regular, lay in the monotony and uniform character of theirexpression. Now this was quite changed. Her cheek was slightly flushed, and her eyes more brilliant than ever; while her slightly parted lipsgave a degree of speaking earnestness to her expression, that made herperfectly beautiful. 

Whether it was from this cause I cannot say, but I certainly never feltso suddenly decided in my life from one course to its very opposite, as Inow did to make l'aimable to my lovely companion. And here, I fear, Imust acknowledge, in the honesty of these confessional details, thatvanity had also its share in the decision. To be the admitted andpreferred suitor of the prettiest woman in company, is generally a stronginducement to fall desperately in love with her, independently of othertemptations for so doing. 

How far my successes tallied with my good intentions in this respect, Icannot now say. I only remember, that more than once O'Leary whisperedto me something like a caution of some sort or other; but Emily'sencouraging smiles and still more encouraging speeches had far moreeffect upon me than all the eloquence of the united service, had it beenengaged in my behalf, would have effected. Mrs. Bingham, too--who, to doher justice, seemed but little cognisant of our proceedings--from time totime evinced that species of motherly satisfaction which very young menrejoice much in, and older ones are considerably alarmed at. 

The play over O'Leary charged himself with the protection of madam, while I enveloped Emily in her cachmere, and drew her arm within my own. What my hand had to do with her's I know not; it remains one of theunexplained difficulties of that eventful evening. I have, it is true, a hazy recollection of pressing some very taper and delicately formedfinger--and remember, too, the pain I felt next morning on awaking, bythe pressure of a too tight ring, which had, by some strange accident, found its way to my finger, for which its size was but ill adapted. 

"You will join us at supper, I hope, " said Mrs. Bingham, as Trevanionhanded her to her carriage. "Mr. Lorrequer, Mr. O'Leary, we shall expectyou. "

I was about to promise to do so, when Trevanion, suddenly interruptedme, saying that he had already accepted an invitation, which would, unfortunately, prevent us; and having hastily wished the ladies goodnight, hurried me away so abruptly, that I had not a moment given foreven one parting look at the fair Emily. 

"Why, Trevanion, " said I, "what invitation are you dreaming of? I, forone, should have been delighted to have gone home with the Binghams. "

"So I perceived, " said Trevanion, gravely; "and it was for that precisereason I so firmly refused what, individually, I should have been mosthappy to accept. "

"Then, pray, have the goodness to explain. "

"It is easily done. You have already, in recounting your manifoldembarrassments, told me enough of these people, to let me see that theyintend you should marry among them; and, indeed, you have gone quite farenough to encourage such an expectation. Your present excited state hasled you sufficiently far this evening, and I could not answer for yournot proposing in all form before the supper was over; therefore, I had noother course open to me than positively to refuse Mrs. Bingham'sinvitation. But here we are now at the 'Cadran rouge;' we shall have ourlobster and a glass of Moselle, and then to bed, for we must not forgetthat we are to be at St. Cloud by seven. "

"Ah! that is a good thought of yours about the lobster, " said O'Leary;"and now, as you understand these matters, just order supper, and let usenjoy ourselves. "

With all the accustomed despatch of a restaurant, a most appetizing petitsouper made its speedy appearance; and although now perfectly divested ofthe high excitement which had hitherto possessed me, my spirits wereexcellent, and I never more relished our good fare and good fellowship. 

After a full bumper to the health of the fair Emily had been proposed anddrained by all three, Trevanion again explained how much more seriousdifficulty would result from any false step in that quarter than from allmy other scrapes collectively. 

This he represented so strongly, that for the first time I began toperceive the train of ill consequences that must inevitably result, andpromised most faithfully to be guided by any counsel he might feeldisposed to give me. 

"Ah! what a pity, " said O'Leary, "it is not my case. It's very littletrouble it would cost any one to break off a match for me. I had alwaysa most peculiar talent for those things. 

"Indeed!" said Trevanion. "Pray, may we know your secret? for, perhaps, ere long we may have occasion for its employment. "

"Tell it, by all means, " said I. 

"If I do, " said O'Leary, "it will cost you a patient hearing; for myexperiences are connected with two episodes in my early life, which, although not very amusing, are certainly instructive. "

"Oh! by all means, let us hear them, " said Trevanion; "for we have yettwo bottles of chambertin left, and must finish them ere we part. "

"Well, agreed, " said O'Leary; "only, once for all, as what I am about toconfide is strictly confidential, you must promise never even to alludeto it hereafter in even the most remote manner, much less indulge in anyunseemly mirth at what I shall relate. "

Having pledged ourselves to secrecy and a becoming seriousness, O'Learybegan his story as follows:--

CHAPTER XXXII. 

MR. O'LEARY'S FIRST LOVE. 

"It was during the vice-royalty of the late Duke of Richmond that theincidents I am about to mention took place. That was a few years since, and I was rather younger, and a little more particular about my dressthan at present. " Here the little man cast an eye of stoicalsatisfaction upon his uncouth habiliments, that nearly made us forget ourcompact, and laugh outright. "Well, in those wild and headstrong days ofyouthful ardour, I fell in love--desperately in love--and as always is, Ibelieve, the case with our early experiments in that unfortunate passion, the object of my affection was in every way unsuited to me. She was atall, dark-haired, dark-eyed maiden, with a romantic imagination, and akind of a half-crazed poetic fervour, that often made me fear for herintellect. I'm a short, rather fat--I was always given this way"--herehe patted a waistcoat that would fit Dame Lambert--"happy-minded littlefellow, that liked my supper of oysters at the Pigeon-house, and my othercreature-comforts, and hated every thing that excited or put one out ofone's way, just as I would have hated a blister. Then, the devil wouldhave it--for as certainly as marriages are made in heaven, flirtationshave something to say to the other place--that I should fall mostirretrievably in love with Lady Agnes Moreton. Bless my soul, itabsolutely puts me in a perspiration this hot day, just to think over allI went through on her account; for, strange to say, the more I appearedto prosper in her good graces, the more did she exact on my part; thepursuit was like Jacob's ladder--if it did lead to heaven it wascertainly an awfully long journey, and very hard on one's legs. Therewas not an amusement she could think of, no matter how unsuited to mytastes or my abilities, that she did not immediately take a violent fancyto; and then there was no escaping, and I was at once obliged to go withthe tide, and heaven knows if it would not have carried me to my grave ifit were not for the fortunate (I now call it) accident that broke off theaffair for ever. One time she took a fancy for yachting, and all thedanglers about her--and she always had a cordon of them--youngaides-de-camp of her father the general, and idle hussars, in clankingsabertasches and most absurd mustachios--all approved of the taste, andso kept filling her mind with anecdotes of corsairs and smugglers, thatat last nothing would satisfy her till I--I who always would rather havewaited for low water, and waded the Liffey in all its black mud, thancross over in the ferry-boat, for fear of sickness--I was obliged to putan advertisement in the newspaper for a pleasure-boat, and, before threeweeks, saw myself owner of a clinker-built schooner, of forty-eight tons, that by some mockery of fortune was called 'The Delight. ' I wish you sawme, as you might have done every morning for about a month, as I stood onthe Custom-house quay, giving orders for the outfit of the little craft. At first, as she bobbed and pitched with the flood-tide, I used to be alittle giddy and rather qualmish, but at last I learned to look onwithout my head reeling. I began to fancy myself very much of a sailor, a delusion considerably encouraged by a huge P. Jacket and a sou'-wester, both of which, though it was in the dog-days, Agnes insisted upon mywearing, saying I looked more like Dirk Hatteraick, who, I understood, was one of her favourite heroes in Walter Scott. In fact, after shesuggested this, she and all her friends called me nothing but Dirk. 

"Well, at last, after heaven knows how many excuses on my part, andentreaties for delay, a day was appointed for our first excursion. Ishall never forget that day--the entire night before it I did not closemy eyes; the skipper had told me in his confounded sea-jargon, that ifthe wind was in one quarter we should have a short tossing sea; and if inanother a long rolling swell; and if in a third, a happy union of both--in fact, he made it out that it could not possibly blow right, anopinion I most heartily coincided in, and most devoutly did I pray for acalm, that would not permit of our stirring from our moorings, and thusmar our projected party of pleasure. My prayer was unheard, but my hopesrose on the other hand, for it blew tremendously during the entire night, and although there was a lull towards morning, the sea, even in theriver, was considerable. 

"I had just come to the conclusion that I was safe for this time, whenthe steward poked his head into the room and said, "'Mr. Brail wishes to know, sir, if he'll bend the new mainsail to-day, as it's blowing rather fresh, and he thinks the spars light. '

"'Why the devil take him, he would not have us go out in a hurricane;surely, Pipes, we could not take out ladies to-day?'

"'O, bless your heart, yes, sir; it blows a bit to be sure, but she's agood sea-boat, and we can run for Arklow or the Hook, if it comesfresher. '

"'Oh, nonsense, there's no pleasure in that; besides I'm sure they won'tlike it--the ladies won't venture, you'll see. '

"'Ay sir, but they're all on board already: there's eight ladies in thecabin, and six on deck, and as many hampers of victuals and as muchcrockery as if we were a-goin' to Madeira. Captain Grantham, sir, thesoldier officer, with the big beard, is a mixing punch in the grog-tub. '

"'From the consequences of this day I proclaim myself innocent, ' said Iwith a solemn voice, as I drew on my duck trowsers, and prepared to setout. 

"'And the mainsail, sir, ' said the steward, not understanding what Isaid. 

"'I care not which, ' said I, doggedly; 'act or part in this wilfulproceeding I'll not take. '

"'Ay, ay, sir, ' said the stupid wretch, 'then I'll say you're coming, andhe may stretch the large canvas; for the skipper says he likes a wetjacket when he has gentlemen out. '

"Never did a victim put on a flame-coloured garment, the emblem of fate, and set out on the march of death, with a heavier heart, than did I puton my pilot-coat that morning to join my friends. 

"My last hope deserted me as I saw the little vessel lying beside thequay; for I continued to trust that in getting out from the dock someaccident or mischance might occur to spoil our sport. But no; there shelay, rolling and pitching in such a way that, even at anchor, they couldnot stand on the deck without holding. Amid the torrent of complimentsfor the perfection of all my arrangements, and innumerable sweet thingson my taste in the decoration and fitting up of my cabin, I scarcely feltmyself afloat for some minutes, and we got under weigh amid a noise anduproar that absolutely prevented the possibility of thought. 

"Hitherto our destination had not been mentioned, and as all the partyappealed to Lady Agnes, I could not be less gallant, and joined them intheir request. 

"'Well then, what do you think of Lambay?' said she, looking at the samemoment towards the skipper. 

"'We can make it, my lady, ' said the man, 'but we'll have a roughish seaof it, for there's a strong point of westward in the wind. '

"'Then don't think of it, ' said I. 'We have come out for pleasure, notto make our friends sick, or terrify them. It does very well for usmen. '

"'There you are, Dirk, with your insolent sneers about women's nerves andfemale cowardice. Now, nothing but Lambay will content me--what say you, ladies?'

"A general reply of approval met this speech, and it was carried byacclamation. 

"'Lambay then be it, ' said I, with the voice of a man, who, entreating tobe shot, is informed that he cannot be afforded that pleasure, as hissentence is to be hanged. But I must hasten over these painfulrecollections. We dropped down the river, and soon left the light-houseand its long pier behind us, the mast bending like a whip, and the seaboiling like barm over the lee gunwale. Still the spirit of our partyonly rose the lighter, and nothing but eulogies upon the men and sailingof the craft resounded on all sides; the din and buz of the conversationwent on only more loudly and less restrictedly than if the party had beenon shore, and all, even myself, seemed happy, for up to this moment I hadnot been sea-sick, yet certain pleasant sensations, that alternatelyevinced themselves in my stomach and my head, warned me of what was instore for me. The word was now given to tack; I was in the act ofessaying a soft speech to Lady Agnes, when the confounded cry of 'readyabout, starboard there, let go sheets and tacks, stand by, hawl. ' Thevessel plunged head-foremost into the boiling sea, which hissed on eitherbow; the heavy boom swung over, carrying my hat along with it--and almostmy head too. The rest of the party, possibly better informed thanmyself, speedily changed their places to the opposite side of the boat, while I remained holding off fast by the gunwale, till the sea rushingover, what was now becoming the lee-side, carried me head over heels intothe shingle ballast in the waist. Lord, how they did laugh! Agnes, too, who never before could get beyond a very faint smile, grew almosthysterical at my performance. As for me, I only wanted this to completemy long threatened misfortune; sea sickness in all its most miserableforms, set in upon me, and, ere half an hour, I lay upon that heap ofsmall stones, as indifferent to all round and about me as though I weredead. Oh, the long, dreary hours of that melancholy day; it seemed likea year. They tacked and tacked, they were beat and tacked again, the seawashing over me, and the ruffianly sailors trampling upon me without theslightest remorse, whenever they had any occasion to pass back orforward. From my long trance of suffering I was partly roused by thesteward shaking my shoulder, saying, "'The gentlemen wish to know, sir, if you'd like summat to eat, asthey're a goin' to have a morsel; we are getting into slack water now. '

"'Where are we?' I replied, in a sepulchral voice. 

"'Off the Hook, sir; we have had a most splendid run, but I fear we'llcatch it soon; there's some dirty weather to the westward. '

"'God grant it, ' said I, piously and in a low tone. 

"'Did you say you'd have a bit to eat. Sir?'

"'No!--eat!--am I a cannibal?--eat--go away--mark me, my good fellow, I'll pay you your wages, if ever we get ashore; you'll never set anotherfoot aboard with me. '

"The man looked perfectly astounded as he moved away, and my thoughtswere soon engrossed by the proceedings near me. The rattle of knives, and the jingling of plates and glasses went on very briskly for sometime, accompanied by various pleasant observations of my guests, for suchI judged them, from the mirth which ever followed them. At last Ithought I heard my name, or at least what they pleased to use as itssubstitute, mentioned; I strained my ears to listen, and learnt that theywere planning to talk over the pretended intention to run for Cowes, andsee the regatta. This they discussed then, for about twenty minutes, ina very loud voice, purposely to see its effects upon me; but as I was nowaware of the trick, I gave no sign of any intelligence. 

"'Poor Dirk, ' said Grantham; 'I believe by this time he cares very littlewhich way her head lies; but here comes something better than all ourdiscussions. Lady Agnes, sit here--Miss Pelham, here's a dry cushion foryou--did you say a wing, Lady Mary?'

"Now began the crash and clatter of dinner; champagne corks popping, glasses ringing, and all that peculiar admixture of fracas and fun, whichaccompanies a scrambled meal. How they did laugh, and eat, ay, and drinktoo. G's punch seemed to have its success, for sick as I was, I couldperceive the voices of the men grow gradually louder, and discovered thattwo gentlemen who had been remarkably timid in the morning, and scarcelyopened their lips, were now rather uproariously given, and one evenproposed to sing. 

"If any man, thought I, were to look for an instant at the little scenenow enacting here, what a moral might he reap from it; talk of the baseingratitude of the world, you cannot say too much of it. Who wouldsuppose that it was my boat these people were assembled in; that it wasmy champagne these people were drinking; that my venison and my pheasantswere feeding those lips, which rarely spoke, except to raise a jest at myexpense. My chagrin increased my sickness and my sickness redoubled mychagrin. 

"'Mr. Brail, ' said I, in a low whisper, 'Mr. Brail. '

"'Did you speak, sir?' said he, with about as much surprise in hismanner, as though he had been addressed by a corpse. 

"'Mr. Brail, ' said I, 'is there any danger here?'

"'Lord love you, no, sir, she's walking Spanish, and the sea going down;we shall have lovely weather, and they're all enjoying it, sir, --theladies. '

"'So I perceive, ' said I, with a groan; 'so I perceive; but Mr. Brail, could you do nothing--just to--to startle them a little, I mean for funonly? Just ship a heavy sea or two, I don't care for a little damage, Mr. Brail, and if it were to wash over the dinner-service, and all thewine, I should not like it worse. '

"'Why, sir, you are getting quite funny, the sickness is going. '

"'No, Mr. Brail, worse than ever; my head is in two pieces, and mystomach in the back of my mouth; but I should like you to do this--sojust manage it, will you, and there's twenty pounds in my pocket-book, you can have it; there now, won't you oblige me, and hark ye, Mr. Brail--if Captain Grantham were to be washed over by mere accident it cannotbe helped; accidents are always occurring in boating parties. Go now, you know what I mean. '

"'But sir, ' began he. 

"'Well, then, Mr. Brail, you won't--very well: now all I have to say isthis: that the moment I can find strength to do it, I'll stave out aplank; I'll scuttle the vessel, that's all; I have made up my mind, andlook to yourselves now. '

"Saying these words, I again threw myself upon the ballast, and, as thegay chorus of a drinking song was wafted across me, prayed devoutly thatwe might all go down to the bottom. The song over, I heard a harsh, gruff voice mixing with the more civilized tones of the party, and soonperceived that Mr. Brail was recounting my proposal amid the mostuproarious shouts of laughter I ever listened to. Then followed a numberof pleasant suggestions for my future management; one proposing to haveme tried for mutiny, and sentenced to a ducking over the side, anotherthat I should be tarred on my back, to which latter most humane notion, the fair Agnes subscribed, averring that she was resolved upon mydeserving my sobriquet of Dirk Hatteraick. My wrath was now the mastereven of deadly sickness. I got upon my knees, and having in vain triedto reach my legs, I struggled aft. In this posture did I reach thequarter-deck. What my intention precisely was in this excursion, I haveno notion of now, but I have some very vague idea, that I meant tore-enact the curse of Kehama upon the whole party. At last I musteredstrength to rise; but alas! I had scarcely reached the standing position, when a tremendous heel of the boat to one side, threw me in the gunwale, and before I was able to recover my balance, a second lurch pitched meheadlong into the sea. I have, thank God, no further recollection of mymisfortunes. When I again became conscious, I found myself wrapped up ina pilot-coat, while my clothes were drying: the vessel was at anchor inWexford. My attached friends had started for town with post-horses, leaving me no less cured of love than aquatics. 

"'The Delight' passed over in a few days, to some more favoured son ofNeptune, and I hid my shame and my misfortunes by a year's tour on thecontinent. "

"Although I acknowledge, " said Trevanion, "that hitherto I have reaped noaid from Mr. O'Leary's narrative, yet I think it is not without a moral. "

"Well, but, " said I, "he has got another adventure to tell us; we havequite time for it, so pray pass the wine and let us have it. "

"I have just finished the burgundy, " said O'Leary, "and if you will ringfor another flask, I have no objection to let you hear the story of mysecond love. "

CHAPTER XXXIII. 

MR. O'LEARY'S SECOND LOVE. 

"You may easily suppose, " began Mr. O'Leary, "that the unhappytermination of my first passion served as a shield to me for a long timeagainst my unfortunate tendencies towards the fair; and such was reallythe case. I never spoke to a young lady for three years after, without areeling in my head, so associated in my mind was love and sea-sickness. However, at last what will not time do. It was about four years from thedate of this adventure, when I became so, from oblivion of my formerfailure, as again to tempt my fortune. My present choice, in every wayunlike the last, was a gay, lively girl, of great animal spirits, and aconsiderable turn for raillery, that spared no one; the members of herown family were not even sacred in her eyes; and her father, a reverenddean, as frequently figured among the ludicrous as his neighbours. 

"The Evershams had been very old friends of a rich aunt of mine, whonever, by the by, had condescended to notice me till I made theiracquaintance; but no sooner had I done so, than she sent for me, and gaveme to understand that in the event of my succeeding to the hand of FannyEversham, I should be her heir, and the possessor of about sixty thousandpounds. She did not stop here; but by canvassing the dean in my favour, speedily put the matter on a most favourable footing, and in less thantwo months I was received as the accepted suitor of the fair Fanny, thenone of the reigning belles of Dublin. 

"They lived at this time about three miles from town, in a very prettycountry, where I used to pass all my mornings, and many of my eveningstoo, in a state of happiness that I should have considered perfect, ifit were not for two unhappy blots--one, the taste of my betrothed forlaughing at her friends; another the diabolical propensity to talkpolitics of my intended father-in-law--to the former I could submit; butwith the latter, submission only made bad worse; for he invariably drewup as I receded, drily observing that with men who had no avowedopinions, it was ill agreeing; or that, with persons who kept theirpolitics as a school-boy does his pocket-money, never to spend, andalways ready to change, it was unpleasant to dispute. Such taunts asthese I submitted to as well as I might; secretly resolving, that as Inow knew the meaning of whig and tory, I'd contrive to spend my life, after marriage, out of the worthy dean's diocese. 

"Time wore on, and at length, to my most pressing solicitations, it wasconceded that a day for our marriage should be appointed. Not even theunlucky termination of this my second love affair can deprive me of thehappy souvenir of the few weeks which were to intervene before ourdestined union. 

"The mornings were passed in ransacking all the shops where weddingfinery could be procured--laces, blondes, velvets, and satins, litteredevery corner of the deanery--and there was scarcely a carriage in acoach-maker's yard in the city that I had not sat and jumped in, to trythe springs, by the special directions of Mrs. Eversham; who never ceasedto impress me with the awful responsibility I was about to take upon me, in marrying so great a prize as her daughter--a feeling I found verygeneral among many of my friends at the Kildare-street club. 

"Among the many indispensable purchases which I was to make, and aboutwhich Fanny expressed herself more than commonly anxious, was asaddle-horse for me. She was a great horsewoman, and hated riding withonly a servant; and had given me to understand as much about half-a-dozentimes each day for the last five weeks. How shall I acknowledge it--equestrianism was never my forte. I had all my life considerablerespect for the horse as an animal, pretty much as I dreaded a lion or atiger; but as to my intention of mounting upon the back of one, andtaking a ride, I should as soon have dreamed of taking an airing upon agiraffe; and as to the thought of buying, feeding, and maintaining such abeast at my own proper cost, I should just as soon have determined topurchase a pillory or a ducking-stool, by way of amusing my leisurehours. 

"However, Fanny was obstinate--whether she suspected any thing or not Icannot say--but nothing seemed to turn her from her purpose; and althoughI pleaded a thousand things in delay, yet she each day grew moreimpatient, and at last I saw that there was nothing for it but to submit. 

"When I arrived at this last and bold resolve, I could not help feelingthat to possess a horse and not be able to mount him, was only deferringthe ridicule; and as I had so often expressed the difficulty I felt insuiting myself as a cause of my delay, I could not possibly come forwardwith any thing very objectionable, or I should be only the more laughedat. There was then but one course to take; a fortnight still intervenedbefore the day which was to make me happy, and I accordingly resolved totake lessons in riding during the intervals, and by every endeavour in mypower become, if possible, able to pass muster on the saddle before mybride. 

"Poor old Lalouette understood but little of the urgency of the case, when I requested his leave to take my lessons each morning at sixo'clock, for I dared not absent myself during the day without excitingsuspicion; and never, I will venture to assert, did knight-errant of oldstrive harder for the hand of his lady-love than did I during that wearyfortnight, if a hippogriff had been the animal I bestrode, instead ofbeing, as it was, an old wall-eyed grey, I could not have felt moremisgivings at my temerity, or more proud of my achievement. In the firstthree days the unaccustomed exercise proved so severe, that when Ireached the deanery I could hardly move, and crossed the floor, prettymuch as a pair of compasses might be supposed to do if performing thatexploit. Nothing, however, could equal the kindness of my poor dearmother-in-law in embryo, and even the dean too. Fanny, indeed, saidnothing; but I rather think she was disposed to giggle a little; but myrheumatism, as it was called, was daily inquired after, and I wascompelled to take some infernal stuff in my port wine at dinner thatnearly made me sick at table. 

"'I am sure you walk too much, ' said Fanny, with one of her knowinglooks. 'Papa, don't you think he ought to ride; it would be much betterfor him. '

"'I do, my dear, ' said the dean. 'But then you see he is so hard to bepleased in a horse. Your old hunting days have spoiled you; but you mustforget Melton and Grantham, and condescend to keep a hack. '

"I must have looked confoundedly foolish here, for Fanny never took hereyes off me, and continued to laugh in her own wicked way. 

"It was now about the ninth or tenth day of my purgatorial performances;and certainly if there be any merit in fleshly mortifications, thesereligious exercises of mine should stand my part hereafter. A review hadbeen announced in the Phoenix-park, which Fanny had expressed herselfmost desirous to witness; and as the dean would not permit her to gowithout a chaperon, I had no means of escape, and promised to escort her. No sooner had I made this rash pledge, than I hastened to my confidentialfriend, Lalouette, and having imparted to him my entire secret, asked himin a solemn and imposing manner, 'Can I do it?' The old man shook hishead dubiously, looked grave, and muttered at length, 'Mosch depend on dehorse. ' 'I know it--I know it--I feel it, ' said I eagerly--'then whereare we to find an animal that will carry me peaceably through this awfulday--I care not for his price?'

"'Votre affaire ne sera pas trop chere, ' said he. 

"'Why. How do you mean?' said I. 

"He then proceeded to inform me, that by a singularly fortunate chance, there took place that day an auction of 'cast horses, ' as they aretermed, which had been used in the horse police force; and that from longriding, and training to stand fire, nothing could be more suitable thanone of these; being both easy to ride, and not given to start at noise. 

"I could have almost hugged the old fellow for his happy suggestion, andwaited with impatience for three o'clock to come, when we repairedtogether to Essex-bridge, at that time the place selected for thesesales. 

"I was at first a little shocked at the look of the animals drawn up;they were most miserably thin--most of them swelled in the legs--fewwithout sore backs--and not one eye, on an average, in every three; butstill they were all high steppers, and carried a great tail. 'There'syour affaire, ' said the old Frenchman, as a long-legged fiddle-headedbeast was led out; turning out his forelegs so as to endanger the man whowalked beside him. 

"'Yes, there's blood for you, said Charley Dycer, seeing my eye fixed onthe wretched beast; 'equal to fifteen stone with any foxhounds; safe inall his paces, and warranted sound; except, ' added he, in a whisper, 'aslight spavin in both hind legs, ring gone, and a little touched in thewind. ' Here the animal gave an approving cough. 'Will any gentleman sayfifty pounds to begin?' But no gentleman did. A hackney coachman, however, said five, and the sale was opened; the beast trotting up anddown nearly over the bidders at every moment, and plunging on so that itwas impossible to know what was doing. 

"'Five, ten--fifteen--six pounds--thank you, sir, --guineas'--'sevenpounds, ' said I, bidding against myself, not perceiving that I had spokenlast. 'Thank you, Mr. Moriarty, ' said Dycer, turning towards aninvisible purchaser supposed to be in the crowd. 'Thank you, sir, you'llnot let a good one go that way. ' Every one here turned to find out thevery knowing gentleman; but he could no where be seen. 

"Dycer resumed, 'Seven ten for Mr. Moriarty. Going for seven ten--acruel sacrifice--there's action for you--playful beast. ' Here the devilhad stumbled and nearly killed a basket-woman with two children. 

"'Eight, ' said I, with a loud voice. 

"'Eight pounds, quite absurd, ' said Dycer, almost rudely; 'a charger likethat for eight pounds--going for eight pounds--going--nothing above eightpounds--no reserve, gentlemen, you are aware of that. They are all as itwere, his majesty's stud--no reserve whatever--last time, eight pounds--gone. '

"Amid a very hearty cheer from the mob--God knows why--but a Dublin mobalways cheer--I returned, accompanied by a ragged fellow, leading my newpurchase after me with a bay halter. 'What is the meaning of thoseletters, ' said I, pointing to a very conspicuous G. R. With sundry otherenigmatical signs, burned upon the animal's hind quarter. 

"'That's to show he was a po-lice, ' said the fellow with a grin; 'andwhin ye ride with ladies, ye must turn the decoy side. '

"The auspicious morning at last arrived; and strange to say that thefirst waking thought was of the unlucky day that ushered in my yachtingexcursion, four years before. Why this was so, I cannot pretend toguess; there was but little analogy in the circumstances, at least so faras any thing had then gone. 'How is Marius?' said I to my servant, as heopened my shutters. Here let me mention that a friend of theKildare-street club had suggested this name from the remarkably classiccharacter of my steed's countenance; his nose, he assured me, wasperfectly Roman. 

"'Marius is doing finely, sir, barring his cough, and the thrifle thatails his hind legs. '

"'He'll carry me quietly, Simon, eh?'

"'Quietly. I'll warrant he'll carry you quietly, if that's all. '

"Here was comfort. Certainly Simon had lived forty years as pantry boywith my mother, and knew a great deal about horses. I dressed myself, therefore, in high spirits; and if my pilot jacket and oil-skin cap informer days had half persuaded me that I was born for marineachievements, certainly my cords and tops, that morning, went far toconvince me that I must have once been a very keen sportsman somewhere, without knowing it. It was a delightful July day that I set out to joinmy friends, who having recruited a large party, were to rendezvous at thecorner of Stephen's-green; thither I proceeded in a certain ambling trot, which I have often observed is a very favourite pace with timid horsemen, and gentlemen of the medical profession. I was hailed with a most heartywelcome by a large party as I turned out of Grafton-street, among whom Iperceived several friends of Miss Eversham, and some young dragoonofficers, not of my acquaintance, but who appeared to know Fannyintimately, and were laughing heartily with her as I rode up. 

"I don't know if other men have experienced what I am about to mention ornot; but certainly to me there is no more painful sensation than to findyourself among a number of well-mounted, well-equipped people, while theanimal you yourself bestride seems only fit for the kennel. Every lookthat is cast at your unlucky steed--every whispered observation about youare so many thorns in your flesh, till at last you begin to feel thatyour appearance is for very little else than the amusement and mirth ofthe assembly; and every time you rise in your stirrups you excite alaugh. 

"'Where for mercy's sake did you find that creature?' said Fanny, surveying Marius through her glass. 

"'Oh, him, eh? Why he is a handsome horse, if in condition--a chargeryour know--that's his style. '

"'Indeed, ' lisped a young lancer, 'I should be devilish sorry to chargeor be charged with him. ' And here they all chuckled at this puppy'ssilly joke, and I drew up to repress further liberties. 

"'Is he anything of a fencer?' said a young country gentleman. 

"'To judge from his near eye, I should say much more of a boxer, ' saidanother. 

"Here commenced a running fire of pleasantry at the expense of my poorsteed; which, not content with attacking his physical, extended to hismoral qualities. An old gentleman near me observing, 'that I ought notto have mounted him at all, seeing he was so damned groggy;' to which Ireplied, by insinuating, that if others present were as free from theinfluence of ardent spirits, society would not be a sufferer; anobservation that I flatter myself turned the mirth against the oldfellow, for they all laughed for a quarter of an hour after. 

"Well, at last we set out in a brisk trot, and, placed near Fanny, Ispeedily forgot all my annoyances in the prospect of figuring toadvantage before her. When we reached College-green the leaders of thecortege suddenly drew up, and we soon found that the entire streetopposite the Bank was filled with a dense mob of people, who appeared tobe swayed hither and thither, like some mighty beast, as the individualscomposing it were engaged in close conflict. It was nothing more norless than one of those almost weekly rows, which then took place betweenthe students of the University and the town's-people, and which rarelyended without serious consequences. The numbers of people pressing on tothe scene of action soon blocked up our retreat, and we found ourselvesmost unwilling spectators of the conflict. Political watch-words wereloudly shouted by each party; and at last the students, who appeared tobe yielding to superior numbers, called out for the intervention of thepolice. The aid was nearer than they expected; for at the same instant abody of mounted policemen, whose high helmets rendered them sufficientlyconspicuous, were seen trotting at a sharp pace down Dame-street. Onthey came with drawn sabres, led by a well-looking gentlemanlikepersonage in plain clothes, who dashed at once into the midst of thefray, issuing his orders, and pointing out to his followers to secure theringleaders. Up to this moment I had been a most patient, and ratheramused spectator, of what was doing. Now, however, my part was tocommence, for at the word 'charge, ' given in a harsh, deep voice by thesergeant of the party, Marius, remembering his ancient instinct, prickedup his ears, cocked his tail, flung up both his hind legs till theynearly broke the Provost's windows, and plunged into the thickest of thefray like a devil incarnate. 

"Self-preservation must be a strong instinct, for I well remember howlittle pain it cost me to see the people tumbling and rolling before andbeneath me, while I continued to keep my seat. It was only the momentbefore and that immense mass were in man to man encounter; now all theindignation of both parties seemed turned upon me; brick-bats were loudlyimplored, and paving stones begged to throw at my devoted head; the wildhuntsman of the German romance never created half the terror, norone-tenth of the mischief that I did in less than fifteen minutes, forthe ill-starred beast continued twining and twisting like a serpent, plunging and kicking the entire time, and occasionally biting too; allwhich accomplishments I afterwards learned, however little in request incivil life, are highly prized in the horse police. 

"Every new order of the sergeant was followed in his own fashion byMarius; who very soon contrived to concentrate in my unhappy person, allthe interest of about fifteen hundred people. 

"'Secure that scoundrel, ' said the magistrate, pointing with his fingertowards me, as I rode over a respectable looking old lady, with a greymuff. 'Secure him. Cut him down. '

"'Ah, devil's luck to him, if ye do, ' said a newsmonger with a brokenshin. 

"On I went, however, and now, as the Fates would have it, instead ofbearing me out of further danger, the confounded brute dashed onwards towhere the magistrate was standing, surrounded by policemen. I thought Isaw him change colour as I came on. I suppose my own looks were none ofthe pleasantest, for the worthy man liked them not. Into the midst ofthem we plunged, upsetting a corporal, horse and all, and appearing as ifbent upon reaching the alderman. 

"'Cut him down for heaven's sake. Will nobody shoot him' said he, with avoice trembling with fear and anger. 

"At these words a wretch lifted up his sabre, and made a cut at my head. I stooped suddenly, and throwing myself from the saddle, seized the pooralderman round the neck, and we both came rolling to the ground together. So completely was he possessed with the notion that I meant toassassinate him, that while I was endeavouring to extricate myself fromhis grasp, he continued to beg his life in the most heartrending manner. 

"My story is now soon told. So effectually did they rescue the aldermanfrom his danger, that they left me insensible; and I only came to myselfsome days after by finding myself in the dock in Green-street, chargedwith an indictment of nineteen counts; the only word of truth is what layin the preamble, for the 'devil inciting' me only, would ever have mademe the owner of that infernal beast, the cause of all my misfortunes. Iwas so stupified from my hearing, that I know little of the course of theproceedings. My friends told me afterwards that I had a narrow escapefrom transportation; but for the greatest influence exerted in my behalf, I should certainly have passed the autumn in the agreeable recreation ofpounding oyster shells or carding wool; and it certainly must have gonehard with me, for stupified as I was, I remember the sensation in court, when the alderman made his appearance with a patch over his eye. Theaffecting admonition of the little judge--who, when passing sentence uponme, adverted to the former respectability of my life, and the rank of myrelatives--actually made the galleries weep. 

"Four months in Newgate, and a fine to the king, then rewarded my tastefor horse-exercise; and it's no wonder if I prefer going on foot. 

"As to Miss Eversham, the following short note from the dean concluded myhopes in that quarter. 

 "'Deanery, Wednesday morning. 

 "'Sir, --After the very distressing publicity to which your late conduct has exposed you--the so open avowal of political opinion, at variance with those (I will say) of every gentleman--and the recorded sentence of a judge on the verdict of twelve of your countrymen--I should hope that you will not feel my present admonition necessary to inform you, that your visits at my house shall cease. 

 "'The presents you made my daughter, when under our unfortunate ignorance of your real character, have been addressed to your hotel, and I am your most obedient, humble servant, "'Oliver Eversham. '

"Here ended my second affair 'par amours;' and I freely confess to youthat if I can only obtain a wife in a sea voyage, or a steeple chase, Iam likely to fulfill one great condition in modern advertising--'ashaving no incumbrance, or any objection to travel. '"

CHAPTER XXXIV. 

THE DUEL. 

Mr. O'Leary had scarcely concluded the narrative of his second adventure, when the grey light of the breaking day was seen faintly strugglingthrough the half-closed curtains, and apprising us of the lateness of thehour. 

"I think we shall just have time for one finishing flask of Chambertin, "said O'Leary, as he emptied the bottle into his glass. 

"I forbid the bans, for one, " cried Trevanion. "We have all had wineenough, considering what we have before us this morning; and besides youare not aware it is now past four o'clock. So garcon--garcon, there--howsoundly the poor fellow sleeps--let us have some coffee, and then inquireif a carriage is in waiting at the corner of the Rue Vivienne. "

The coffee made its appearance, very much, as it seemed, to Mr. O'Leary'schagrin, who, however, solaced himself by sundry petits verres, tocorrect the coldness of the wine he had drank, and at length recoveredhis good humour. 

"Do you know, now, " said he, after a short pause, in which we had allkept silence, "I think what we are about to do, is the very ugliest wayof finishing a pleasant evening. For my own part I like the wind up weused to have in 'Old Trinity' formerly; when, after wringing off half adozen knockers, breaking the lamps at the post-office, and getting outthe fire engines of Werburgh's parish, we beat a few watchmen, and wentpeaceably to bed. "

"Well, not being an Irishman, " said Trevanion, "I'm half disposed tothink that even our present purpose is nearly as favourable to life andlimb; but here comes my servant. Well, John, is all arranged, and thecarriage ready?"

Having ascertained that the carriage was in waiting, and that the smallbox--brass bound and Bramah-locked--reposed within, we paid our bill anddeparted. A cold, raw, misty-looking morning, with masses of darklouring clouds overhead, and channels of dark and murky water beneath, were the pleasant prospects which met us as we issued forth from theCafe. The lamps, which hung suspended midway across the street, (wespeak of some years since, ) creaked, with a low and plaintive sound, asthey swung backwards and forwards in the wind. Not a footstep was heardin the street--nothing but the heavy patter of the rain as it fellceaselessly upon the broad pavement. It was, indeed, a most depressingand dispiriting accompaniment to our intended excursion: and evenO'Leary, who seemed to have but slight sympathy with external influences, felt it, for he spoke but little, and was scarcely ten minutes in thecarriage till he was sound asleep. This was, I confess, a great reliefto me; for, however impressed I was, and to this hour am, with the manysterling qualitites of my poor friend, yet, I acknowledge, that this wasnot precisely the time I should have cared for their exercise, and wouldhave much preferred the companionship of a different order of person, even though less long acquainted with him. Trevanion was, of all others, the most suitable for this purpose; and I felt no embarrassment inopening my mind freely to him upon subjects which, but twenty-fourhours previous, I could not have imparted to a brother. 

There is no such unlocker of the secrets of the heart as the possiblynear approach of death. Indeed, I question if a great deal of thebitterness the thought of it inspires, does not depend upon that verycircumstance. The reflection that the long-treasured mystery of ourlives (and who is there without some such?) is about to become known, andthe secret of our inmost heart laid bare, is in itself depressing. Notone kind word, nor one remembrancing adieu, to those we are to leave forever, can be spoken or written, without calling up its own story ofhalf-forgotten griefs or, still worse, at such a moment, of happinessnever again to be partaken of. 

"I cannot explain why, " said I to Trevanion, "but although it hasunfortunately been pretty often my lot to have gone out on occasionslike this, both as principal and friend, yet never before did I feel socompletely depressed and low-spirited--and never, in fact, did so manythoughts of regret arise before me for much of the past, and sorrow forthe chance of abandoning the future"--

"I can understand, " said Trevanion, interrupting--"I have heard of yourprospect in the Callonby family, and certainly, with such hopes, I canwell conceive how little one would be disposed to brook the slightestincident which could interfere with their accomplishment; but, now thatyour cousin Guy's pretensions in that quarter are at an end, I suppose, from all I have heard, that there can be no great obstacle to yours. "

"Guy's pretensions at an end! For heaven's sake, tell me all you know ofthis affair--for up to this moment I am in utter ignorance of every thingregarding his position among the Callonby family. "

"Unfortunately, " replied Trevanion, "I know but little, but still thatlittle is authentic--Guy himself having imparted the secret to a veryintimate friend of mine. It appears, then, that your cousin, havingheard that the Callonbys had been very civil to you in Ireland, and madeall manner of advances to you--had done so under the impression that youwere the other nephew of Sir Guy, and consequently the heir of a largefortune--that is, Guy himself--and that they had never discovered themistake during the time they resided in Ireland, when they not onlypermitted, but even encouraged the closest intimacy between you and LadyJane. Is so far true?"

"I have long suspected it. Indeed in no other way can I account for thereception I met with from the Callonbys. But is it possible that LadyJane could have lent herself to any thing so unworthy. "--

"Pray, hear me out, " said Trevanion, who was evidently struck by thedespondency of my voice and manner. "Guy having heard of their mistake, and auguring well to himself from this evidence of their disposition, nosooner heard of their arrival in Paris, than he came over here and gotintroduced to them. From that time he scarcely ever left their house, except to accompany them into society, or to the theatres. It is saidthat with Lady Jane he made no progress. Her manner, at the beginningcold and formal, became daily more so; until, at last, he was halfdisposed to abandon the pursuit--in which, by the by, he has sinceconfessed, monied views entered more than any affection for the lady--when the thought struck him to benefit by what he supposed at firstto be the great bar to his success. He suddenly pretended to be onlydesirous of intimacy with Lady Jane, from having heard so much of herfrom you--affected to be greatly in your confidence--and, in fact, assumed the character of a friend cognizant of all your feelings andhopes, and ardently desiring, by every means in his power, to advanceyour views--"

"And was it thus he succeeded, " I broke in. 

"'Twas thus he endeavoured to succeed, " said Trevanion. 

"Ah, with what success I but too well know" said I. "My uncle himselfshowed me a letter from Guy, in which he absolutely speaks of the affairas settled, and talks of Lady Jane as about to be his wife. "

"That may be all quite true; but a little consideration of Guy's tacticswill show what he intended; for I find that he induced your uncle, bysome representations of his, to make the most handsome proposals, withregard to the marriage, to the Callonbys; and that, to make the storyshort, nothing but the decided refusal of Lady Jane, who at length sawthrough his entire game prevented the match. "

"And then she did refuse him, " said I, with ill-repressed exultation. 

"Of that there can be no doubt; for independently of all the gossip andquizzing upon the subject, to which Guy was exposed in the coteries, hemade little secret of it himself--openly avowing that he did not considera repulse a defeat, and that he resolved to sustain the siege asvigorously as ever. "

However interested I felt in all Trevanion was telling me, I could nothelp falling into a train of thinking on my first acquaintance with theCallonbys. There are, perhaps, but few things more humiliating than theknowledge that any attention or consideration we have met with, has beenpaid us in mistake for another; and in the very proportion that they wereprized before, are they detested when the truth is known to us. 

To all the depressing influences these thoughts suggested, came thehealing balm that Lady Jane was true to me--that she, at least, howeverothers might be biassed by worldly considerations--that she cared for me--for myself alone. My reader (alas! for my character for judgment)knows upon how little I founded the conviction; but I have often, inthese Confessions, avowed my failing, par excellence, to be a great tastefor self-deception; and here was a capital occasion for its indulgence. 

"We shall have abundant time to discuss this later on, " said Trevanion, laying his hand upon my shoulder to rouse my wandering attention--"fornow, I perceive, we have only eight minutes to spare. "

As he spoke, a dragoon officer, in an undress, rode up to the window ofthe carriage, and looking steadily at our party for a few seconds, askedif we were "Messieurs les Anglais;" and, almost without waiting forreply, added, "You had better not go any farther in your carriage, for thenext turn of the road will bring you in sight of the village. "

We accordingly stopped the driver, and having (with) some difficultyaroused O'Leary, got out upon the road. The militaire here gave hishorse to a groom, and proceeded to guide us through a corn-field by anarrow path, with whose windings and crossings he appeared quiteconversant. We at length reached the brow of a little hill, from whichan extended view of the country lay before us, showing the Seine windingits tranquil course between the richly tilled fields, dotted with many apretty cottage. Turning abruptly from this point, our guide led us, by anarrow and steep path, into a little glen, planted with poplar andwillows. A small stream ran through this, and by the noise we soondetected that a mill was not far distant, which another turning broughtus at once in front of. 

And here I cannot help dwelling upon the "tableau" which met our view. In the porch of the little rural mill sat two gentlemen, one of whom Iimmediately recognised as the person who had waited upon me, and theother I rightly conjectured to be my adversary. Before them stood asmall table, covered with a spotless napkin, upon which a breakfastequipage was spread--a most inviting melon and a long, slender-neckedbottle, reposing in a little ice-pail, forming part of the "materiel. "My opponent was cooly enjoying his cigar--a half-finished cup of coffeelay beside him--his friend was occupied in examining the caps of theduelling pistols, which were placed upon a chair. No sooner had weturned the angle which brought us in view, than they both rose, and, taking off their hats with much courtesy, bade us good morning. 

"May I offer you a cup of coffee, " said Monsieur Derigny to me, as I cameup, at the same time filling it out, and pushing over a little flask ofCogniac towards me. 

A look from Trevanion decided my acceptance of the proferred civility, and I seated myself in the chair beside the baron. Trevanion meanwhilehad engaged my adversary in conversation along with the stranger, who hadbeen our guide, leaving O'Leary alone unoccupied, which, however, he didnot long remain; for, although uninvited by the others, he seized a knifeand fork, and commenced a vigorous attack upon a partridge pie near him;and, with equal absence of ceremony, uncorked the champaign and filledout a foaming goblet, nearly one-third of the whole bottle, adding--

"I think, Mr. Lorrequer, there's nothing like showing them that we arejust as cool and unconcerned as themselves. "

If I might judge from the looks of the party, a happier mode ofconvincing them of our "free-and-easy" feelings could not possibly havebeen discovered. From any mortification this proceeding might havecaused me, I was speedily relieved by Trevanion calling O'Leary to oneside, while he explained to him that he must nominally act as second onthe ground, as Trevanion, being a resident in Paris, might become liableto a prosecution, should any thing serious arise, while O'Leary, as amere passer through, could cross the frontier into Germany, and avoid alltrouble. 

O'Leary at once acceded--perhaps the more readily because he expected tobe allowed to return to his breakfast--but in this he soon found himselfmistaken, for the whole party now rose, and preceded by the baron, followed the course of the little stream. 

After about five minutes' walking, we found ourselves at the outlet ofthe glen, which was formed by a large stone quarry, making a species ofamphitheatre, with lofty walls of rugged granite, rising thirty or fortyfeet on either side of us. The ground was smooth and level as a boardedfloor, and certainly to amateurs in these sort of matters, presented amost perfect spot for a "meeting. "

The stranger who had just joined us, could not help remarking our looksof satisfaction at the choice of ground, and observed to me--

"This is not the first affair that this little spot has witnessed; andthe moulinet of St. Cloud is, I think, the very best 'meet' about Paris. "

Trevanion who, during these few minutes, had been engaged with Derigny, now drew me aside. 

"Well, Lorrequer, have you any recollection now of having seen youropponent before? or can you make a guess at the source of all this?"

"Never till this instant, " said I, "have I beheld him, " as I lookedtowards the tall, stoutly-built figure of my adversary, who was veryleisurely detaching a cordon from his tightly fitting frock, doubtless toprevent its attracting my aim. 

"Well, never mind, I shall manage every thing properly. What can you dowith the small sword, for they have rapiers at the mill?"

"Nothing whatever; I have not fenced since I was a boy. "

"N'importe--then we'll fight at a barriere. I know they're not preparedfor that from Englishmen; so just step on one side now, and leave me totalk it over. "

As the limited nature of the ground did not permit me to retire to adistance, I became involuntarily aware of a dialogue, which even theseriousness of the moment could scarcely keep me from laughing atoutright. 

It was necessary, for the sake of avoiding any possible legal difficultyin the result, that O'Leary should give his assent to every step of thearrangement; and being totally ignorant of French, Trevanion had not onlyto translate for him, but also to render in reply O'Leary's own commentsor objections to the propositions of the others. 

"Then it is agreed--we fight at a barriere, " said the Captain Derigny. 

"What's that, Trevanion?"

"We have agreed to place them at a barriere, " replied Trevanion. 

"That's strange, " muttered O'Leary to himself, who, knowing that the wordmeant a "turnpike, " never supposed it had any other signification. 

"Vingt quatre pas, n'est pas, " said Derigny. 

"Too far, " interposed Trevanion. 

"What does he say now?" asked O'Leary. 

"Twenty-four paces for the distance. "

"Twenty-four of my teeth he means, " said O'Leary, snapping his fingers. "What does he think of the length of Sackville-street? Ask him that, will ye?"

"What says Monsieur?" said the Frenchman. 

"He thinks the distance much too great. "

"He may be mistaken, " said the Captain, half sneeringly. "My friend is'de la premiere force. '"

"That must be something impudent, from your looks, Mr. Trevanion. Isn'tit a thousand pities I can't speak French?"

"What say you, then, to twelve paces? Fire together, and two shots each, if the first fire be inconclusive, " said Trevanion. 

"And if necessary, " added the Frenchman, carelessly, "conclude withthese"--touching the swords with his foot as he spoke. 

"The choice of the weapon lies with us, I opine, " replied Trevanion. "We have already named pistols, and by them we shall decide this matter. "

It was at length, after innumerable objections, agreed upon that weshould be placed back to back, and at a word given each walk forward to acertain distance marked out by a stone, where we were to halt, and at thesignal, "une, " "deux, " turn round and fire. 

This, which is essentially a French invention in duelling, was perfectlynew to me, but by no means to Trevanion, who was fully aware of theimmense consequence of not giving even a momentary opportunity for aim tomy antagonist; and in this mode of firing the most practised and deadlyshot is liable to err--particularly if the signal be given quickly. 

While Trevanion and the Captain were measuring out the ground, a littlecircumstance which was enacted near me was certainly not over calculatedto strengthen my nerve. The stranger who had led us to the ground hadbegun to examine the pistols, and finding that one of them was loaded, turned towards my adversary, saying, "De Haultpenne, you have forgottento draw the charge. Come let us see what vein you are in. " At the sametime, drawing off his large cavalry glove, he handed the pistol to hisfriend. 

"A double Napoleon you don't hit the thumb. "

"Done, " said the other, adjusting the weapon in his hand. 

The action was scarcely performed, when the bettor flung the glove intothe air with all his force. My opponent raised his pistol, waited for aninstant, till the glove, having attained its greatest height, turned tofall again. Then click went the trigger--the glove turned round andround half-a-dozen times, and fell about twenty yards off, and the thumbwas found cut clearly off at the juncture with the hand. 

This--which did not occupy half as long as I have spent in recounting it--was certainly a pleasant introduction to standing at fifteen yards fromthe principal actor; and I should doubtless have felt it in all itsforce, had not my attention been drawn off by the ludicrous expression ofgrief in O'Leary's countenance, who evidently regarded me as alreadydefunct. 

"Now, Lorrequer, we are ready, " said Trevanion, coming forward; and then, lowering his voice, added, "All is in your favour; I have won the 'word, 'which I shall give the moment you halt. So turn and fire at once: besure not to go too far round in the turn--that is the invariable error inthis mode of firing; only no hurry--be calm. "

"Now, Messieurs, " said Derigny, as he approached with his friend leaningupon his arm, and placed him in the spot allotted to him. Trevanion thentook my arm, and placed me back to back to my antagonist. As I took upmy ground, it so chanced that my adversary's spur slightly grazed me, upon which he immediately turned round, and, with the most engagingsmile, begged a "thousand pardons, " and hoped I was not hurt. 

O'Leary, who saw the incident, and guessed the action aright, called out:

"Oh, the cold-blooded villain; the devil a chance for you, Mr. Lorrequer. "

"Messieurs, your pistols, " said Le Capitaine la Garde, who, as he handedthe weapons, and repeated once more the conditions of the combat, gavethe word to march. 

I now walked slowly forward to the place marked out by the stone; but itseemed that I must have been in advance of my opponent, for I remembersome seconds elapsed before Trevanion coughed slightly, and then with aclear full voice called out "Une, " "Deux. " I had scarcely turned myselfhalf round, when my right arm was suddenly lifted up, as if by a galvanicshock. My pistol jerked upwards, and exploded the same moment, and thendropped powerlessly from my hand, which I now felt was covered with warmblood from a wound near the elbow. From the acute but momentary pangthis gave me, my attention was soon called off; for scarcely had my armbeen struck, when a loud clattering noise to my left induced me to turn, and then, to my astonishment, I saw my friend O'Leary about twelve feetfrom the ground, hanging on by some ash twigs that grew from the cleftsof the granite. Fragments of broken rock were falling around him, andhis own position momentarily threatened a downfall. He was screamingwith all his might; but what he said was entirely lost in the shouts oflaughter of Trevanion and the Frenchmen, who could scarcely stand withthe immoderate exuberance of their mirth. 

I had not time to run to his aid--which, although wounded, I should havedone--when the branch he clung to, slowly yielded with his weight, andthe round, plump figure of my poor friend rolled over the little cleft ofrock, and, after a few faint struggles, came tumbling heavily down, andat last lay peaceably in the deep heather at the bottom--his cries thewhole time being loud enough to rise even above the vociferous laughterof the others. 

I now ran forward, as did Trevanion, when O'Leary, turning his eyestowards me, said, in the most piteous manner--

"Mr. Lorrequer, I forgive you--here is my hand--bad luck to their Frenchway of fighting, that's all--it's only good for killing one's friend. I thought I was safe up there, come what might. "

"My dear O'Leary, " said I, in an agony, which prevented my minding thelaughing faces around me, "surely you don't mean to say that I havewounded you?"

"No, dear, not wounded, only killed me outright--through the brain itmust be, from the torture I'm suffering. "

The shout with which this speech was received, sufficiently aroused me;while Trevanion, with a voice nearly choked with laughter, said--

"Why, Lorrequer, did you not see that your pistol, on being struck, threwyour ball high up on the quarry; fortunately, however, about a foot and ahalf above Mr. O'Leary's head, whose most serious wounds are hisscratched hands and bruised bones from his tumble. "

This explanation, which was perfectly satisfactory to me, was by no meansso consoling to poor O'Leary, who lay quite unconscious to all around, moaning in the most melancholy manner. Some of the blood, whichcontinued to flow fast from my wound, having dropped upon his face, roused him a little--but only to increase his lamentation for his owndestiny, which he believed was fast accomplishing. 

"Through the skull--clean through the skull--and preserving my senses tothe last! Mr. Lorrequer, stoop down--it is a dying man asks you--don'trefuse me a last request. There's neither luck nor grace, honor norglory in such a way of fighting--so just promise me you'll shoot thatgrinning baboon there, when he's going off the ground, since it's thefashion to fire at a man with his back to you. Bring him down, and I'lldie easy. "

And with these words he closed his eyes, and straightened out his legs--stretched his arm at either side, and arranged himself as much corpsefashion as the circumstances of the ground would permit--while I nowfreely participated in the mirth of the others, which, loud andboisterous as it was, never reached the ears of O'Leary. 

My arm had now become so painful, that I was obliged to ask Trevanion toassist me in getting off my coat. The surprise of the Frenchmen onlearning that I was wounded was very considerable--O'Leary's catastrophehaving exclusively engaged all attention. My arm was now examined, whenit was discovered that the ball had passed through from one side to theother, without apparently touching the bone; the bullet and the portionof my coat carried in by it both lay in my sleeve. The only seriousconsequence to be apprehended was the wound of the blood-vessel, whichcontinued to pour forth blood unceasingly, and I was just surgeon enoughto guess that an artery had been cut. 

Trevanion bound his handkerchief tightly across the wound, and assistedme to the high road, which, so sudden was the loss of blood, I reachedwith difficulty. During all these proceedings, nothing could be possiblymore kind and considerate than the conduct of our opponents. All thefarouche and swaggering air which they had deemed the "rigueur" before, at once fled, and in its place we found the most gentlemanlike attentionand true politeness. 

As soon as I was enabled to speak upon the matter, I begged Trevanion tolook to poor O'Leary, who still lay upon the ground in a state of perfectunconsciousness. Captain Derigny, on hearing my wish, at once returnedto the quarry, and, with the greatest difficulty, persuaded my friend torise and endeavour to walk, which at last he did attempt, calling him tobear witness that it perhaps was the only case on record where a man witha bullet in his brain had made such an exertion. 

With a view to my comfort and quiet, they put him into the cab of LeBaron; and, having undertaken to send Dupuytrien to me immediately on myreaching Paris, took their leave, and Trevanion and I set out homeward. 

Not all my exhaustion and debility--nor even the acute pain I wassuffering, could prevent my laughing at O'Leary's adventure; and itrequired all Trevanion's prudence to prevent my indulging too far in myrecollection of it. 

When we reached Meurice's, I found Dupuytrien in waiting, who immediatelypronounced the main artery of the limb as wounded; and almost asinstantaneously proceeded to pass a ligature round it. This painfulbusiness being concluded, I was placed upon a sofa, and being plentifullysupplied with lemonade, and enjoined to keep quiet, left to my ownmeditations, such as they were, till evening--Trevanion having taken uponhim to apologize for our absence at Mrs. Bingham's dejeune, and O'Learybeing fast asleep in his own apartments. 

CHAPTER XXXV. 

EARLY RECOLLECTIONS--A FIRST LOVE. 

I know of no sensations so very nearly alike, as those felt on awakingafter very sudden and profuse loss of blood, and those resulting from alarge dose of opium. The dizziness, the confusion, and the abstractionat first, gradually yielding, as the senses became clearer, to a vagueand indistinct consciousness; then the strange mistiness, in which factand fiction are wrapped up--the confounding of persons, and places, andtimes, not so as to embarrass and annoy--for the very debility you feelsubdues all irritation--but rather to present a panoramic picture of oddand incongruous events more pleasing than otherwise. 

Of the circumstances by which I was thus brought to a sick couch, I hadnot even the most vague recollection--the faces and the dress of allthose I had lately seen were vividly before me; but how, and for whatpurpose I knew not. Something in their kindness and attention had leftan agreeable impression upon my mind, and without being able, or evenattempting to trace it, I felt happy in the thought. While thus the"hour before" was dim and indistinct, the events of years past werevividly and brightly pictured before me; and strange, too, the moreremote the period, the more did it seem palpable and present to myimagination. For so it is, there is in memory a species of mentallong-sightedness, which, though blind to the object close beside you, canreach the blue mountains and the starry skies, which lie full many aleague away. Is this a malady? or is it rather a providential gift toalleviate the tedious hours of the sick bed, and cheer the lonelysufferer, whose thoughts are his only realm?

My school-boy days, in all their holiday excitement; the bank where I hadculled the earliest cowslips of the year; the clear but rapid stream, where days long I have watched the speckled trout, as they swampeacefully beneath, or shook their bright fins in the gay sunshine; thegorgeous dragon-fly that played above the water, and dipped his brightwings in its ripple--they were all before me. And then came the thoughtof school itself, with its little world of boyish cares and emulations;the early imbibed passion for success; the ardent longing forsuperiority; the high and swelling feeling of the heart, as home drewnear, to think that I had gained the wished for prize--the object of manyan hour's toil--the thought of many a long night's dream; my father'ssmile; my mother's kiss! Oh! what a very world of tender memory that onethought suggests; for what are all our later successes in life--howbright soever our fortune be--compared with the early triumphs of ourinfancy? Where, among the jealous rivalry of some, the cold andhalf-wrung praise of others, the selfish and unsympathising regard of all, shall we find any thing to repay us for the swelling extacy of our younghearts, as those who have cradled and loved us grow proud in oursuccesses? For myself, a life that has failed in every prestige of thosethat prophesied favourably--years that have followed on each other onlyto blight the promise that kind and well-wishing friends foretold--leavebut little to dwell upon, that can be reckoned as success. And yet, somemoments I have had, which half seemed to realize my early dream ofambition, and rouse my spirit within me; but what were they all comparedto my boyish glories? what the passing excitement one's own heartinspires in the lonely and selfish solitude, when compared with thatlittle world of sympathy and love our early home teemed with, as, proudin some trifling distinction, we fell into a mother's arms, and heard ourfather's "God bless you, boy?" No, no; the world has no requital forthis. It is like the bright day-spring, which, as its glories gild theeast, display before us a whole world of beauty and promise--blightedhopes have not withered, false friendships have not scathed, cold, selfish interest has not yet hardened our hearts, or dried up ouraffections, and we are indeed happy; but equally like the burst ofmorning is it fleeting and short-lived; and equally so, too, does it passaway, never, never to return. 

From thoughts like these my mind wandered on to more advanced years, when, emerging from very boyhood, I half believed myself a man, and wasfully convinced I was in love. 

Perhaps, after all, for the time it lasted--ten days, I think--it was themost sincere passion I ever felt. I had been spending some weeks at asmall watering-place in Wales with some relatives of my mother. Therewere, as might be supposed, but few "distractions" in such a place, savethe scenery, and an occasional day's fishing in the little river ofDolgelly, which ran near. In all these little rambles which the youngerportion of the family made together, frequent mention was ever being madeof a visit from a very dear cousin, and to which all looked forward withthe greatest eagerness--the elder ones of the party with a certain air ofquiet pleasure, as though they knew more than they said, and the youngerwith all the childish exuberance of youthful delight. Clara Mourtrayseemed to be, from all I was hourly hearing, the very paragon and patternof every thing. If any one was praised for beauty, Clara was immediatelypronounced much prettier--did any one sing, Clara's voice and taste werefar superior. In our homeward walk, should the shadows of the dark hillsfall with a picturesque effect upon the blue lake, some one was sure tosay, "Oh! how Clara would like to sketch that. " In short, there was nocharm nor accomplishment ever the gift of woman, that Clara did notpossess; or, what amounted pretty much to the same thing, that myrelatives did not implicitly give her credit for. The constantlyrecurring praises of the same person affect us always differently as wego on in life. In youth the prevailing sentiment is an ardent desire tosee the prodigy of whom we have heard so much--in after years, heartilyto detest what hourly hurts our self-love by comparisons. We would takeany steps to avoid meeting what we have inwardly decreed to be a "bore. "The former was my course; and though my curiosity was certainly verygreat, I had made up my mind to as great a disappointment, and halfwished for the longed arrival as a means of criticising what they couldsee no fault in. 

The wished-for evening at length came, and we all set out upon a walk tomeet the carriage which was to bring the bien aime Clara among us. Wehad not walked above a mile when the eager eye of the foremost detected acloud of dust upon the road at some distance; and, after a few minutesmore, four posters were seen coming along at a tremendous rate. The nextmoment she was making the tour of about a dozen uncles, aunts, cousins, and cousines, none of whom, it appeared to me, felt any peculiar desireto surrender the hearty embrace to the next of kin in succession. Atlast she came to me, when, perhaps, in the confusion of the moment, notexactly remembering whether or not she had seen me before, she stood fora moment silent--a deep blush mantling her lovely cheek--masses of wavingbrown hair disordered and floating upon her shoulders--her large andliquid blue eyes beaming upon me. One look was enough. I was deeply--irretrievably in love. 

"Our cousin Harry--Harry Lorrequer--wild Harry, as we used to call him, Clara, " said one of the girls introducing me. 

She held out her hand, and said something with a smile. What, I knownot--nor can I tell how I replied; but something absurd it must havebeen, for they all laughed heartily, and the worthy papa himself tappedmy shoulder jestingly, adding, "Never mind, Harry--you will do better one day, or I am much mistaken inyou. "

Whether I was conscious that I had behaved foolishly or not, I cannotwell say; but the whole of that night I thought over plans innumerablehow I should succeed in putting myself forward before "Cousin Clara, " andvindicating myself against any imputation of schoolboy mannerisms that myfirst appearance might have caused. 

The next day we remained at home. Clara was too much fatigued to walkout, and none of us would leave her. What a day of happiness that was!I knew something of music, and could sing a second. Clara was delightedat this, for the others had not cultivated singing much. We thereforespent the whole morning in this way. Then she produced her sketch-book, and I brought out mine, and we had a mutual interchange of prisoners. What cutting out of leaves and detaching of rice-paper landscapes! Theshe came out upon the lawn to see my pony leap, and promised to ride himthe following day. She patted the greyhounds, and said Gipsy, which wasmine, was the prettiest. In a word, before night fell Clara had won myheart in its every fibre, and I went to my room the very happiest ofmortals. 

I need not chronicle my next three days--to me the most glorious "troisjours" of my life. Clara had evidently singled me out and preferred meto all the rest. It was beside me she rode--upon my arm she leaned inwalking--and, to comble me with delight unutterable, I overheard her sayto my uncle, "Oh, I doat upon poor Harry! And it is so pleasant, for I'msure Mortimer will be so jealous. "

"And who is Mortimer, " thought I; "he is a new character in the piece, ofwhom we have seen nothing. "

I was not long in doubt upon this head, for that very day, at dinner, theidentical Mortimer presented himself. He was a fine, dashing-looking, soldier-like fellow, of about thirty-five, and with a heavy moustache, and a bronzed cheek--rather grave in his manner, but still perfectlygood-natured, and when he smiled showing a most handsome set of regularteeth. Clara seemed less pleased (I thought) at his coming than theothers, and took pleasure in tormenting him by a thousand pettish andfrivolous ways, which I was sorry for, as I thought he did not like it;and used to look half chidingly at her from time to time, but without anyeffect, for she just went on as before, and generally ended by taking myarm and saying, "Come away, Harry; you always are kind, and never looksulky. I can agree with you. " These were delightful words for me tolisten to, but I could not hear them without feeling for him, whoevidently was pained by Clara's avowed preference for me; and whoseyears--for I thought thirty-five at that time a little verging upon thepatriarchal--entitled him to more respect. 

"Well, " thought I, one evening, as this game had been carried ratherfarther than usual, "I hope she is content now, for certainly Mortimer isjealous;" and the result proved it, for the whole of the following day heabsented himself, and never came back till late in the evening. He hadbeen, I found, from a chance observation I overheard, at the bishop'spalace, and the bishop himself, I learned, was to breakfast with us inthe morning. 

"Harry, I have a commission for you, " said Clara. "You must get upvery early to-morrow, and climb the Cader mountain, and bring me a grandbouquet of the blue and purple heath that I liked so much the last timeI was there. Mind very early, for I intend to surprise the bishopto-morrow with my taste in a nosegay. "

The sun had scarcely risen as I sprang from my bed, and started upon myerrand. Oh! the glorious beauty of that morning's walk. As I climbedthe mountain, the deep mists lay upon all around, and except the path Iwas treading, nothing was visible; but before I reached the top, theheavy masses of vapour were yielding to the influence of the sun; and asthey rolled from the valleys up the mountain sides, were every instantopening new glens and ravines beneath me--bright in all their verdure, and speckled with sheep, whose tingling bells reached me even where Istood. 

I counted above twenty lakes at different levels, below me; somebrilliant, and shining like polished mirrors; others not less beautiful, dark and solemn with some mighty mountain shadow. As I looked landward, the mountains reared their huge crests, one above the other, to thefarthest any eye could reach. Towards the opposite side, the calm andtranquil sea lay beneath me, bathed in the yellow gold of a rising sun; afew ships were peaceably lying at anchor in the bay; and the only thingin motion was a row-boat, the heavy monotonous stroke of whose oars rosein the stillness of the morning air. Not a single habitation of mancould I descry, nor any vestige of a human being, except that mass ofsomething upon the rock far down beneath be one, and I think it is, for Isee the sheep-dog ever returning again and again to the same spot. 

My bouquet was gathered; the gentian of the Alps, which is found here, also contributing its evidence to show where I had been to seek it, and Iturned home. 

The family were at breakfast as I entered; at least so the servants said, for I only remembered then that the bishop was our guest, and that Icould not present myself without some slight attention to my dress. Ihastened to my room, and scarcely had I finished, when one of my cousins, a little girl of eight years, came to the door and said, "Harry, come down; Clara wants you. "

I rushed down stairs, and as I entered the breakfast parlour, stood stillwith surprise. The ladies were all dressed in white, and even my littlecousin wore a gala costume that amazed me. 

"My bouquet, Harry; I hope you have not forgotten it, " said Clara, as Iapproached. 

I presented it at once, when she gaily and coquettishly held out her handfor me to kiss. This I did, my blood rushing to my face and temples thewhile, and almost depriving me of consciousness. 

"Well, Clara, I am surprised at you, " said Mortimer. "How can you treatthe poor boy so?"

I grew deadly pale at these words, and, turning round, looked at thespeaker full in the face. Poor fellow, thought I, he is jealous, and Iam really grieved for him; and turned again to Clara. 

"Here it is--oh! how handsome, papa, " said one of the younger children, running eagerly to the window, as a very pretty open carriage with fourhorses drew up before the house. 

"The bishop has taste, " I murmured to myself, scarcely deigning to give asecond look at the equipage. 

Clara now left the room, but speedily returned--her dress changed, andshawled as if for a walk. What could all this mean?--and the whispering, too, what is all that?--and why are they all so sad?--Clara has beenweeping. 

"God bless you, my child--good by, " said my aunt, as she folded her inher arms for the third time. 

"Good by, good by, " I heard on every side. At length, approaching me, Clara took my hand and said--

"My poor Harry, so we are going to part. I am going to Italy. "

"To Italy, Clara? Oh! no--say no. Italy! I shall never see you again. "

"Won't you wear this ring for me, Harry? It is an old favourite ofyours--and when we meet again"--

"Oh! dearest Clara, " I said, "do not speak thus. "

"Good by, my poor boy, good by, " said Clara hurriedly; and, rushingout of the room, she was lifted by Mortimer into the carriage, who, immediately jumping in after her, the whip cracked, the horses clattered, and all was out of sight in a second. 

"Why is she gone with him?" said I, reproachfully, turning towards myaunt. 

"Why, my dear, a very sufficient reason. She was married this morning. "

This was my first love. 

CHAPTER XXXVI. 

WISE RESOLVES. 

Musing over this boyish adventure, I fell into a deep slumber, and onawakening it took me some minutes before I could recall my sensessufficiently to know where I was. The whole face of things in my roomwas completely changed. Flowers had been put in the china vases upon thetables--two handsome lamps, shaded with gauzes, stood upon the consoles--illustrated books, prints, and caricatures, were scattered about. Apiano-forte had also, by some witchcraft, insinuated itself into a recessnear the sofa--a handsome little tea service, of old Dresden china, graced a marquetry table--and a little picquet table stood mostinvitingly beside the fire. I had scarcely time to turn my eyes from oneto the other of these new occupants, when I heard the handle of my doorgently turn, as if by some cautious hand, and immediately closed my eyesand feigned sleep. Through my half-shut lids I perceived the dooropened. After a pause of about a second, the skirt of a white muslindress appeared--then a pretty foot stole a little farther--and at lastthe slight and graceful figure of Emily Bingham advanced noiselessly intothe room. Fear had rendered her deadly pale; but the effect of her richbrown hair, braided plainly on either side of her cheek, suited so wellthe character of her features, I thought her far handsomer than ever. She came forward towards the table, and I now could perceive that she hadsomething in her hand resembling a letter. This she placed near my hand--so near as almost to touch it. She leaned over me--I felt her breathupon my brow, but never moved. At this instant, a tress of her hair, becoming unfastened, fell over upon my face. She started--the motionthrew me off my guard, and I looked up. She gave a faint, scarce audibleshriek, and sank into the chair beside me. Recovering, however, upon theinstant, she grasped the letter she had just laid down, and, havingcrushed it between her fingers, threw it into the fire. This done--as ifthe effort had been too much for her strength--she again fell back uponher seat, and looked so pale I almost thought she had fainted. 

Before I had time to speak, she rose once more; and now her face wasbathed in blushes, her eyes swam with rising tears, and her lips trembledwith emotion as she spoke. 

"Oh, Mr. Lorrequer, what will you--what can you think of this? If youbut knew--;" and here she faltered and again grew pale, while I withdifficulty rising from the sofa, took her hand, and led her to the chairbeside it. 

"And may I not know?" said I; "may I not know, my dear"--I am not sureI did not say dearest--"Miss Bingham, when, perhaps, the knowledge mightmake me the happiest of mortals?"

This was a pretty plunge as a sequel to my late resolutions. She hid herface between her hands, and sobbed for some seconds. 

"At least, " said I, "as that letter was destined for me but a few momentssince, I trust that you will let me hear its contents. "

"Oh no--not now--not now, " said she entreatingly; and, rising at the sametime, she turned to leave the room. I still held her hand, and pressedit within mine. I thought she returned the pressure. I leaned forwardto catch her eye, when the door was opened hastily, and a mostextraordinary figure presented itself. 

It was a short, fat man, with a pair of enormous moustaches, of a fieryred; huge bushy whiskers of the same colour; a blue frock covered withbraiding, and decorated with several crosses and ribbons; tightpantaloons and Hessian boots, with long brass spurs. He held a largegold-headed cane in his hand, and looked about with an expression of veryequivocal drollery, mingled with fear. 

"May I ask, sir, " said I, as this individual closed the door behind him, "may I ask the reason for this intrusion?"

"Oh, upon my conscience, I'll do--I'm sure to pass muster now, " said thewell-known voice of Mr. O'Leary, whose pleasant features began to dilateamid the forest of red hair he was disguised in. "But I see you areengaged, " said he, with a sly look at Miss Bingham, whom he had not yetrecognised; "so I must contrive to hide myself elsewhere, I suppose. "

"It is Miss Bingham, " said I, "who has been kind enough to come herewith her maid, to bring me some flowers. Pray present my respectfulcompliments to Mrs. Bingham, and say how deeply I feel her most kindattention. "

Emily rose at the instant, and recovering her self-possession at once, said--

"You forget, Mr. Lorrequer, it is a secret from whom the flowers came;at least mamma hoped to place them in your vases without you knowing. So, pray, don't speak of it--and I'm sure Mr. O'Leary will not tell. "

If Mr. O'Leary heard one word of this artful speech, I know not, but hecertainly paid no attention to it, nor the speaker, who left the roomwithout his appearing aware of it. 

"Now that she is gone--for which heaven be praised, " said I to myself;"let me see what this fellow can mean. "

As I turned from the door, I could scarcely avoid laughing aloud at thefigure before me. He stood opposite a large mirror, his hat on one sideof his head, one arm in his breast, and the other extended, leaning uponhis stick; a look of as much ferocity as such features could accomplishhad been assumed, and his whole attitude was a kind of caricature of amelo-dramatic hero in a German drama. 

"Why, O'Leary, what is all this?"

"Hush, hush, " said he, in a terrified whisper--"never mention that nameagain, till we are over the frontier. "

"But, man, explain--what do you mean?"

"Can't you guess, " said he drily. 

"Impossible; unless the affair at the saloon has induced you to take thisdisguise, I cannot conceive the reason. "

"Nothing farther from it, my dear friend; much worse than that. "

"Out with it, then, at once. "

"She's come--she's here--in this very house--No. 29, above the entresol. "

"Who is here, in No. 29, above the entre sol?"

"Who, but Mrs. O'Leary herself. I was near saying bad luck to her. "

"And does she know you are here?"

"That is what I can't exactly say, " said he, "but she has had the Livredes Voyageurs brought up to her room, and has been making ratherunpleasant inquiries for the proprietor of certain hieroglyphicsbeginning with O, which have given me great alarm--the more, as all thewaiters have been sent for in turn, and subjected to long examination byher. So I have lost no time, but, under the auspices of your friendTrevanion, have become the fascinating figure you find me, and am nowCompte O'Lieuki, a Pole of noble family, banished by the Russiangovernment, with a father in Siberia, and all that; and I hope, by theend of the week, to be able to cheat at ecarte, and deceive the verypolice itself. "

The idea of O'Leary's assuming such a metamorphosis was too absurd notto throw me into a hearty fit of laughing, in which the worthy emigreindulged also. 

"But why not leave this at once, " said I, "if you are so much in dread ofa recognition?"

"You forget the trial, " added O'Leary, "I must be here on the 18th or allmy bail is forfeited. "

"True--I had forgot that. Well, now, your plans?"--

"Simply to keep very quiet here till the affair of the tribunal is over, and then quit France at once. Meanwhile, Trevanion thinks that we may, by a bold stratagem, send Mrs. O'Leary off on a wrong scent, and hasrequested Mrs. Bingham to contrive to make her acquaintance, and ask herto tea in her room, when she will see me, en Polonais, at a distance, youknow--hear something of my melancholy destiny from Trevanion--and leavethe hotel quite sure she has no claim on me. Meanwhile, some others ofthe party are to mention incidentally having met Mr. O'Leary somewhere, or heard of his decease, or any pleasant little incident that may occurto them. "

"The plan is excellent, " said I, "for in all probability she may nevercome in your way again, if sent off on a good errand this time. "

"That's what I'm thinking, " said O'Leary; "and I am greatly disposed tolet her hear that I'm with Belzoni in Egypt, with an engagement to spendthe Christmas with the Dey of Algiers. That would give her a very prettytour for the remainder of the year, and show her the pyramids. But, tellme fairly, am I a good Pole?"

"Rather short, " said I, "and a little too fat, perhaps. "

"That comes from the dash of Tartar blood, nothing more; and my motherwas a Fin, " said he, "she'll never ask whether from Carlow or theCaucasus. How I revel in the thought, that I may smoke in companywithout a breach of the unities. But I must go: there is a gentlemanwith a quinsey in No. 9, that gives me a lesson in Polish this morning. So good-by, and don't forget to be well enough to-night, for you must bepresent at my debut. "

O'Leary had scarcely gone, when my thoughts reverted to Emily Bingham. I was not such a coxcomb as to fancy her in love with me; yet certainlythere was something in the affair which looked not unlike it; and though, by such a circumstance, every embarrassment which pressed upon me hadbecome infinitely greater, I could not dissemble from myself a sense ofpleasure at the thought. She was really a very pretty girl, and improvedvastly upon acquaintance. "Le absens ont toujours torts" is the truestproverb in any language, and I felt it in its fullest force whenTrevanion entered my room. 

"Well, Lorrequer, " said he, "your time is certainly not likely to hangheavily on your hands in Paris, if occupation will prevent it, for I findyou are just now booked for a new scrape. "

"What can you mean?" said I, starting up. 

"Why, O'Leary, who has been since your illness, the constant visiter atthe Binghams--dining there every day, and spending his evenings--has justtold me that the mamma is only waiting for the arrival of Sir GuyLorrequer in Paris to open the trenches in all form; and from what shehas heard of Sir Guy, she deems it most likely he will give her every aidand support to making you the husband of the fair Emily. "

"And with good reason, too, " said I; "for if my uncle were only given tounderstand that I had once gone far in my attentions, nothing wouldinduce him to break off the match. He was crossed in love himself whenyoung, and has made a score of people miserable since, in the benevolentidea of marrying them against every obstacle. "

"How very smart you have become, " said Trevanion, taking a look round myroom, and surveying in turn each of the new occupants. "You mustcertainly reckon upon seeing your fair friend here, or all this proprieteis sadly wasted. "

This was the time to explain all about Miss Bingham's visit; and I didso, of course omitting any details which might seem to me needless, orinvolving myself in inconsistency. 

Trevanion listened patiently to the end--was silent for some moments--then added--

"And you never saw the letter?"

"Of course not. It was burned before my eyes. "

"I think the affair looks very serious, Lorrequer. You may have won thisgirl's affections. It matters little whether the mamma be a hackniedmatch-maker, or the cousin a bullying duellist. If the girl have aheart, and that you have gained it"--

"Then I must marry, you would say. "

"Exactly so--without the prompting of your worthy uncle, I see noother course open to you without dishonour. My advice, therefore, is, ascertain--and that speedily--how far your attentions have been attendedwith the success you dread--and then decide at once. Are you able to getas far as Mrs. Bingham's room this morning? If so, come along. I shalltake all the frais of la chere mamma off your hands, while you talk tothe daughter; and half-an-hour's courage and resolution will do it all. "

Having made the most effective toilet my means would permit, my right armin a sling, and my step trembling from weakness, I sallied forth withTrevanion to make love with as many fears for the result as the mostbashful admirer ever experienced, when pressing his suit upon somehaughty belle--but for a far different reason. 

CHAPTER XXXVII. 

THE PROPOSAL. 

On reaching Mrs. Bingham's apartments, we found that she had just lefthome to wait upon Mrs. O'Leary, and consequently, that Miss Bingham wasalone. Trevanion, therefore, having wished me a safe deliverance throughmy trying mission, shook my hand warmly, and departed. 

I stood for some minutes irresolutely, with my hand upon the lock of thedoor. To think that the next few moments may decide the fortune of one'safter life, is a sufficiently anxious thought; but that your fate may beso decided, by compelling you to finish in sorrow what you have begun infolly, is still more insupportable. Such, then, was my condition. I hadresolved within myself, if the result of this meeting should prove that Ihad won Miss Bingham's affections, to propose for her at once in allform, and make her my wife. If, on the other hand, I only found that shetoo had amused herself with a little passing flirtation, why then, I wasa free man once more: but, on catechising myself a little closer, also, one somewhat disposed to make love de novo. 

With the speed of lightning, my mind ran over every passage of ouracquaintance--our first meeting--our solitary walks--our daily, hourlyassociations--our travelling intimacy--the adventure at Chantraine;--There was, it is true, nothing in all this which could establish thefact of wooing, but every thing which should convince an old offenderlike myself that the young lady was "en prise, " and that I myself--despite my really strong attachment elsewhere--was not entirelyscathless. 

"Yes, " said I, half aloud, as I once more reviewed the past, "it is butanother chapter in my history in keeping with all the rest--one step hasever led me to a second, and so on to a third; what with other men havepassed for mere trifles, have ever with me become serious difficulties, and the false enthusiasm with which I ever follow any object in life, blinds me for the time, and mistaking zeal for inclination, I never feelhow little my heart is interested in success, till the fever of pursuitis over. "

These were pleasant thoughts for one about to throw himself at a prettygirl's feet, and pour out his "soul of love before her;" but that with mewas the least part of it. Curran, they say, usually picked up his factsin a case from the opposite counsel's statements; I always relied for myconduct in carrying on any thing, to the chance circumstances of themoment, and trusted to my animal spirits to give me an interest inwhatever for the time being engaged me. 

I opened the door. Miss Bingham was sitting at a table, her head leaningupon her hands--some open letters which lay before her, evidently sooccupying her attention, that my approach was unheard. On my addressingher, she turned round suddenly, and became at first deep scarlet, thenpale as death: while, turning to the table, she hurriedly threw herletters into a drawer, and motioned me to a place beside her. 

After the first brief and common-place inquiry for my health, and hopesfor my speedy recovery, she became silent; and I too, primed with topicsinnumerable to discuss--knowing how short my time might prove before Mrs. Bingham's return--could not say a word. 

"I hope, Mr. Lorrequer, " said she, at length, "that you have incurred norisque by leaving your room so early. "

"I have not, " I replied, "but, even were there a certainty of it, theanxiety I laboured under to see and speak with you alone, would haveovercome all fears on this account. Since this unfortunate businesshas confined me to my chamber, I have done nothing but think overcircumstances which have at length so entirely taken possession of me, that I must, at any sacrifice, have sought an opportunity to explain toyou"--here Emily looked down, and I continued--"I need scarcely say whatmy feelings must long since have betrayed, that to have enjoyed the dailyhappiness of living in your society, of estimating your worth, of feelingyour fascinations, were not the means most in request for him, who knew, too well, how little he deserved, either by fortune or desert, to hope, to hope to make you his; and yet, how little has prudence or caution todo with situations like this. " She did not guess the animus of thisspeech. "I felt all I have described; and yet, and yet, I lingered on, prizing too dearly the happiness of the present hour, to risque it by anyavowal of sentiments, which might have banished me from your presence forever. If the alteration of these hopes and fears have proved too strongfor my reason at last, I cannot help it; and this it is which now leadsme to make this avowal to you. " Emily turned her head away from me; buther agitated manner showed how deeply my words had affected her; and Itoo, now that I had finished, felt that I had been "coming it ratherstrong. "

"I hoped, Mr. Lorrequer, " said she, at length, "I hoped, I confess, tohave had an opportunity of speaking with you. " Then, thought I, the gameis over, and Bishop Luscombe is richer by five pounds, than I wish him. --"Something, I know not what, in your manner, led me to suspect that youraffections might lean towards me; hints you have dropped, and, now andthen, your chance allusions strengthened the belief, and I determined, atlength, that no feeling of maidenly shame on my part should endanger thehappiness of either of us, and I determined to see you; this was sodifficult, that I wrote a letter, and that letter, which might have savedme all distressing explanation, I burned before you this morning. "

"But, why, dearest girl, "--here was a plunge--"why, if the letter couldremove any misconstruction, or could be the means of dispelling anydoubt--why not let me see it?"

"Hear me out, " cried she, eagerly, and evidently not heeding myinterruption, "I determined if your affections were indeed"--a flood oftears here broke forth, and drowned her words; her head sank between herhands, and she sobbed bitterly. 

"Corpo di Baccho!" said I to myself, "It is all over with me; the poorgirl is evidently jealous, and her heart will break. "

"Dearest, dearest Emily, " said I, passing my arm round her, andapproaching my head close to her's, "if you think that any other lovethan yours could ever beat within this heart--that I could see you hourlybefore me--live beneath your smile, and gaze upon your beauty--and, stillmore than all--pardon the boldness of the thought--feel that I was notindifferent to you. "--

"Oh! spare me this at least, " said she, turning round her tearful eyesupon me, and looking most bewitchingly beautiful. "Have I then showedyou this plainly?"

"Yes, dearest girl! That instinct which tells us we are loved has spokenwithin me. And here in this beating heart"--

"Oh! say not more, " said she, "if I have, indeed, gained youraffections"--

"If--if you have, " said I, clasping her to my heart, while she continuedto sob still violently, and I felt half disposed to blow my brains outfor my success. However, there is something in love-making as infox-hunting, which carries you along in spite of yourself; and Icontinued to pour forth whole rhapsodies of love that the Pastor Fidocould not equal. 

"Enough, " said she, "it is enough that you love me and that I haveencouraged your so doing. But oh! tell me once more, and think how muchof future happiness may rest upon your answer--tell me, may not this besome passing attachment, which circumstances have created, and others maydispel? Say, might not absence, time, or another more worthy"--

This was certainly a very rigid cross-examination when I thought thetrial was over; and not being exactly prepared for it, I felt no othermode of reply than pressing her taper fingers alternately to my lips, andmuttering something that might pass for a declaration of loveunalterable, but, to my own ears, resembled a lament on my folly. 

"She is mine now, " thought I, "so we must e'en make the best of it; andtruly she is a very handsome girl, though not a Lady Jane Callonby. Thenext step is the mamma; but I do not anticipate much difficulty in thatquarter. "

"Leave me now, " said she, in a low and broken voice; "but promise not tospeak of this meeting to any one before we meet again. I have myreasons; believe me they are sufficient ones, so promise me this beforewe part. "

Having readily given the pledge required, I again kissed her hand andbade farewell, not a little puzzled the whole time at perceiving thatever since my declaration and acceptance Emily seemed any thing buthappy, and evidently struggling against some secret feeling of which Iknew nothing. "Yes, " thought I, as I wended my way along the corridor, "the poor girl is tremendously jealous, and I must have said may a thingduring our intimacy to hurt her. However, that is all past and gone; andnow comes a new character for me: my next appearance wil be 'en bonmari. '"

CHAPTER XXXVIII. 

THOUGHTS UPON MATRIMONY IN GENERAL, AND IN THE ARMY IN PARTICULAR--THEKNIGHT OF KERRY AND BILLY M'CABE. 

"So, " thought I, as I closed the door of my room behind me, "I amaccepted--the die is cast which makes me a Benedict: yet heaven knowsthat never was a man less disposed to be over joyous at his goodfortune!" What a happy invention it were, if when adopting any road inlife, we could only manage to forget that we had ever contemplated anyother! It is the eternal looking back in this world that forms thestaple of all our misery; and we are but ill-requited for suchunhappiness by the brightest anticipations we can conjure up for thefuture. How much of all that "past" was now to become a source ofpainful recollection, and to how little of the future could I lookforward with even hope!

Our weaknesses are much more constantly the spring of all our annoyancesand troubles than even our vices. The one we have in some sort ofsubjection: we are perfectly slaves to the others. This thought camehome most forcibly to my bosom, as I reflected upon the step which led meon imperceptibly to my present embarrassment. "Well, c'est fini, now, "said I, drawing upon that bountiful source of consolation ever open tothe man who mars his fortune--that "what is past can't be amended;" whichpiece of philosophy, as well as its twin brother, that "all will be thesame a hundred years hence, " have been golden rules to me from mychildhood. 

The transition from one mode of life to another perfectly different hasever seemed to me a great trial of a man's moral courage; besides thatthe fact of quitting for ever any thing, no matter how insignificant orvalueless, is always attended with painful misgivings. My bachelor lifehad its share of annoyances and disappointments, it is true; but, uponthe whole it was a most happy one--and now I was about to surrender itfor ever, not yielding to the impulse of affection and love for onewithout whom life were valueless to me, but merely a recompense for theindulgence of that fatal habit I had contracted of pursuing witheagerness every shadow that crossed my path. All my early friends--all my vagrant fancies--all my daydreams of the future I was now tosurrender--for, what becomes of any man's bachelor friends when he isonce married? Where are his rambles in high and bye-ways when he has awife? and what is left for anticipation after his wedding except, perhaps, to speculate upon the arrangement of his funeral? To a militaryman more than to any other these are serious thoughts. All thefascinations of an army life, in war or peace, lie in the daily, hourlyassociations with your brother officers--the morning cigar, thebarrack-square lounge--the afternoon ride--the game of billiards beforedinner--the mess (that perfection of dinner society)--the plans for theevening--the deviled kidney at twelve--forming so many points ofdeparture whence you sail out upon your daily voyage through life. Versus those you have that awful perversion of all that is natural--anofficer's wife. She has been a beauty when young, had black eyes andhigh complexion, a good figure, rather inclined to embonpoint, and acertain springiness in her walk, and a jauntiness in her air, that areever sure attractions to a sub in a marching regiment. She can playbackgammon, and sing "di tanti palpiti, " and, if an Irishwoman, iscertain to be able to ride a steeple-chase, and has an uncle a lord, who(en parenthese) always turns out to be a creation made by King Jamesafter his abdication. In conclusion, she breakfasts en papillote--wearsher shoes down at heel--calls every officer of the regiment by his name--has a great taste for increasing his majesty's lieges, and delights inLondon porter. To this genus of Frow I have never ceased to entertainthe most thrilling abhorrence; and yet how often have I seen whatappeared to be pretty and interesting girls fall into something of thissort! and how often have I vowed any fate to myself rather than becomethe husband of a baggage-waggon wife!

Had all my most sanguine hopes promised realizing--had my suit with LadyJane been favourable, I could scarcely have bid adieu to my bachelor lifewithout a sigh. No prospect of future happiness can ever perfectlyexclude all regret at quitting our present state for ever. I am sure ifI had been a caterpillar, it would have been with a heavy heart that Iwould have donned my wings as a butterfly. Now the metamorphosis wasreversed: need it be wondered if I were sad?

So completely was I absorbed in my thoughts upon this matter, that I hadnot perceived the entrance of O'Leary and Trevanion, who, unaware of mybeing in the apartment, as I was stretched upon a sofa in a dark corner, drew their chairs towards the fire and began chatting. 

"Do you know, Mr. Trevanion, " said O'Leary, "I am half afraid of thisdisguise of mine. I sometimes think I am not like a Pole; and if sheshould discover me"--

"No fear of that in the world; your costume is perfect, your beardunexceptionable. I could, perhaps, have desired a little less paunch;but then"--

"That comes of fretting, as Falstaff says; and you must not forget thatI am banished from my country. "

"Now, as to your conversation, I should advise you saying very little--not one word in English. You may, if you like, call in the assistanceof Irish when hard pressed?

"I have my fears on that score. There is no knowing where that mightlead to discovery. You know the story of the Knight of Kerry and BillyMcCabe?"

"I fear I must confess my ignorance--I have never heard of it. "

"Then may be you never knew Giles Daxon?"

"I have not had that pleasure either. "

"Lord bless me, how strange that is! I thought he was better known thanthe Duke of Wellington or the travelling piper. Well, I must tell youthe story, for it has a moral, too--indeed several morals; but you'llfind that out for yourself. Well, it seems that one day the Knight ofKerry was walking along the Strand in London, killing an hour's time, till the house was done prayers, and Hume tired of hearing himselfspeaking; his eye was caught by an enormous picture displayed upon thewall of a house, representing a human figure covered with long dark hair, with huge nails upon his hands, and a most fearful expression of face. At first the Knight thought it was Dr. Bowring; but on coming nearer heheard a man with a scarlet livery and a cocked hat, call out, 'Walk in, ladies and gentlemen--the most vonderful curiosity ever exhibited--onlyone shilling--the vild man from Chippoowango, in Africay--eats rawwittles without being cooked, and many other surprising and pleasingperformances. '

"The knight paid his money, and was admitted. At first the crowdprevented his seeing any thing--for the place was full to suffocation, and the noise awful--for, besides the exclamations and applause of theaudience, there were three barrel-organs, playing 'Home, sweet Home!' and'Cherry Ripe, ' and the wild man himself contributed his share to theuproar. At last, the Knight obtained, by dint of squeezing, and somepushing a place in the front, when, to his very great horror, he beheld afigure that far eclipsed the portrait without doors. 

"It was a man nearly naked, covered with long, shaggy hair, that greweven over his nose and cheek bones. He sprang about, sometimes on hisfeet, sometimes, all-fours, but always uttering the most fearful yells, and glaring upon the crowd, in a manner that was really dangerous. TheKnight did not feel exactly happy at the whole proceeding, and beganheartily to wish himself back in the 'House, ' even upon a committee ofprivileges, when, suddenly, the savage gave a more frantic scream thanbefore, and seized upon a morsel of raw beef, which a keeper extended tohim upon a long fork, like a tandem whip--he was not safe, it appears, atclose quarters;--this he tore to pieces eagerly and devoured in the mostvoracious manner, amid great clapping of hands, and other evidences ofsatisfaction from the audience. I'll go, now, thought the Knight: for, God knows whether, in his hungry moods, he might not fancy to concludehis dinner by a member of parliament. Just at this instant, some soundsstruck upon his ear that surprised him not a little. He listened moreattentively; and, conceive if you can, his amazement, to find that, amidhis most fearful cries, and wild yells, the savage was talking Irish. Laugh, if you like; but it's truth I am telling you; nothing less thanIrish. There he was, jumping four feet high in the air, eating his rawmeat: pulling out his hair by handfuls; and, amid all this, cursing thewhole company to his heart's content, in as good Irish as ever was heardin Tralee. Now, though the Knight had heard of red Jews and whiteNegroes, he had never happened to read any account of an AfricanIrishman; so, he listened very closely, and by degrees, not only thewords were known to him, but the very voice was familiar. At length, something he heard, left no further doubt upon his mind, and, turning tothe savage, he addressed him in Irish, at the same time fixing a look ofmost scrutinizing import upon him. 

"'Who are you, you scoundrel' said the Knight. 

"'Billy M'Cabe your honour. '

"'And what do you mean by playing off these tricks here, instead ofearning your bread like an honest man?'

"'Whisht, ' said Billy, 'and keep the secret. I'm earning the rent foryour honour. One must do many a queer thing that pays two pound ten anacre for bad land. '

"This was enough: the Knight wished Billy every success, and left himamid the vociferous applause of a well satisfied audience. Thisadventure, it seems, has made the worthy Knight a great friend to theintroduction of poor laws; for, he remarks very truly, 'more of Billy'scountrymen might take a fancy to a savage life, if the secret was foundout. '"

It was impossible for me to preserve my incognito, as Mr. O'Learyconcluded his story, and I was obliged to join in the mirth of Trevanion, who laughed loud and long as he finished it. 

CHAPTER XXXIX. 

A REMINISCENCE. 

O'Leary and Trevanion had scarcely left the room when the waiter enteredwith two letters--the one bore a German post-mark, and was in thewell-known hand of Lady Callonby--the other in a writing with which I wasno less familiar--that of Emily Bingham. 

Let any one who has been patient enough to follow me through these"Confessions, " conceive my agitation at this moment. There lay my fatebefore me, coupled, in all likelihood, with a view of what it might havebeen under happier auspices--at least so in anticipation did I read thetwo unopened epistles. My late interview with Miss Bingham left no doubtupon my mind that I had secured her affections; and acting in accordancewith the counsel of Trevanion, no less than of my own sense of right, Iresolved upon marrying her, with what prospect of happiness I dared notto think of!

Alas! and alas! there is no infatuation like the taste for flirtation--mere empty, valueless, heartless flirtation. You hide the dice-box andthe billiard queue, lest your son become a gambler--you put aside theracing calendar, lest he imbibe a jockey predilection--but you nevertremble at his fondness for white muslin and a satin slipper, far moredangerous tastes though they be, and infinitely more perilous to a man'speace and prosperity than all the "queens of trumps" that ever figured, whether on pasteboard or the Doncaster. "Woman's my weakness, yerhonor, " said an honest Patlander, on being charged before the lord mayorwith having four wives living; and without having any such "Algerine act"upon my conscience, I must, I fear, enter a somewhat similar plea for mydownfallings, and avow in humble gratitude, that I have scarcely had amisfortune through life unattributable to them in one way or another. And this I say without any reference to country, class, or complexion, "black, brown or fair, " from my first step forth into life, a raw sub. In the gallant 4_th, to this same hour, I have no other avowal, no otherconfession to make. "Be always ready with the pistol, " was the dyingadvice of an Irish statesman to his sons: mine, in a similarcircumstance, would rather be "Gardez vous des femmes, " and moreespecially if they be Irish. 

There is something almost treacherous in the facility with which anIrish girl receives your early attentions and appears to like them, that invariably turns a young fellow's head very long before he has anyprospect of touching her heart. She thinks it so natural to be made loveto, that there is neither any affected coyness nor any agitated surprise. She listens to your declaration of love as quietly as the chief justicewould to one of law, and refers the decision to a packed jury of herrelatives, who rarely recommend you to mercy. Love and fighting, too, are so intimately united in Ireland, that a courtship rarely progresseswithout at least one exchange of shots between some of the partiesconcerned. My first twenty-four hours in Dublin is so pleasantlycharacteristic of this that I may as well relate it here, while thesubject is before us; besides, as these "Confessions" are intended aswarnings and guides to youth, I may convey a useful lesson, showing whya man should not "make love in the dark. "

It was upon a raw, cold, drizzling morning in February, 18__, that ourregiment landed on the North-wall from Liverpool, whence we had beenhurriedly ordered to repress some riots and disturbances then agitatingDublin. 

We marched to the Royal Barracks, our band playing Patrick's Day, to thevery considerable admiration of as naked a population as ever lovedmusic. The __th dragoons were at the same time quartered there--rightpleasant jovial fellows, who soon gave us to understand that the troubleswere over before we arrived, and that the great city authorities were nowreturning thanks for their preservation from fire and sword, by a seriesof entertainments of the most costly, but somewhat incongruous kind--thecompany being scarce less melee than the dishes. Peers and playactors, judges and jailors, archbishops, tailors, attorneys, ropemakers andapothecaries, all uniting in the festive delight of good feeding, anddrinking the "glorious memory"--but of whom half the company knew not, only surmising "it was something agin the papists. " You may smile, butthese were pleasant times, and I scarcely care to go back there sincethey were changed. But to return. The __th had just received aninvitation to a ball, to be given by the high sheriff, and to which theymost considerately said we should also be invited. This negociation wasso well managed that before noon we all received our cards from a greenliveried youth, mounted on a very emaciated pony--the whole turn-out notauguring flatteringly of the high sheriff's taste in equipage. 

We dined with the __th, and, as customary before going to an eveningparty, took the "other bottle" of claret that lies beyond the frontier ofprudence. In fact, from the lieutenant-colonel down to the newly-joinedensign, there was not a face in the party that did not betray "signs ofthe times" that boded most favourably for the mirth of the sheriff'sball. We were so perfectly up to the mark, that our major, a Connemaraman, said, as we left the mess-room, "a liqueure glass would spoil us. "

In this acme of our intellectual wealth, we started about eleven o'clockupon every species of conveyance that chance could press into theservice. Of hackney coaches there were few--but in jingles, noddies, andjaunting-cars, with three on a side and "one in the well, " we musteredstrong--Down Barrack-street we galloped, the mob cheering us, welaughing, and I'm afraid shouting a little, too--the watchmen springingtheir rattles, as if instinctively at noise, and the whole population upand awake, evidently entertaining a high opinion of our convivialqualities. Our voices became gradually more decorous, however, as weapproached the more civilized quarter of the town; and with only theslight stoppage of the procession to pick up an occasional dropper-off, as he lapsed from the seat of a jaunting-car, we arrived at length at ourhost's residence, somewhere in Sackville-street. 

Had our advent conferred the order of knighthood upon the host, he couldnot have received us with more "empressement. " He shook us all in turnby the hand, to the number of eight and thirty, and then presented usseriatim to his spouse, a very bejewelled lady of some forty years--who, what between bugles, feathers, and her turban, looked excessively like aChinese pagoda upon a saucer. The rooms were crowded to suffocation--thenoise awful--and the company crushing and elbowing rather a little morethan you expect where the moiety are of the softer sex. However, "ons'habitue a tout, " sayeth the proverb, and with truth, for we all soperfectly fell in with the habits of the place, that ere half an hour, we squeezed, ogled, leered, and drank champagne like the rest of thecorporation. 

"Devilish hot work, this, " said the colonel, as he passed me with tworosy-cheeked, smiling ladies on either arm; "the mayor--that littlefellow in the punch-coloured shorts--has very nearly put me hors decombat with champagne; take care of him, I advise you. "

Tipsy as I felt myself, I was yet sufficiently clear to be fully aliveto the drollery of the scene before me. Flirtations that, under othercircumstances, would demand the secrecy and solitude of a country greenlane, or some garden bower, were here conducted in all the openeffrontery of wax lights and lustres; looks were interchanged, handswere squeezed, and soft things whispered, and smiles returned; tillthe intoxication of "punch negus" and spiced port, gave way to the fargreater one of bright looks and tender glances. Quadrilles and countrydances--waltzing there was none, (perhaps all for the best)--whist, backgammon, loo--unlimited for uproar--sandwiches, and warm liquors, employed us pretty briskly till supper was announced, when a grandsqueeze took place on the stairs--the population tending thitherward withan eagerness that a previous starvation of twenty-four hours could alonejustify. Among this dense mass of moving muslin, velvet and broad-cloth, I found myself chaperoning an extremely tempting little damsel, with apair of laughing blue eyes and dark eyelashes, who had been committed tomy care and guidance for the passage. 

"Miss Moriarty, Mr. Lorrequer, " said an old lady in green and spangles, who I afterwards found was the lady mayoress. 

"The nicest girl in the room, " said a gentleman with a Tipperary accent, "and has a mighty nice place near Athlone. "

The hint was not lost upon me, and I speedily began to faire l'amiable tomy charge; and before we reached the supper room, learned certainparticulars of her history, which I have not yet forgot. She was, itseems, sister to a lady then in the room, the wife of an attorney, whorejoiced in the pleasing and classical appellation of Mr. Mark AnthonyFitzpatrick; the aforesaid Mark Anthony being a tall, raw-boned, black-whiskered, ill-looking dog, that from time to time contrived tothrow very uncomfortable looking glances at me and Mary Anne, for she wasso named, the whole time of supper. After a few minutes, however, Itotally forgot him, and, indeed, every thing else, in the fascination ofmy fair companion. She shared her chair with me, upon which I supportedher by my arm passed round the back; we eat our pickled salmon, jelly, blanc mange, cold chicken, ham, and custard; off the same plate, with anoccasional squeeze of the finger, as our hands met--her eyes making sadhavoc with me all the while, as I poured my tale of love--love, lasting, burning, all-consuming--into her not unwilling ear. 

"Ah! now, ye'r not in earnest?"

"Yes, Mary Anne, by all that's"--

"Well, there now, don't swear, and take care--sure Mark Anthony islooking. "

"Mark Anthony be--"

"Oh! how passionate you are; I'm sure I never could live easy with you. There, now, give me some sponge cake, and don't be squeezing me, orthey'll see you. "

"Yes, to my heart, dearest girl. "

"Och, it's cheese you're giving me, " said she, with a grimace that nearlycured my passion. 

"A cottage, a hut, with you--with you, " said I, in a cadence that I defyMacready to rival--"what is worldly splendour, or the empty glitter ofrank. "

I here glanced at my epaulettes, upon which I saw her eyes rivetted. 

"Isn't the ginger beer beautiful, " said she, emptying a glass ofchampagne. 

Still I was not to be roused from my trance, and continued my courtshipas warmly as ever. 

"I suppose you'll come home now, " said a gruff voice behind Mary Anne. 

I turned and perceived Mark Anthony with a grim look of peculiar import. 

"Oh, Mark dear, I'm engaged to dance another set with this gentleman. "

"Ye are, are ye?" replied Mark, eyeing me askance. "Troth and I thinkthe gentleman would be better if he went off to his flea-bag himself. "

In my then mystified intellect this west country synonyme for a bed alittle puzzled me. 

"Yes sir, the lady is engaged to me: have you any thing to say to that?"

"Nothing at present, at all, " said Mark, almost timidly. 

"Oh dear, oh dear, " sobbed Mary Anne; "they're going to fight, and he'llbe killed--I know he will. "

For which of us this fate was destined, I stopped not to consider, butamid a very sufficient patting upon the back, and thumping between theshoulders, bestowed by members of the company who approved of myproceedings. The three fiddles, the flute, and bassoon, that formed ourband, being by this time sufficiently drunk, played after a fashion oftheir own, which by one of those strange sympathies of our nature, imparted its influence to our legs, and a country dance was performed ina style of free and easy gesticulation that defies description. At theend of eighteen couple, tired of my exertions--and they were not slight--I leaned my back against the wall of the room, which I now, for thefirst time, perceived was covered with a very peculiar and novel speciesof hanging--no less than a kind of rough, green baize cloth, that movedand floated at every motion of the air. I paid little attention to this, till suddenly turning my head, something gave way behind it. I feltmyself struck upon the back of the neck, and fell forward into the room, covered by a perfect avalanche of fenders, fire-irons, frying-pans, andcopper kettles, mingled with the lesser artillery of small nails, doorkeys, and holdfasts. There I lay amid the most vociferous mirth I everlistened to, under the confounded torrent of ironmongery thathalf-stunned me. The laughter over, I was assisted to rise, and havingdrank about a pint of vinegar, and had my face and temples washed instrong whiskey punch--the allocation of the fluids being mistaken, Ilearned that our host, the high sheriff, was a celebrated tin and ironman, and that his salles de reception were no other than his magazine ofmetals, and that to conceal the well filled shelves from the gaze of hisaristocratic guests, they were clothed in the manner related; which myunhappy head, by some misfortune, displaced, and thus brought on acalamity scarcely less afflicting to him than to myself. I shouldscarcely have stopped to mention this here, were it not that Mary Anne'sgentle nursing of me in my misery went far to complete what herfascination had begun; and although she could not help laughing at theoccurrence, I forgave her readily for her kindness. 

"Remember, " said I, trying to ogle through a black eye, painted by theangle of a register grate--"remember, Mary Anne, I am to see you home. "

"Oh! dear, sir, sure I don't know how you can manage it--"

Here Mark Anthony's entrance cut short this speech, for he came todeclare that some of the officers had taken his coach, and was, as mightbe supposed, in a towering passion. 

"If, sir, " said I, with an air of the most balmy courtesy--"If I can beof any use in assisting you to see your friends home--"

"Ah! then, ye'r a nice looking article to see ladies home. I wish youseen yourself this minute, " said he. 

As I felt it would be no breach of the unities--time, place, and everything considered--to smash his skull, I should certainly have proceededto do so, had not a look of the most imploring kind from Mary Annerestrained me. By this time, he had taken her under the arm, and wasleading her away. I stood irresolute, till a glance from my charmercaught me; when I rallied at once, and followed them down stairs. Herethe scene was the full as amusing as above; the cloaking, shawling, shoeing, &c. , of the ladies being certainly as mirth-moving a processas I should wish to see. Here were mothers trying to collect theirdaughters, as a hen her chickens, and as in that case, the pursuit of oneusually lost all the others; testy papas swearing, lovers leering, asthey twisted the boas round the fair throats of their sweethearts; vowsof love, mingling with lamentations for a lost slipper, or a straymantle. Sometimes the candles were extinguished, and the melee becamegreater, till the order and light were restored together. Meanwhile, each of our fellows had secured his fair one, save myself, and I wasexposed to no small ridicule for my want of savoir faire. Nettled atthis, I made a plunge to the corner of the room, where Mary Anne wasshawling; I recognized her pink sash, threw her cloak over her shoulders, and at the very moment that Mark Anthony drew his wife's arm within his, I performed the same by my friend, and followed them to the door. Here, the grim brother-in-law turned round to take Mary Anne's arm, and seeingher with me, merely gave a kind of hoarse chuckle, and muttered, "Verywell, sir: upon my conscience you will have it, I see. " During thisbrief interval, so occupied was I in watching him, that I never oncelooked in my fair friend's face; but the gentle squeeze of her arm, asshe leaned upon me, assured me that I had her approval of what I wasdoing. 

What were the precise train of my thoughts, and what the subjects ofconversation between us, I am unfortunately now unable to recollect. It is sufficient to remember, that I could not believe five minutes hadelapsed, when we arrived at York-street. "Then you confess you love me, "said I, as I squeezed her arm to my side. 

"Then, by this kiss, " said I, "I swear, never to relinquish. "--

What I was about to add, I am sure I know not; but true it is, that acertain smacking noise here attracted Mr. Mark Anthony's attention, whostarted round, looked as full in the face, and then gravely added, "Enough is as good as a feast. I wish you pleasant drames, Mr. LarryKar, if that's your name; and you'll hear from me in the morning. "

"I intend it, " said I. "Good night, dearest; think of--" The slam ofthe street door in my face spoiled the peroration, and I turned towardshome. 

By the time I reached the barracks, the united effects of the champagne, sherry, and Sheffield iron, had, in a good measure subsided, and my headhad become sufficiently clear to permit a slight retrospect of theevening's amusement. 

From two illusions I was at least awakened:--First, the high sheriff'sball was not the most accurate representation of high society; secondly, I was not deeply enamoured of Mary Anne Moriarty. Strange as it mayseem, and how little soever the apparent connexion between those twofacts, the truth of one had a considerable influence in deciding theother. N'importe, said I, the thing is over; it was rather good fun, too, upon the whole--saving the "chute des casseroles;" and as to thelady, she must have seen it was a joke as well as myself. At least, so Iam decided it shall be; and as there was no witness to our conversation, the thing is easily got out of. 

The following day, as I was dressing to ride out, my servant announced noless a person than Mr. Mark Anthony Fitzpatrick, who said "that he cameupon a little business, and must see me immediately. "

Mr. Fitzpatrick, upon being announced, speedily opened his negociation byasking in very terse and unequivocal phrase, my intentions regarding hissister-in-law. After professing the most perfect astonishment at thequestion, and its possible import, I replied, that she was a mostcharming person, with whom I intended to have nothing whatever to do. 

"And maybe you never proposed for her at the ball last night?"

"Propose for a lady at a ball the first time I ever met her!"

"Just so. Can you carry your memory so far back? or, perhaps I hadbetter refresh it;" and he here repeated the whole substance of myconversation on the way homeward, sometimes in the very words I used. 

"But, my dear sir, the young lady could never have supposed I used suchlanguage as this you have repeated?"

"So, then, you intend to break off? Well, then, it's right to tell youthat you're in a very ugly scrape, for it was my wife you took home lastnight--not Miss Moriarty; and I leave you to choose at your leisurewhether you'd rather be defendant in a suit for breach of promise orseduction; and, upon my conscience, I think it's civil in me to give youa choice. "

What a pretty disclosure was here! So that while I was imaging myselfsqueezing the hand and winning the heart of the fair Mary Anne, I wasmerely making a case of strong evidence for a jury, that might expose meto the world, and half ruin me in damages. There was but one courseopen--to make a fight for it; and, from what I saw of my friend MarkAnthony, this did not seem difficult. 

I accordingly assumed a high tone--laughed at the entire affair--said itwas a "way we had in the army"--that "we never meant any thing by it, "&c. &c. 

In a few minutes I perceived the bait was taking. Mr. Fitzpatrick's westcountry blood was up: all thought of the legal resource was abandoned;and he flung out of the room to find a friend, I having given him thename of "one of ours" as mine upon the occasion. 

Very little time was lost, for before three o'clock that afternoon ameeting was fixed for the following morning at the North Bull; and I hadthe satisfaction of hearing that I only escaped the malignant eloquenceof Holmes in the King's Bench, to be "blazed" at by the best shot on thewestern circuit. The thought was no way agreeable, and I indemnifiedmyself for the scrape by a very satisfactory anathema upon the highsheriff and his ball, and his confounded saucepans; for to the lady'ssympathy for my sufferings I attributed much of my folly. 

At eight the next morning I found myself standing with Curzon and thedoctor upon that bleak portion of her majesty's dominion they term theNorth Bull, waiting in a chilly rain, and a raw fog, till it pleased MarkAnthony Fitzpatrick, to come and shoot me--such being the precise termsof our combat, in the opinion of all parties. 

The time, however, passed on, and half-past eight, three quarters, and atlast nine o'clock, without his appearing; when, just as Curzon hadresolved upon our leaving the ground, a hack jaunting-car was seendriving at full speed along the road near us. It came nearer and atlength drew up; two men leaped off and came towards us; one of whom, ashe came forward, took off his hat politely, and introduced himself as Mr. O'Gorman, the fighting friend of Mark Anthony. 

"It's a mighty unpleasant business I'm come upon, gentlemen, " said he, "Mr. Fitzpatrick has been unavoidedly prevented from having the happinessto meet you this morning--"

"Then you can't expect us, sir, to dance attendance upon him hereto-morrow, " said Curzon, interrupting. 

"By no manner of means, " replied the other, placidly; "for it would beequally inconvenient for him to be here then. But I have only to say, maybe you'd have the kindness to waive all etiquette, and let me stand inhis place. "

"Certainly and decidedly not, " said Curzon. "Waive etiquette!--why, sir, we have no quarrel with you; never saw you before. "

"Well, now, isn't this hard?" said Mr. O'Gorman, addressing his friend, who stood by with a pistol-case under his arm; "but I told Mark that Iwas sure they'd be standing upon punctilio, for they were English. Well, sir, " said he, turning towards Curzon, "there's but one way to arrange itnow, that I see. Mr. Fitzpatrick, you must know, was arrested thismorning for a trifle of L140. If you or your friend there, will join usin the bail we can get him out, and he'll fight you in the morning toyour satisfaction. "

When the astonishment this proposal had created subsided, we assuredMr. O'Gorman that we were noways disposed to pay such a price for ouramusement--a fact that seemed considerably to surprise both him and hisfriend--and adding, that to Mr. Fitzpatrick personally, we should feelbound to hold ourselves pledged at a future period, we left the ground, Curzon laughing heartily at the original expedient thus suggested, and Iinwardly pronounced a most glowing eulogy on the law of imprisonment fordebt. 

Before Mr. Fitzpatrick obtained the benefit of the act, we were orderedabroad, and I have never since heard of him. 

CHAPTER XL. 

THE TWO LETTERS. 

From the digression of the last chapter I was recalled by the sight ofthe two letters which lay during my reverie unopened before me. I firstbroke the seal of Lady Callonby's epistle, which ran thus:

 "Munich, La Croix Blanche, "My dear Mr. Lorrequer--I have just heard from Kilkee, that you are at length about to pay us your long promised visit, and write these few lines to beg that before leaving Paris you will kindly execute for me the commissions of which I enclose a formidable list, or at least as many of them as you can conveniently accomplish. Our stay here now will be short, that it will require all your despatch to overtake us before reaching Milan, Lady Jane's health requiring an immediate change of climate. Our present plans are, to winter in Italy, although such will interfere considerably with Lord Callonby, who is pressed much by his friends to accept office. However, all this and our other gossip I reserve for our meeting. Meanwhile, adieu, and if any of my tasks bore you, omit them at once, except the white roses and the Brussels veil, which Lady Jane is most anxious for. 

 "Sincerely yours, "Charlotte Callonby. "

How much did these few and apparently common-place lines convey to me?First, my visit was not only expected, but actually looked forward to, canvassed--perhaps I might almost whisper to myself the flattery--wishedfor. Again, Lady Jane's health was spoken of as precarious, less actualillness--I said to myself--than mere delicacy requiring the bluer sky andwarmer airs of Italy. Perhaps her spirits were affected--some mentalmalady--some ill-placed passion--que sais je? In fact my brain run onso fast in its devisings, that by a quick process, less logical thanpleasing, I satisfied myself that the lovely Lady Jane Callonby wasactually in love, with whom let the reader guess at. And Lord Callonbytoo, about to join the ministry--well, all the better to have one'sfather-in-law in power--promotion is so cursed slow now a-days. Andlastly, the sly allusion to the commissions--the mechancete ofintroducing her name to interest me. With such materials as these tobuild upon, frail as they may seem to others, I found no difficulty inregarding myself as the dear friend of the family, and the acknowledgedsuitor of Lady Jane. 

In the midst, however, of all my self-gratulation, my eye fell upon theletter of Emily Bingham, and I suddenly remembered how fatal to all suchhappy anticipations it might prove. I tore it open in passionate hasteand read--

 "My dear Mr. Lorrequer--As from the interview we have had this morning I am inclined to believe that I have gained your affections, I think that I should ill requite such a state of your feeling for me, were I to conceal that I cannot return you mine--in fact they are not mine to bestow. This frank avowal, whatever pain it may have cost me, I think I owe to you to make. You will perhaps say, the confession should have been earlier; to which I reply, it should have been so, had I known, or even guessed at the nature of your feelings for me. For--and I write it in all truth, and perfect respect for you--I only saw in your attentions the flirting habits of a man of the world, with a very uninformed and ignorant girl of eighteen, with whom as it was his amusement to travel, he deemed it worth his while to talk. I now see, and bitterly regret my error, yet deem it better to make this painful confession than suffer you to remain in a delusion which may involve your happiness in the wreck of mine. I am most faithfully your friend, "Emily Bingham. "

What a charming girl she is, I cried, as I finished the letter; how fullof true feeling, how honourably, how straight-forward: and yet it isdevilish strange how cunningly she played her part--and it seems now thatI never did touch her affections; Master Harry, I begin to fear you arenot altogether the awful lady-killer you have been thinking. Thus did Imeditate upon this singular note--my delight at being once more "free"mingling with some chagrin that I was jockied, and by a young miss ofeighteen, too. Confoundedly disagreeable if the mess knew it, thought I. Per Baccho--how they would quiz upon my difficulty to break off a match, when the lady was only anxious to get rid of me. 

This affair must never come to their ears, or I am ruined; and now, thesooner all negociations are concluded the better. I must obtain ameeting with Emily. Acknowledge the truth and justice of all her views, express my deep regret at the issue of the affair, slily hint that I havebeen merely playing her own game back upon her; for it would be the devilto let her go off with the idea that she had singed me, yet never caughtfire herself; so that we both shall draw stakes, and part friends. 

This valiant resolution taken, I wrote a very short note, begging aninterview, and proceeded to make as formidable a toilet as I could forthe forthcoming meeting; before I had concluded which, a verbal answer byher maid informed me, that "Miss Bingham was alone, and ready to receiveme. "

As I took my way along the corridor, I could not help feeling that amongall my singular scrapes and embarassing situations through life, mypresent mission was certainly not the least--the difficulty, such as itwas, being considerably increased by my own confounded "amour propre, "that would not leave me satisfied with obtaining my liberty, if I couldnot insist upon coming off scathless also. In fact, I was not content toevacuate the fortress, if I were not to march out with all the honours ofwar. This feeling I neither attempt to palliate nor defend, I merelychronicle it as, are too many of these confessions, a matter of truth, yet not the less a subject for sorrow. 

My hand was upon the lock of the door. I stopped, hesitated, andlistened. I certainly heard something. Yes, it is too true--she issobbing. What a total overthrow to all my selfish resolves, all myegotistical plans, did that slight cadence give. She was crying--hertears for the bitter pain she concluded I was suffering--minglingdoubtless with sorrow for her own sources of grief--for it was clear tome that whoever may have been my favoured rival, the attachment waseither unknown to, or unsanctioned by the mother. I wished I had notlistened; all my determinations were completely routed and as I openedthe door I felt my heart beating almost audibly against my side. 

In a subdued half-light--tempered through the rose-coloured curtains, with a small sevres cup of newly-plucked moss-roses upon the table--sat, or rather leaned, Emily Bingham, her face buried in her hands asI entered. She did not hear my approach, so that I had above a minuteto admire the graceful character of her head, and the fine undulatingcurve of her neck and shoulders, before I spoke. 

"Miss Bingham, " said I--

She started--looked up--her dark blue eyes, brilliant though tearful, were fixed upon me for a second, as if searching my very inmost thoughts. She held out her hand, and turning her head aside, made room for me onthe sofa beside her. Strange girl, thought I, that in the very momentof breaking with a man for ever, puts on her most fascinating toilette--arrays herself in her most bewitching manner, and gives him a receptiononly calculated to turn his head, and render him ten times more in lovethan ever. Her hand, which remained still in mine, was burning as if infever, and the convulsive movement of her neck and shoulders showed mehow much this meeting cost her. We were both silent, till at length, feeling that any chance interruption might leave us as far as ever fromunderstanding each other, I resolved to begin. 

"My dear, dear Emily, " I said, "do not I entreat of you add to the miseryI am this moment enduring by letting me see you thus. Whatever yourwrongs towards me, this is far too heavy a retribution. My object wasnever to make you wretched, if I am not to obtain the bliss, to striveand make you happy. "

"Oh, Harry"--this was the first time she had ever so called me--"how likeyou, to think of me--of me, at such a time, as if I was not the cause ofall our present unhappiness--but not wilfully, not intentionally. Oh, no, no--your attentions--the flattery of your notice, took me at once, and, in the gratification of my self-esteem, I forgot all else. I heard, too, that you were engaged to another, and believing, as I did, that youwere trifling with my affections, I spared no effort to win your's. Iconfess it, I wished this with all my soul. "

"And now, " said I, "that you have gained them"--Here was a pretty sequelto my well matured plans!--"And now Emily"--

"But have I really done so?" said she, hurriedly turning round and fixingher large full eyes upon me, while one of her hands played convulsivelythrough my hair--"have I your heart? your whole heart?"

"Can you doubt it, dearest, " said I, passionately pressing her to mybosom; and at the same time muttering, "What the devil's in the wind now;we are surely not going to patch up our separation, and make love inearnest. "

There she lay, her head upon my shoulder, her long, brown, wavingringlets falling loosely across my face and on my bosom, her hand inmine. What were her thoughts I cannot guess--mine, God forgive me, werea fervent wish either for her mother's appearance, or that the hotelwould suddenly take fire, or some other extensive calamity arise to putthe finishing stroke to this embarassing situation. 

None of these, however, were destined to occur; and Emily lay still andmotionless as she was, scarce seeming to breathe, and pale as death. What can this mean, said I, surely this is not the usual way to treatwith a rejected suitor; if it be, why then, by Jupiter the successful onemust have rather the worst of it--and I fervently hope that Lady Jane benot at this moment giving his conge to some disappointed swain. Sheslowly raised her long, black fringed eyelids, and looked into my face, with an expression at once so tender and so plaintive, that I felt astruggle within myself whether to press her to my heart, or--what thedeuce was the alternative. I hope my reader knows, for I really do not. And after all, thought I, if we are to marry, I am only anticipating alittle; and if not, why then a "chaste salute, " as Winifred Jenkins callsit, she'll be none the worse for. Acting at once upon this resolve, Ileaned downwards, and passing back her ringlets from her now flushedcheek, I was startled by my name, which I heard called several times inthe corridor. The door at the same instant was burst suddenly open, andTrevanion appeared. 

"Harry, Harry Lorrequer, " cried he, as he entered; then suddenly checkinghimself, added "a thousand, ten thousand pardons. But--"

"But what, " cried I passionately, forgetting all save the situation ofpoor Emily at the moment, "what can justify--"

"Nothing certainly can justify such an intrusion, " said Trevanion, finishing my sentence for me, "except the very near danger you run thismoment in being arrested. O'Leary's imprudence has compromised yoursafety, and you must leave Paris within an hour. "

"Oh, Mr. Trevanion, " said Emily, who by this time had regained a morebefitting attitude, "pray speak out; what is it? is Harry--is Mr. Lorrequer, I mean, in any danger?"

"Nothing of consequence, Miss Bingham, if he only act with prudence, andbe guided by his friends. Lorrequer, you will find me in your apartmentsin half an hour--till then, adieu. "

While Emily poured forth question after question, as to the nature andextent of my present difficulty, I could not help thinking of the tactby which Trevanion escaped, leaving me to make my adieux to Emily as bestI might--for I saw in a glance that I must leave Paris at once. I, therefore, briefly gave her to understand the affair at the salon--which I suspected to be the cause of the threatened arrest--and wasabout to profess my unaltered and unalterable attachment, when shesuddenly stopped me. 

"No, Mr. Lorrequer, no. All is over between us. We must never meetagain--never. We have been both playing a part. Good by--good by: donot altogether forget me--and once more, Harry good by. "

What I might have said, thought, or done, I know not; but the arrival ofMrs. Bingham's carriage at the door left no time for any thing butescape. So, once more pressing her hand firmly to my lips, I said--"aurevoir, Emily, au revoir, not good by, " and rushing from the room, regained my own, just as Mrs. Bingham reached the corridor. 

CHAPTER XLI. 

MR. O'LEARY'S CAPTURE. 

Does she really care for me? was my first question to myself as I leftthe room. Is this story about pre-engaged affections merely a got upthing, to try the force of my attachment for her? for, if not, herconduct is most inexplicable; and great as my experience has been insuch affairs, I avow myself out maneuvered. While I thought over thisdifficulty, Trevanion came up, and in a few words, informed me more fullyupon what he hinted at before. It appeared that O'Leary, much more aliveto the imperative necessity of avoiding detection by his sposa, than ofinvolving himself with the police, had thrown out most dark andmysterious hints in the hotel as to the reason of his residence at Paris;fully impressed with the idea that, to be a good Pole, he need only talk"revolutionary;" devote to the powers below, all kings, czars, andkaisers; weep over the wrongs of his nation; wear rather seedyhabiliments, and smoke profusely. The latter were with him easyconditions, and he so completely acted the former to the life, that hehad been that morning arrested in the Tuilleries gardens, under severaltreasonable charges--among others, the conspiracy, with some of hiscompatriots to murder the minister of war. 

However laughable such an accusation against poor O'Leary, onecircumstance rendered the matter any thing but ludicrous. Although hemust come off free of this grave offence, yet, the salon transactionwould necessarily now become known; I should be immediately involved, and my departure from Paris prevented. 

"So, " said Trevanion, as he briefly laid before me the difficulty of myposition, "you may perceive that however strongly your affections may beengaged in a certain quarter, it is quite as well to think of leavingParis without delay. O'Leary's arrest will be followed by yours, dependupon it; and once under the surveillance of the police, escape isimpossible. "

"But, seriously, Trevanion, " said I, nettled at the tone of raillery hespoke in, "you must see that there is nothing whatever in that business. I was merely taking my farewell of the fair Emily. Her affections havebeen long since engaged, and I--"

"Only endeavouring to support her in her attachment to the more favouredrival. Is it not so?"

"Come, no quizzing. Faith I began to feel very uncomfortable aboutparting with her, the moment that I discovered that I must do so. "

"So I guessed, " said Trevanion, with a dry look, "from the interestingscene I so abruptly trespassed upon. But you are right; a little bit oftendresse is never misplaced, so long as the object is young, pretty, andstill more than all, disposed for it. "

"Quite out; perfectly mistaken, believe me. Emily not only never caredfor me; but she has gone far enough to tell me so. "

"Then, from all I know of such matters, " replied he, "you were both in avery fair way to repair that mistake on her part. But hark! what isthis?" A tremendous noise in the street here interrupted our colloquy, and on opening the window, a strange scene presented itself to our eyes. In the middle of a dense mass of moving rabble, shouting, yelling, andscreaming, with all their might, were two gens d'armes with a prisonerbetween them. The unhappy man was followed by a rather well-dressed, middle-aged looking woman, who appeared to be desirous of bestowing themost covam publico endearments upon the culprit, whom a second glanceshowed us was O'Leary. 

"I tell you, my dear madam, you are mistaken, " said O'Leary, addressingher with great sternness of manner and voice. 

"Mistaken! Never, never. How could I ever be mistaken in that dearvoice, those lovely eyes, that sweet little nose?"

"Take her away; she's deranged, " said O'Leary to the gens d'armes. "Sure, if I'm a Pole, that's enough of misfortune. "

"I'll follow him to the end of the earth, I will. "

"I'm going to the galleys, God be praised, " said O'Leary. 

"To the galleys--to the guillotine--any where, " responded she, throwingherself upon his neck, much less, as it seemed, to his gratification, than that of the mob, who laughed and shouted most uproariously. 

"Mrs. Ram, ain't you ashamed?"

"He calls me by my name, " said she, "and he attempts to disown me. Ha!ha! ha! ha!" and immediately fell off into a strong paroxysm of kicking, and pinching, and punching the bystanders, a malady well known under thename of hysterics; but being little more than a privileged mode, amongcertain ladies, of paying off some scores, which it is not thought decentto do in their more sober moments. 

"Lead me away--anywhere--convict me of what you like, " said he, "butdon't let her follow me. "

The gens d'armes, who little comprehended the nature of the scene beforethem, were not sorry to anticipate a renewal of it on Mrs. Ram'srecovery, and accordingly seized the opportunity to march on withO'Leary, who turned the corner of the Rue Rivoli, under a shower of"meurtriers" and "scelerats" from the mob, that fell fortunately mostunconsciously upon his ears. 

The possibility of figuring in such a procession contributed much to theforce of Trevanion's reasonings, and I resolved to leave Paris at once. 

"Promise me, then, to involve yourself in no more scrapes forhalf-an-hour. Pack every thing you shall want with you, and, by seveno'clock, I shall be here with your passport and all ready for a start. "

With a beating brain, and in a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts, I threwmy clothes hither and thither into my trunk; Lady Jane and Emily bothflitting every instant before my imagination, and frequently anirresolution to proceed stopping all my preparations for departure, I satdown musing upon a chair, and half determined to stay where I was, coutequi coute. Finally, the possibility of exposure in a trial, had itsweight. I continued my occupation till the last coat was folded, and thelock turned, when I seated myself opposite my luggage, and waitedimpatiently for my friend's return. 

EBOOK EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:

Devilish hot work, this, said the colonelEmpty, valueless, heartless flirtationEnough is as good as a feastFinish in sorrow what you have begun in follyGardez vous des femmes, and more especially if they be IrishJaunting-cars, with three on a side and "one in the well"Mistaking zeal for inclinationOther bottle of claret that lies beyond the frontier of prudencePacked jury of her relatives, who rarely recommend you to mercyThere is no infatuation like the taste for flirtation