第71章

said the footman; 'because the office is damp for him, and it's not there he'll see anybody to-day; but in my lady's dressing-room.'

So up the grand staircase they went, and through the magnificent apartments, hung with pictures of great value, spoiling with damp.'Then, isn't it a pity to see them? There's my lady, and all spoiling,' said the widow.

Lord Colambre stopped before a portrait of Miss Nugent.--'Shamefully damaged!' cried he.'Pass on, or let me pass, if you PLASE,' said one of the tenants; 'and don't be stopping the doorway.' 'I have business more nor you with the agent,' said the surveyor; 'where is he?'

'In the PRESENCE-CHAMBER,' replied another; 'where should the viceroy be but in the PRESENCE-CHAMBER?'

There was a full levee, and fine smell of greatcoats.'Oh!

would you put your hats on the silk cushions?' said the widow to some men in the doorway, who were throwing off their greasy hats on a damask sofa.--'Why not? where else?' 'If the lady was in it, you wouldn't,' said she, sighing.-- 'No, to be sure, Iwouldn't; great news! would I make no DIFFER in the presence of old Nick and my lady?' said he, in Irish.'Have I no sense or manners, good woman, think ye?' added he, as he shook the ink out of his pen on the Wilton carpet, when he had finished signing his name to a paper on his knee.'You may wait long before you get to the speech of the great man,' said another, who was working his way through numbers.They continued pushing forward, till they came within sight of Mr.Nicholas Garraghty, seated in state; and a worse countenance, or a more perfect picture of an insolent, petty tyrant in office, Lord Colambre had never beheld.

We forbear all further detail of this levee.'It's all the same!' as Lord Colambre repeated to himself, on every fresh instance of roguery or oppression to which he was witness; and, having completely made up his mind on the subject, he sat down quietly in the background, waiting till it should come to the widow's turn to be dealt with, for he was now interested only to see how she would be treated.The room gradually thinned; Mr.

Dennis Garraghty came in, and sat down at the table, to help his brother to count the heaps of gold.

'Oh, Mr.Dennis, I'm glad to see you as kind as your promise, meeting me here,' said the widow O'Neill, walking up to him; 'I'm sure you'll speak a good word for me; here's the LASES--who will I offer this to?' said she, holding the GLOVE-MONEY and SEALING-MONEY,--'for I'm strange and ashamed.'

'Oh, don't be ashamed--there's no strangeness in bringing money or taking it,' said Mr.Nicholas Garraghty, holding out his hand.

'Is this the proper compliment?'

'I hope so, sir; your honour knows best.'

'Very well,' slipping it into his private purse.'Now, what's your business?'

'The LASES to sign--the rent's all paid up.'

'Leases! Why, woman, is the possession given up?'

'It was, PLASE your honour; and Mr.Dennis has the key of our little place in his pocket.'

'Then I hope he'll keep it there.YOUR little place--it's no longer yours; I've promised it to the surveyor.You don't think I'm such a fool as to renew to you at this rent.'

'Mr.Dennis named the rent.But anything your honour PLASES--anything at all that we can pay.'

'Oh, it's out of the question--put it out of your head.No rent you can offer would do, for I've promised it to the surveyor.'

'Sir, Mr.Dennis knows my lord gave us his promise in writing of a renewal, on the back of the OULD LASE."'Produce it.'

'Here's the LASE, but the promise is rubbed out.'

'Nonsense! coming to me with a promise that's rubbed out.

Who'll listen to that in a court of justice, do you think?'

'I don't know, plase your honour; but this I'm sure of, my lord and Miss Nugent, though but a child at the time, God bless her!

who was by when my lord wrote it with his pencil, will remember it.'

'Miss Nugent! what can she know of business?--What has she to do with the management of my Lord Clonbrony's estate, pray?'

'Management!--no, sir.'

'Do you wish to get Miss Nugent turned out of the house?'

'Oh, God forbid!--how could that be?'

'Very easily; if you set about to make her meddle and witness in what my lord does not choose.'

'Well then, I'll never mention Miss Nugent's name in it at all, if it was ever so with me.But be PLASED, sir, to write over to my lord, and ask him; I'm sure he'll remember it.'

'Write to my lord about such a trifle--trouble him about such nonsense!'

'I'd be sorry to trouble him.Then take it on my word, and believe me, sir; for I would not tell a lie, nor cheat rich or poor, if in my power, for the whole estate, nor the whole world:

for there's an eye above.'

'Cant! nonsense!--Take those leases off the table; I never will sign them.Walk off; ye canting hag; it's an imposition--I will never sign them.'

'You WILL then, sir,' cried Brian, growing red with indignation;'for the law shall make you, so it shall; and you'd as good have been civil to my mother, whatever you did--for I'll stand by her while I've life; and I know she has right, and shall have law.Isaw the memorandum written before ever it went into your hands, sir, whatever became of it after; and will swear to it, too.'

'Swear away, my good friend; much your swearing will avail in your own case in a court of justice,' continued old Nick.

'And against a gentleman of my brother's established character and property,' said St.Dennis.'What's your mother's character against a gentleman's like his?'

'Character! take care how you go to that, anyway, sir,' cried Brian.

Grace put her hand before his mouth, to stop him.'Grace, dear, I must speak, if I die for it; sure it's for my mother,' said the young man, struggling forward, while his mother held him back; 'Imust speak.'

'Oh, he's ruin'd, I see it,' said Grace, putting her hand before her eyes, 'and he won't mind me.'

'Go on, let him go on, pray, young woman,' said Mr.Garraghty, pale with anger and fear, his lips quivering; 'I shall be happy to take down his words.'

'Write them; and may all the world read it, and welcome!' His mother and wife stopped his mouth by force.