The Knight Of Gwynne Volume II Part 33

"Some warm wine at once," said Helen, while she heaped two or three logs upon the hearth.

"With a little ginger in it, miss," grinned Paul. But the polite attempt at a smile nearly cut his features, and ended in a most lamentable expression of suffering.

"This is the finest thing in life agin' the cowld," said Tate, as he threw over the s.h.i.+vering figure a Mexican mantle, all worked and embroidered with quills, that gave the gentle Mr. Dempsey the air of an enormous porcupine. The clothing, the fire, and the wine, of which he partook heartily, soon restored him, and erelong he had recounted to Lady Eleanor the whole narrative of his arrival at "The Corvy," his concealment in the canoe, the burning of the law papers, and even down to the discovery of the jaunting-car, omitting nothing, save the interview he had witnessed between the mother and daughter.

Lady Eleanor could not disguise her anxiety on the subject of the burned doc.u.ments, but Paul's arguments were conclusive in reply,--

"Who's to tell of it? Not your Ladys.h.i.+p, not Miss Helen; and as to Paul, meaning myself, my discretion is quite Spanish. Yes, my Lady," said he, with a tragic gesture that threw back the loose folds of his costume, "there is an impression abroad, which I grieve to say is widespread, that the humble individual who addresses you is one of those unstable, fickle minds that accomplish nothing great; but I deny it, deny it indignantly. Let the occasion but arise, let some worthy object present itself, or herself,"--he gave a most melting look towards Helen, which cost all her efforts to sustain without laughter,--"and then, madam, Don Paulo Dempsey will come out in his true colors."

"Which I sincerely hope may not be of the snow tint," said Lady Eleanor, smiling. "But pray, Mr. Dempsey, to return to a theme more selfish. You are sufficiently aware of our unhappy circ.u.mstances here at this moment, to see that we must seek some other abode, at least for the present. Can you then say where we can find such?"

"Miss Daly's neighborhood, perhaps," broke in Helen.

"Never do,-not to be thought of," interrupted Paul; "there's nothing for it but the Panther--"

"The what, sir?" exclaimed Lady Eleanor, in no small surprise.

"The Panther, my Lady, Mother Fum's! snug, quiet, and respectable; social, if you like,--selfish, if you please it. Solitary or gregarious; just as you fancy."

"And where, sir, is the Panther?" said Lady Eleanor, who in her innocence supposed this to be the sign of some village inn.

"In the Diamond of Coleraine, my Lady, opposite M'Grotty's, next but one to Kitty Black's hardware, and two doors from the Post-Office; central and interesting. Mail-car from Newtown, Lim.,--takes up pa.s.sengers, within view of the windows, at two every day. Letters given out at four,--see every one in the town without stirring from your window.

Huston's, the apothecary, always full of people at post hour. Gibbin's tobacco-shop a.s.sembles all the Radicals at the same time to read the 'Patriot.' Plenty of life and movement."

"Is there nothing to be found more secluded, less--"

"Less fas.h.i.+onable, your Ladys.h.i.+p would observe. To be sure there is; but there 's objections,--at least I am sure you would dislike the prying, inquisitive spirit--Eh? Did you make an observation, miss?"

"No, Mr. Dempsey," said Helen, with some difficulty preserving a suitable gravity. "I would only remark that you are perfectly in the right, and that my mother seeks nothing more than a place where we can remain without obtrusiveness or curiosity directed towards us."

"There will always be the respectful admiration that beauty exacts,"

replied Paul, bowing courteously, "but I can answer for the delicacy of Coleraine as for my own."

If this a.s.surance was not quite as satisfactory to the ladies as Mr. Dempsey might have fancied it ought to be, there was really no alternative; they knew nothing of the country, which side to direct their steps, or whither to seek shelter; besides, until they had communicated with Bicknell, they could not with safety leave the neighborhood to which all their letters were addressed.

It was then soon determined to accept Mr. Dempsey's suggestion and safe-conduct, and leaving Tate for the present to watch over such of their effects as they could not conveniently carry with them, to set out for Coleraine. The arrangements were made as speedily as the resolve, and day had scarcely dawned ere they quitted "The Corvy."

CHAPTER XX. MR. HEFFERNAN OUT-MANOEUVRED

It was on the very same evening that witnessed these events, that Lord Castlereagh was conducting Mr. Con Heffernan to his hotel, after a London dinner-party. The late Secretary for Ireland had himself volunteered the politeness, anxious to hear some tidings of people and events which, in the busy atmosphere of a crowded society, were unattainable. He speedily ran over a catalogue of former friends and acquaintances, learning, with that surprise with which successful men always regard their less fortunate contemporaries, that this one was still where he had left him, and that the other jogged on his daily road as before, when he suddenly asked,--

"And the Darcys, what of them?"

Heffernan shrugged his shoulders without speaking.

"I am sorry for it," resumed the other; "sorry for the gallant old Knight himself, and sorry for a state of society in which such changes are a.s.sumed as evidences of progress and prosperity. These upstart Hickmans are not the elements of which a gentry can be formed."

"O'Reilly still looks to you for the baronetcy, my Lord," replied Heffernan, with a half-sneer. "You have him with or against you on that condition,--at least, so I hear."

"Has he not had good fortune enough in this world to be satisfied?

He has risen from nothing to be a man of eminence, wealth, and county influence; would it not be more reasonable in him to mature his position by a little patience, than endanger it by fresh shocks to public opinion? Even a boa, my dear Heffernan, when he swallows a goat, takes six months to digest his meal. No! no! such men must be taught reserve, if their own prudence does not suggest it!"

"I believe you are right, my Lord," said Heffernan, thoughtfully; "O'Reilly is the very man to forget himself in the suns.h.i.+ne of court favor, and mistake good luck for desert."

"With all his money, too," rejoined Lord Castlereagh, "his influence will just be proportioned to the degree of acceptance his const.i.tuents suppose him to possess with us here. He has never graduated as a Patriot, and his slight popularity is only 'special gratia.' His patent of Gentleman has not come to him by birth."

"For this reason the baronetcy--"

"Let us not discuss that," said Lord Castlereagh, quickly. "There is an objection in a high quarter to bestow honors, which would seem to ratify the downfall of an ancient house." He seemed to have said more than he was ready to admit, and to change the theme turned the conversation on the party they had just quitted.

"Sir George Hannaper always does these things well."

Mr. Heffernan a.s.sented blandly, but not over eagerly. London was not "_his_ world," and the tone of a society so very different to what he was habituated had not made on him the most favorable impression.

"And after all," said Lord Castlereagh, musingly, "there is a great deal of tact--ability, if you will--essential to the success of such entertainments, to bring together men of different cla.s.ses and shades of opinion, people who have never met before, perhaps are never to meet again, to hit upon the subjects of conversation that may prove generally interesting, without the risk of giving undue preponderance to any one individual's claims to superior knowledge. This demands considerable skill."

"Perhaps the difficulty is not so great _here_, my Lord," said Heffernan, half timidly, "each man understands his part so well; information and conversational power appear tolerably equally distributed; and when all the instruments are so well tuned, the leader of the orchestra has an easy task."

"Ah! I believe I comprehend you," said Lord Castlereagh, laughing; "you are covertly sneering at the easy and unexciting quietude of our London habits. Well, Heffernan, I admit we are not so fond of solo performances as you are in Dublin; few among us venture on those 'obligate pa.s.sages'

which are so charming to Irish ears; but don't you think the concerted pieces are better performed?"

"I believe, my Lord," said Heffernan, abandoning the figure in his anxiety to reply, "that we would call this dull in Ireland. I 'm afraid that we are barbarous enough to set more store by wit and pleasantry than on grave discussion and shrewd table-talk. It appears to me that these gentlemen carry an air of business into their conviviality."

"Scarcely so dangerous an error as to carry conviviality into business,"

said Lord Castlereagh, slyly.

"There's too much holding back," said Heffernan, not heeding the taunt; "each man seems bent on making what jockeys call 'a waiting race.'"

"Confess, however," said Lord Castlereagh, smiling, "there 's no struggle, no hustling at the winning-post: the best horse comes in first---"

"Upon my soul, my Lord," said Heffernan, interrupting, "I have yet to learn that there is such a thing. I conclude from your Lords.h.i.+p's observation that the company we met to-day were above the ordinary run of agreeability."

"I should certainly say so."

"Well, then, I can only affirm that we should call this a failure in our less polished land. I listened with becoming attention; the whole thing was new to me, and I can safely aver I neither heard one remark above the level of commonplace, nor one observation evidencing acute perception of pa.s.sing events or reflection on the past. As to wit or epigram--"

"Oh, we do not value these gifts at _your_ price; we are too thrifty a nation, Heffernan, to expend all our powder on fireworks."

"Faith, I agree with you, my Lord; the man who would venture on a rocket would be treated as an incendiary."

"Come, come, Heffernan, I 'll not permit you to say so. Did you ever in any society see a man more appreciated than our friend Darcy was the last evening we met him, his pleasantry relished, his racy humor well taken, and his stores of anecdote enjoyed with a degree of zest I have never seen surpa.s.sed?"

"Darcy was always too smooth for our present taste," said Heffernan, caustically. "His school was antiquated years ago; there was a dash of the French courtier through the Irishmen of his day."

"That made the most polished gentlemen of Europe, I've been told," said Lord Castlereagh, interrupting. "I know your taste inclines to a less chastened and more adventurous pleasantry, shrewd insight into an antagonist's weak point, a quick perception of the ridiculous---"