There, now, is the Black Baronet."
"But you are not entering the service of the Black Baronet."
"No; but the ould scoundrel struck his daughter to-day, because she wouldn"t consent to marry that young profligate, Lord Dunroe; and has her locked up besides."
The stranger had been standing with his back to the fire, when the Dandy mentioned these revolting circ.u.mstances; for the truth was, that Lucy"s maid had taken upon her the office of that female virtue called curiosity, and by the aid of her eye, her ear, and an open key-hole was able to communicate to one or two of the other servants, in the strictest confidence of course, all that had occurred during the interview between father and daughter. Now it so happened, that Dandy, who had been more than once, in the course of his visits, to the kitchen, promised, as he said, to _metamurphy_ one of them into Mrs.
Dulcimer, _alias_ Murphy--that being his real name--was accidentally in the kitchen while the dialogue lasted, and for some time afterwards; and as the expectant Mrs. Dulcimer was one of the first to whom the secret was solemnly confided, we need scarcely say that it was instantly transferred to Dandy"s keeping, who mentioned it more from honest indignation than from any other motive.
It would be difficult to describe the combination of feelings that might be read in the stranger"s fine features--distress, anger, compa.s.sion, love, and sorrow, all struggled for mastery. He sat down, and there was an instant pause in the conversation; for both Dandy and his relative felt that he was not sufficiently collected to proceed with it. They consequently, after glancing with surprise at each other, remained silent, until the stranger should resume it. At length, after a struggle that was evidently a severe one, he said,
"Now, my good fellow, no more of this buffoonery. Will you take service with me for three months, since I am willing to accept you? Ay or no?"
"As willing as the flowers of May, your honor; and I trust you will never have cause to find fault with me, so far as truth, honesty, and discretion goes. I can see a thing and not see it. I can hear a thing and not hear it. I can do a thing and not do it--but it must be honest.
In short, sir, if you have no objection, I"m your man. I like your face, sir; there"s something honorable and manly in it."
"Perhaps you would wish to name the amount of the wages you expect. If so, speak."
"Divil a wage or wages I"ll name, sir; that"s a matter I"ll lave to your own generosity."
"Very well, then; I start by the "Fly" tonight, and you, observe, are to accompany me. The trunk which I shall bring with me is already packed, so that you will have very little trouble."
Dandy and his relative both left him, and he, with a view of allaying the agitation which he felt, walked toward the residence of Father M"Mahon, who had promised, if he could, to furnish him with further instructions ere he should start for the metropolis.
After they had left the room, our friend Crackenfudge peeped out of the back apartment, in order to satisfy himself that the coast was clear; and after stretching his neck over the stairs to ascertain that there was no one in the hall, he tripped down as if he were treading on razors, and with a face brimful of importance made his escape from the inn, for, in truth, the mode of his disappearing could be termed little else.
Now, in the days of which we write, it so happened that there was a vast portion of bitter rivalry between mail coaches and their proprietors.
At this time an opposition coach, called "the Flash of Lightning"--to denominate, we presume, the speed at which it went--ran against the "Fly," to the manifest, and frequently to the actual, danger of the then reigning monarch"s liege and loyal subjects. To the office of this coach, then, did Crackenfudge repair, with an honorable intention of watching the motions of our friend the stranger, prompted thereto by two motives--first, a curiosity that was naturally prurient and mean; secondly, by an anxious wish to serve Sir Thomas Gourlay, and, if possible, to involve himself in his affairs, thus rendering his interest touching the great object of his ambition--the magistracy--a matter not to be withheld. He instantly took his seat for Dublin--an inside seat--in order to conceal himself as much as possible from observation.
Having arranged this affair, he rode home in high spirits, and made preparations for starting, in due time, by "the Flash of Lightning."
The stranger, on his way to Father M"Mahon"s, called upon his friend Birney, with whom he had a long confidential conversation. They had already determined, if the unfortunate heir of Red Hall could be traced, and if his disappearance could, be brought home to the baronet, to take such public or rather legal proceedings as they might be advised to by competent professional advice. Our readers may already guess, however, that the stranger was influenced by motives sufficiently strong and decisive to prevent him, above all men, from appearing, publicly or at all, in any proceedings that might be taken against the baronet.
On arriving at Father M"Mahon"s, he found that excellent man at home; and it was upon this occasion that he observed with more attention than before the extraordinary neatness of his dwelling-house and premises.
The cleanliness, the order, the whiteness, the striking taste displayed, the variety of culinary utensils, not in themselves expensive, but arranged with surprising regularity, const.i.tuting a little paradise of convenience and comfort, were all perfectly delightful to contemplate.
The hall-door was open, and when the stranger entered, he found no one in the kitchen, for it is necessary to say here that, in this neat but una.s.suming abode of benevolence and goodness, that which we have termed the hall-door led, in the first instance, to the beautiful little kitchen we have just described. The stranger, having heard voices in conversation with the priest, resolved to wait a little until his visitors should leave him, as he felt reluctant to intrude upon him while engaged with his parishioners. He could not prevent himself, however, from overhearing the following portion of their I conversation.
"And it was yesterday he put in the distraint?"
"It was, your reverence."
"Oh, the dirty Turk; not a landlord at all is half so hard to ourselves as those of our own religion: they"ll show some lenity to a Protestant, and I don"t blame them for that, but they trample those belonging to their own creed under their inhuman hoofs."
"How much is it, Nogher?"
"Only nine pounds, your reverence."
"Well, then, bring me a stamp in the course of the day, and I"ll pa.s.s my bill to him for the amount."
"Troth, sir, wid great respect, your reverence will do no such thing.
However I may get it settled, I won"t lug you in by the head and shoulders. You have done more of that kind of work than you could afford. No, sir; but if you will send Father James up to my poor wife and daughter that"s so ill with this faver--that"s all I want."
"To be sure he"ll go, or rather I"ll go myself, for he won"t be home till after station. Did this middleman landlord of yours know that there was fever in your family when he; sent in the bailiffs?"
"To do him justice, sir, he did not; but he knows it since the day before yesterday, and yet he won"t take them off unless he gets either the rent or security."
"Indeed, and the hard-hearted Turk will have the security;--whisper,--call down tomorrow with a stamp, and I"ll put my name on it; and let these men, these keepers, go about their business.
My goodness! to think of having two strange fellows night and day in a sick and troubled family! Oh, dear me! one half the world doesn"t know how the other lives. If many of the rich and wealthy, Michael, could witness the scenes that I witness, the sight might probably soften their hearts. Is this boy your son, Nogher?"
"He is, sir."
"I hope you are giving him a good education; and I hope, besides, that he is a good boy. Do you attend to your duty regularly, my good lad?"
"I do, plaise your reverence."
"And obey your parents?"
"I hope so, sir."
"Indeed," said his father, "poor Mick doesn"t lave us much to complain of in that respect; he"s a very good boy in general, your reverence."
"G.o.d bless you, my child," said the priest, solemnly, placing his hand upon the boy"s head, who was sitting, "and guide your feet in the paths of religion and virtue!"
"Oh, sir," exclaimed the poor affectionate lad, bursting into tears, "I wish you would come to my mother! she is very ill, and so is my sister."
"I will go, my child, in half-an-hour. I see you are a good youth, and full of affection; I will go almost immediately. Here, Mat Ruly,"
he shouted, raising the parlor window, on seeing that neat boy pa.s.s;--"here, you colossus--you gigantic prototype of grace and beauty;--I say, go and saddle Freney the Robber immediately; I must attend a sick call without delay. What do you stare and gape for? shut that fathomless cleft in your face, and be off. Now, Nogher," he said, once more addressing the man, "slip down to-morrow with the stamp; or, stay, why should these fellows be there two hours, and the house and the family as they are? Sit down here for a few minutes, I"ll go home with you; we can get the stamp in Ballytrain, on our way,--ay, and draw up the bill there too;--indeed we can and we will too; so not a syllable against it. You know I must have my will, and that I"m a raging lion when opposed."
"G.o.d bless your reverence," replied the man, moved almost to tears by his goodness; "many an act of the kind your poor and struggling parishioners has to thank you for."
On looking into the kitchen, for the parlor door was open, he espied the stranger, whom he approached with every mark of the most profound respect, but still with perfect ease and independence.
After the first salutations were over--
"Well, sir," said the priest, "do you hold to your purpose of going to Dublin?"
"I go this night," replied the other; "and, except through the old man to whom you are so kind as to give me the letter, I must confess I have but slight expectations of success. Unless we secure this unfortunate young man, that is, always supposing that he is alive, and are able clearly and without question to identify his person, all we may do must be in vain, and the baronet is firm in both t.i.tle and estates."
"That is evident," replied the priest. "Could you find the heir alive, and identify his person, of course your battle is won. Well; if there be anything like a thread to guide you through the difficulties of this labyrinth, I have placed it in your hands."
"I am sensible of your good wishes, sir, and I thank you very much for the interest you have so kindly taken in the matter. By the way, I engaged a servant to accompany me--one Dulcimer, Dandy Dulcimer; pray, what kind of moral character does he bear?"
"Dandy Dulcimer!" exclaimed the priest; "why, the thief of the world! is it possible you have engaged him?"
"Why? is he not honest?" asked the other, with surprise.
"Honest!" replied the priest; "the vagabond"s as honest a vagabond as ever lived. You may trust him in anything and everything. When I call him a vagabond, I only mean it in a kind and familiar sense; and, by the way, I must give you an explanation upon the subject of my pony. You must have heard me call him "Freney the Robber" a few minutes ago. Now, not another sense did I give him that name in but in an ironical one, just like _lucus a non lucendo_, or, in other words, because the poor creature is strictly honest and well tempered. And, indeed, there are some animals much more moral in their disposition than others. Some are kind, affectionate, benevolent, and grateful; and some, on the other hand, are thieving robbers and murderers. No, sir, I admit that I was wrong, and, so to speak, I owe Freney an apology for having given him a bad name; but then again I have made it up to him in other respects.
Now, you"ll scarcely believe what I am going to tell you, although you may, for not a word of lie in it. When Freney sometimes is turned out into my fields, he never breaks bounds, nor covets, so to speak, his neighbor"s property, but confines himself strictly and honestly to his own; and I can tell you it"s not every horse would do that, or man either. He knows my voice, too, and, what is more, my very foot, for he will whinny when he hears it, and before he sees me at all."
"Pray," said the stranger, exceedingly amused at this narrative, "how does your huge servant get on?"