"Well, ma"am, but you know many a time he goes to Dublin, an" doesn"t come home by the coach."
"Yes, whenever he visits Rilmainham Hospital, and gets into conversation with some of his old comrades; however, that"s natural, and I hope he"s safe."
"Well, ma"am," replied Molly, looking out, "I have betther news for you than Jenny Thompson"s now."
"Attention, Molly; John Thompson"s the word," said her mistress, with the slightest conceivable air of professional form; for if she had a foible at all, it was that she gave all her orders and exacted all obedience from her servant in a spirit of military discipline, which she, had unconsciously borrowed from her husband, whom she imitated as far as she could. "Where, Molly? Fall back, I say, till I get a peep at dear old Sam."
"There he is, ma"am," continued Molly, at the same time obeying her orders, "and some other person along with him."
"Yes, sure enough; thank G.o.d, thank G.o.d!" she exclaimed. "But who can the other person be, do you think?"
"I don"t know, ma"am," replied Molly. "I only got a glimpse of them, but I knew the master at once. I would know him round a corner."
"Advance, then, girl; take another look; reconnoitre, Molly, as Sam says, and see if you can make out who it is."
"I see him now well enough, ma"am," replied the girl, "but I don"t know him; he"s a stranger. What can bring a stranger here, ma"am, do you think?" she inquired.
"Why your kind master, of course, girl; isn"t that sufficient? Whoever comes with my dear old Sam is welcome, to be sure."
Her clear, cloudless face was now lit up with a multiplicity of kind and hospitable thoughts, for dear old Sam and his friend were not more than three or four perches from the house, and she could perceive that her husband was in an extraordinary state of good humor.
"I know, Molly, who the strange man is now," she said. "He"s an old friend of my husband"s, named Dunphy; he was once in the same regiment with him; and I know, besides, our own good man has heard some news that has delighted him very much."
She had scarcely uttered the words when Sam and old Dunphy entered.
"Beck, my girl, here I am, safe and sound, and here"s an old friend come to see us, and you know how much we are both indebted to him; I felt, Beck, and so did you, old girl, that we must have something to love and provide for, and to keep the heart moving, but that"s natural, you know--quite natural--it"s all the heart of man."
"Mr. Dunphy," said Beck--a curtailment of Rebecca--"I am glad to see you; take a seat; how is the old woman?"
"As tough as ever, Mrs. Roberts. "Deed I had thought last winter that she might lave me a loose leg once more; but I don"t know how it is, she"s gatherin" strength on my hands, an" a young wife, I"m afraid, isn"t on the cards--ha--ha--ha! And how are you yourself, Mrs.
Roberts?--but, indeed, one may tell with half an eye--fresh and well you look, thank G.o.d!"
"Doesn"t she, man?" exclaimed Sam, slapping him with delight on the shoulder; "a woman that travelled half the world, and improved in every climate. Molly, attention!--let us turn in to mess as soon as possible.
Good news, Beck--good news, but not till after mess; double-quick, Molly."
"Come, Molly, double-quick," added her mistress; "the master and his friend must be hungry by this time."
Owing to the expeditious habits to which Mrs. Roberts had disciplined Molly, a smoking Irish stew, hot and savory, was before them in a few minutes, which the two old fellows attacked with powers of demolition that would have shamed younger men. There was for some time a very significant lull in the conversation, during which Molly, by a hint from her mistress, put down the kettle, an act which, on being observed by Dunphy, made his keen old eye sparkle with the expectation of what it suggested. Shovelful after shovelful pa.s.sed from dish to plate, until a very relaxed action on the part of each was evident.
"Dunphy," said Sam, "I, believe our fire is beginning to slacken; but come, let us give the enemy another round, the citadel is nearly won--is on the point of surrender."
"Begad," replied Dunphy, who was well acquainted with his friend"s phraseology, and had seen some service, as already intimated, in the same regiment, some fifty years before. "I must lay down my arms for the present."
"No matter, friend Dunphy, we"ll renew the attack at supper; an easy mind brings a good appet.i.te, which is but natural; it"s all the heart of man."
"Well, I don"t know that," said Dunphy, replying to, the first of the axioms; "I have often aiten a hearty dinner enough when my mind was, G.o.d knows, anything but aisy."
"Well, then," rejoined Sam, "when the heart"s down, a gla.s.s of old stingo, mixed stiff, will give it a lift; so, my old fellow, if there"s anything wrong with you, we"ll soon set it to rights."
The table was now cleared, and the word "Hot wate-r-r," was given, as if Molly had been on drill, as in fact, she may be considered to have been every day in the week; then the sugar and whiskey in the same tone. But whilst she is preparing and producing the materials, as they have been since termed, we shall endeavor to give an outline of old Sam.
Old Sam, then, was an erect, square-built, fine-looking old fellow, with firm, ma.s.sive, but benevolent features; not, however, without a dash of determination in them that added very considerably to their interest.
His eyes were gray, kind, and lively; his eyebrows rather large, but their expression was either stern or complacent, according to the mood of the moment. That of complacency, however, was their general character. Upon the front part of his head he had received a severe wound, which extended an inch or so down the side of his forehead, he had also lost the two last fingers of his left hand, and received several other wounds that were severe and dangerous when inflicted, but as their scars were covered by his dress, they were consequently invisible. Sam was at this time close upon seventy, but so regular had been his habits of life, so cheerful and kind his disposition, and so excellent his const.i.tution, that he did not look more than fifty-five.
It was utterly impossible not to read the fine old soldier in every one of his free, but well-disciplined, movements. The black stock, the bold, erect head, the firm but measured step, and the existence of something like military ardor in the eye and whole bearing; or it might be the proud consciousness of having bravely and faithfully discharged his duty to his king and his country; all this, we say, marked the man with an impress of such honest pride and frank military spirit, as, taken into consideration with his fine figure, gave the very _beau ideal_ of an old soldier.
When each had mixed his tumbler, Sam, brimful of the good news to which he had alluded, filled a small gla.s.s, as was his wont, and placing it before Beck, said:
"Come, Beck, attention!--"The king, G.o.d bless him!" Attention, Dunphy!--off with it."
"The king, G.o.d bless him!" having been duly honored, Sam proceeded:
"Beck, my old partner, I said I had good news for you. Our son and his regiment--three times eleven, eleven times three--the gallant thirty-third, are in Dublin."
Beck laid down her stocking, and her eyes sparkled with delight.
"But that"s not all, old girl, he has risen from the ranks--his commission has been just made out, and he is now a commissioned officer in his majesty"s service. But I knew it would come to that. Didn"t I say so, old comrade, eh?"
"Indeed you did, Sam," replied his wife; "and I thought as much myself.
There was something about that boy beyond the common."
"Ay, you may say that, girl; but who found it out first? Why, I did; but the thing was natural; it"s all the heart of man--when that"s in the right place nothing will go wrong. What do you say, friend Dunphy? Did you think it would ever come to this?"
"Troth, I did not, Mr. Roberts; but it"s you he may thank for it."
"G.o.d Almighty first, Dunphy, and me afterwards. Well, he shan"t want a father, at all events; and so long as I have a few shiners to spare, he shan"t want the means of supporting his rank as a British officer and gentleman should. There"s news for you, Dunphy. Do you hear that, you old dog--eh?"
"It"s all the heart of man, Sam," observed his wife, eying him with affectionate admiration. "When the heart"s in the right place, nothing will go wrong."
Now, nothing gratified Sam so much as to hear his own apothegms honored by repet.i.tion.
"Eight, girl," he replied; "shake hands for that. Dunphy, mark the truth of that. Isn"t she worth gold, you sinner?"
"Troth she is, Mr. Roberts, and silver to the back o" that."
"What?" said Sam, looking at him with comic surprise. "What do you mean by that, you ferret? Why don"t you add, and "bra.s.s to the back of that?"
By fife and drum, I won"t stand this to Beck. Apologize instantly, sir." Then breaking into a hearty laugh--"he meant no offence, Beck," he added; "he respects and loves you--I know he does--as who doesn"t that knows you, my girl?"
"What I meant to say, Mr. Roberts--"
"Mrs. Roberts, sir; direct the apology to herself."
"Well, then, what I wanted to say, Mrs. Roberts, was, that all the gold, silver, and bra.s.s in his majesty"s dominions--(G.o.d bless him!
parenthetice, from Sam)--couldn"t purchase you, an" would fall far short of your value."
"Well done--thank you, Dunphy--thank you, honest old Dunphy; shake hands. He"s a fine old fellow, Beck, isn"t he, eh?"
"I"m very much obliged to you, Mr. Dunphy; but you overrate me a great deal too much," replied Mrs. Roberts.