"Not at all, it is the most beautiful language in Europe, and the most musical too. Why, even for your own peculiar taste in such matters, where can you find any language so rich in Baccha.n.a.lian songs as German?"
"I"d rather hear the "Cruiskeen Lawn" or the "Jug of Punch" as my old friend Pat. Samson could sing them, than a score of your high Dutch jawbreakers."
"Shame upon ye, Mr. Daly; and for pathos, for true feeling, where is there anything equal to Schiller"s ballads?"
"I don"t think I"ve ever heard any of his; but if you will talk of ballads," said the Counsellor, "give me old Mosey M"Garry"s: what"s finer than"--and here began, with a most nasal tw.a.n.g and dolorous emphasis, to sing-- ""And I stepp"d up unto her, An" I made a congee-- And I ax"d her, her pardon For the making so free."
"And then the next verse, she says-- ""Are you goin" to undo me, In this desert alone?"-- "There"s a shake there."
"For Heaven"s sake," I cried, "stop; when I spoke of ballads, I never meant such infernal stuff as that."
"I"ll not give up my knowledge of ballads to any man breathing," said Mr. Daly; "and, with G.o.d"s blessing, I"ll sing you one this evening, after dinner, that will give you a cramp in the stomach."
An animated discussion upon lyrical poetry was here interrupted by a summons from our host to set out for the town. My party were, by the desire of the magistracy, to be in readiness near the court-house, in the event of any serious disturbance, which there existed but too much reason to fear from the highly excited state of feeling on the subject of the approaching trials. The soldiers were, under the guidance of Mr. Larkins, safely ensconced in a tan-yard; and I myself, having consigned them for the present to a non-commissioned officer, was left at perfect liberty to dispose of my time and person as it might please me.
While these arrangements were taking place, I had entirely lost sight of Mr. Daly, under whose guidance and protection I trusted to obtain a place within the bar to hear the trials; so that I was now perfectly alone, for my host"s numerous avocations entirely precluded any thought of my putting myself under his care.
My first object was to reach the court-house, and there could be little difficulty in finding it, for the throng of persons in the street were all eagerly bending their way thither. I accordingly followed with the stream, and soon found myself among an enormous mult.i.tude of frize-coated and red-cloaked people, of both s.e.xes, in a large open square, which formed the market-place, one side of which was flanked by the court-house--for as such I immediately recognized a ma.s.sive-looking grey stone building--in which the numerous windows, all open and filled with people, exhaled a continued steam from the crowded atmosphere within. To approach it was perfectly impossible: for the square was packed so closely, that as the people approached, by the various streets, they were obliged to stand in the avenues leading to it, and regard what was going on from a distance. Of this large mult.i.tude I soon became one, hoping that at length some fortunate opportunity might enable me to obtain admission through some of my legal acquaintances.
That the fate of those who were then upon their trial for their lives absorbed the entire feelings of those without, a momentary glance at the hundreds of anxious and care-worn faces in the crowd, would completely satisfy. Motionless and silent they stood: they felt no fatigue--no want of food or refreshment--their interest was one and undivided--all their hopes and fears were centered in the events then pa.s.sing at a short distance from them, but to which their ignorance imparted an additional and more painful excitement--the only information of how matters were going on being by an occasional word, sometimes a mere gesture from some one stationed in the windows to a friend in the crowd.
When the contemplation of this singularly impressive scene was beginning to weary from the irksomeness of my position, I thought of retiring: but soon discovered how impossible was such a step. The crowd had blocked up so completely all the avenues of approach, that even had I succeeded in getting from the market-place, it would be only to remain firmly impacted among the mob in the street.
It now also occurred to me, that although I had been a.s.sured by Larkins no call could possibly be made upon my services or those of my party, till after the trial, yet, were that to conclude at any moment, I should be perfectly unable to regain the place where I had stationed them, and the most serious consequences might ensue from the absence of their officer, if the men were required to act.
From the time this thought took possession of me, I became excessively uncomfortable. Every expression of the people that denoted the progress of the trial, only alarmed me for the conclusion, which I supposed, might not be distant, and I began, with all my ingenuity, to attempt my retreat, which, after half an hour"s severe struggle, I completely abandoned, finding myself scarcely ten yards from where I started.
At length, the counsel for the crown, who had been speaking to evidence, ceased; and an indistinct murmur was heard through the court-house, which was soon repressed by the voice of the crier calling "silence." All now seemed still and silent as the grave--yet, on listening attentively, for some time, you could catch the low tones of a voice speaking, as it appeared, with great deliberation and slowness. This was the judge addressing the jury. In a short time this also ceased; and, for about half an hour, the silence was perfectly unbroken, and both within and without there reigned one intense and aching sense of anxiety that absorbed every feeling, and imparted to every face an expression of almost agonizing uncertainty. It was, indeed, a s.p.a.ce well calculated to excite such emotions. The jury had retired to deliberate upon their verdict. At length a door was heard to open, and the footsteps of the jury, as they resumed their places, sounded through the court, and were heard by those without. How heavily upon many a stout heart those footsteps fell! They had taken their seats--then came another pause --after which the monotonous tones of the clerk of the court were heard, addressing the jury for their verdict. As the foreman rises every ear is bent--every eye strained--every heart-string vibrates: his lips move, but he is not heard; he is desired by the judge to speak louder; the colour mounts to his before bloodless face; he appears to labour for a few seconds with a mighty effort, and, at last, p.r.o.nounces the words, "Guilty, my Lord--all guilty!"
I have heard the wild war-whoop of the red Indian, as, in his own pine forest, he has unexpectedly come upon the track of his foe, and the almost extinguished hope of vengeance has been kindled again in his cruel heart--I have listened to the scarcely less savage hurra of a storming party, as they have surmounted the crumbling ruins of a breach, and devoted to fire and sword, with that one yell, all who await them--and once in my life it has been my fortune to have heard the last yell of defiance from a pirate crew, as they sunk beneath the raking fire of a frigate, rather than surrender, and went down with a cheer of defiance that rose even above the red artillery that destroyed but could not subdue them;--but never, in any or all of these awful moments, did my heart vibrate to such sounds as rent the air when the fatal "Guilty" was heard by those within, and repeated to those without. It was not grief --it was not despair--neither was it the cry of sharp and irrepressible anguish, from a suddenly blighted hope--but it was the long pent-up and carefully-concealed burst of feeling which called aloud for vengeance --red and reeking revenge upon all who had been instrumental in the sentence then delivered. It ceased, and I looked towards the court-house, expecting that an immediate and desperate attack upon the building and those whom it contained would at once take place. But nothing of the kind ensued; the mob were already beginning to disperse, and before I recovered perfectly from the excitement of these few and terrible moments, the square was nearly empty, and I almost felt as if the wild and frantic denunciation that still rang through my ears, had been conjured up by a heated and fevered imagination.
When I again met our party at the dinner table, I could not help feeling surprised on perceiving how little they sympathized in my feeling for the events of the day; which, indeed, they only alluded to in a professional point of view--criticising the speeches of the counsel on both sides, and the character of the different witnesses who were examined.
"Well," said Mr. Daly, addressing our host, "you never could have had a conviction to-day if it wasn"t for Mike. He"s the best evidence I ever heard. I"d like to know very much how you ever got so clever a fellow completely in your clutches?"
"By a mere accident, and very simply," replied the justice. "It was upon one of our most crowded fair days--half the county was in town, when the information arrived that the Walshes were murdered the night before, at the cross-roads above Telenamuck mills. The news reached me as I was signing some t.i.the warrants, one of which was against Mickey. I sent for him into the office, knowing that as he was in the secret of all the evil doings, I might as well pretend to do him a service, and offer to stop the warrant, out of kindness as it were. Well, one way or another, he was kept waiting for several hours while I was engaged in writing, and all the country people, as they pa.s.sed the window, could look in and see Mickey Sheehan standing before me, while I was employed busily writing letters. It was just at this time, that a mounted policeman rode in with the account of the murder; upon which I immediately issued a warrant to arrest the two MacNeills and Owen Shirley upon suspicion. I thought I saw Mike turn pale, as I said the names over to the serjeant of police, and I at once determined to turn it to account; so I immediately began talking to Mickey about his own affairs, breaking off, every now and then, to give some directions about the men to be captured. The crowd outside was increasing every instant, and you need not have looked at their faces twice, to perceive that they had regarded Mickey as an approver; and the same night that saw the MacNeills in custody, witnessed the burning of Sheehan"s house and haggart, and he only escaped by a miracle over to Currygla.s.s, where, once under my protection, with the imputation upon his character of having turned King"s evidence, I had little trouble in persuading him that he might as well benefit by the report as enjoy the name without the gain. He soon complied, and the convictions of this day are partly the result."
When the applause which greeted this clever stroke of our host had subsided, I enquired what results might, in all likelihood, follow the proceedings of which I had that day been a witness?
"Nothing will be done immediately," replied the justice, "because we have a large force of police and military about us; but let either, or unhappily both, be withdrawn, and the cry you heard given in the market-place to-day will be the death-wail for more than one of those who are well and hearty at this moment."
The train of thought inevitably forced upon me by all I had been a spectator of during the day, but little disposed me to be a partaker in the mirth and conviviality which, as usual, formed the staple of the a.s.size dinners of Mr. Larkins; and I accordingly took an early opportunity to quit the company and retire for the night.
CHAPTER XX.
A DAY IN DUBLIN.
On the third day of my residence at Currygla.s.s, arrived my friend, Mortimer, to replace me, bringing my leave from the colonel, and a most handsome letter, in which he again glanced at the prospect before me in the Callonby family, and hinted at my destination, which I had not alluded to, adding, that if I made the pretence of study in Germany the reason for my application at the Horse Guards, I should be almost certain to obtain a six months" leave. With what spirits I ordered Stubber to pack up my portmanteau, and secure our places in the Dublin mail for that night, while I myself hurried to take leave of my kind entertainer and his guests, as well as to recommend to their favor and attention my excellent friend Mortimer, who, being a jovial fellow, not at all in love, was a happy exchange for me, who, despite Daly"s capital stories, had spent the last two days in watching the high road for my successor"s arrival.
Once more then, I bade adieu to Currygla.s.s and its hospitable owner, whose labours for "justice to Ireland" I shall long remember, and depositing myself in the bowels of his majesty"s mail, gave way to the full current of my hopes and imaginings, which at last ended in a sound and refreshing sleep, from which I only awoke as we drew up at the door of the Hibernian, in Dawson-street.
Even at that early hour there was considerable bustle and activity of preparation, which I was at some loss to account for, till informed by the waiter that there were upwards of three hundred strangers in the house, it being the day of his majesty"s expected arrival on his visit to Ireland, and a very considerable section of the county Galway being at that moment, with their wives and families, installed, for the occasion, in this, their favourite hotel.
Although I had been reading of this approaching event every day for the last three months, I could not help feeling surprised at the intense appearance of excitement it occasioned, and, in the few minutes" conversation I held with the waiter, learned the total impossibility of procuring a lodging anywhere, and that I could not have a bed, even were I to offer five guineas for it. Having, therefore, no inclination for sleep, even upon easier terms, I ordered my breakfast to be ready at ten, and set out upon a stroll through the town. I could not help, in my short ramble through the streets, perceiving how admirably adapted were the worthy Dublinites for all the honors that awaited them; garlands of flowers, transparencies, flags, and the other insignia of rejoicing, were everywhere in preparation, and, at the end of Sackville-street, a considerable erection, very much resembling an impromptu gallows, was being built, for the purpose, as I afterwards learnt, of giving the worshipful the lord mayor the opportunity of opening the city gates to royalty; creating the obstacle where none existed; being a very ingenious conceit, and considerably Irish into the bargain. I could not help feeling some desire to witness how all should go off, to use the theatrical phrase; but, in my anxiety to get on to the continent, I at once abandoned every thought of delay. When I returned to the coffee-room of my hotel, I found it crowded to excess; every little table, originally destined for the accommodation of one, having at least two, and sometimes three occupants. In my hurried glance round the room, to decide where I should place myself, I was considerably struck with the appearance of a stout elderly gentleman, with red whiskers, and a high, bald forehead; he had, although the day was an oppressively hot one, three waistcoats on, and by the brown York tan of his long topped boots, evinced a very considerable contempt either for weather or fashion; in the quick glance of his sharp grey eye, I read that he listened half doubtingly to the narrative of his companion, whose back was turned towards me, but who appeared, from the occasional words which reached me, to be giving a rather marvellous and melodramatic version of the expected pleasures of the capital. There was something in the tone of the speaker"s voice that I thought I recognised; I accordingly drew near, and what was my surprise to discover my friend Tom O"Flaherty. After our first salutation was over, Tom presented me to his friend, Mr. Burke, of somewhere, who, he continued to inform me, in a stage whisper, was a "regular dust," and never in Dublin in his life before.
"And so, you say, sir, that his majesty cannot enter without the permission of the lord mayor?"
"And the aldermen, too," replied Tom. "It is an old feudal ceremony; when his majesty comes up to the gate, he demands admission, and the lord mayor refuses, because he would be thus surrendering his great prerogative of head of the city; then the aldermen get about him, and cajole him, and by degrees he"s won over by the promise of being knighted, and the king gains the day, and enters."
"Upon my conscience, a mighty ridiculous ceremony it is, after all," said Mr. Burke, "and very like a bargain for sheep in Ballinasloe fair, when the buyer and seller appear to be going to fight, till a mutual friend settles the bargain between them."
At this moment, Mr. Burke suddenly sprung from his chair, which was nearest the window, to look out; I accordingly followed his example, and beheld a rather ludicrous procession, if such it could be called, consisting of so few persons. The princ.i.p.al individual in the group was a florid, fat, happy-looking gentleman of about fifty, with a profusion of nearly white whiskers, which met at his chin, mounted upon a sleek charger, whose half-ambling, half-prancing pace, had evidently been acquired by long habit of going in procession; this august figure was habited in a scarlet coat and c.o.c.ked hat, having aiguillettes, and all the other appanage of a general officer; he also wore tight buckskin breeches, and high jack-boots, like those of the Blues and Horse Guards; as he looked from side to side, with a self-satisfied contented air, he appeared quite insensible of the cortege which followed and preceded him; the latter, consisting of some score of half-ragged boys, yelling and shouting with all their might, and the former, being a kind of instalment in hand of the Dublin Militia Band, and who, in numbers and equipment, closely resembled the "army which accompanies the first appearance of Bombastes." The only difference, that these I speak of did not play "the Rogue"s March," which might have perhaps appeared personal.
As this goodly procession advanced, Mr. Burke"s eyes became riveted upon it; it was the first wonder he had yet beheld, and he devoured it. "May I ask, sir," said he, at length, "who that is?"
"Who that is!" said Tom, surveying him leisurely as he spoke; "why, surely, sir, you must be jesting, or you would not ask such a question; I trust, indeed, every one knows who he is. Eh, Harry," said he, looking at me for a confirmation of what he said, and to which, of course, I a.s.sented by a look.
"Well, but, my dear Mr. O"Flaherty, you forget how ignorant I am of every thing here--"
"Ah, true," said Tom, interrupting; "I forgot you never saw him before."
"And who is he, sir?"
"Why, that"s the Duke of Wellington."
"Lord have mercy upon me, is it?" said Mr. Burke, as he upset the table, and all its breakfast equipage, and rushed through the coffee-room like one possessed. Before I could half recover from the fit of laughing this event threw me into, I heard him as he ran full speed down Dawson-street, waving his hat, and shouting out at the top of his lungs, "G.o.d bless your grace--Long life to your grace--Hurra for the hero of Waterloo; the great captain of the age," &c. &c.; which I grieve to say, for the ingrat.i.tude of the individual lauded, seemed not to afford him half the pleasure, and none of the amus.e.m.e.nt it did the mob, who reechoed the shouts and cheering till he was hid within the precincts of the Mansion House.
"And, now," said Tom to me, "finish your breakfast as fast as possible; for, when Burke comes back he will be boring me to dine with him, or some such thing, as a kind of acknowledgment of his grat.i.tude for showing him the Duke. Do you know he has seen more wonders through my poor instrumentality, within the last three days in Dublin than a six months" trip to the continent would show most men. I have made him believe that Burke Bethel is Lord Brougham, and I am about to bring him to a soiree at Mi-Ladi"s, who he supposes to be the Marchioness of Conyngham. Apropos to the Bellissima, let me tell you of a "good hit" I was witness to a few nights since; you know, perhaps, old Sir Charles Giesecke, eh?"
"I have seen him once, I think--the professor of mineralogy."
"Well, poor old Sir Charles, one of the most modest and retiring men in existence, was standing the other night among the mob, in one of the drawing-rooms, while a waltzing-party were figuring away, at which, with that fondness for "la danse" that characterizes every German of any age, he was looking with much interest, when my lady came tripping up, and the following short dialogue ensued within my ear-shot:--"
"Ah, mon cher, Sir Charles, ravi de vous voir. But why are you not dancing?"
"Ah, mi ladi, Je ne puis pas, c"est a dire, Ich kann es nicht; I am too old; Ich bin--"
"Oh, you horrid man; I understand you perfectly. You hate ladies, that is the real reason. You do--you know you do."
"Ah, my ladi, Gnaedige frau; glauben sie mir; I do loave de ladies; I do adore de s.e.x. Do you know, my ladi, when I was in Greenland I did keep four womans."
"Oh, shocking, horrid, vile Sir Charles, how could you tell me such a story? I shall die of it."
"Ah, mine Gott, mi ladi; sie irren sich, vous, vous trompez. You are quite in mistake; it was only to row my boat!"
"I leave you to guess how my lady"s taste for the broad-side of the story, and poor Sir Charles"s vindication of himself, in regard to his estimation of "le beau s.e.xe," amused all who heard it; as for me, I had to leave the room, half-choked with suppressed laughter. And, now, let us bolt, for I see Burke coming, and, upon my soul I am tired of telling him lies, and must rest on my oars for a few hours at least."
"But where is the necessity for so doing?" said I, "surely, where there is so much of novelty as a large city presents to a visitor for the first time, there is little occasion to draw upon imagination for your facts."
"Ah, my dear Harry, how little do you know of life; there is a kind of man whose appet.i.te for the marvellous is such, that he must be crammed with miracles or he dies of inanition, and you might as well attempt to feed a tiger upon pate de foie gras, as satisfy him by mere naked unvarnished truth. I"ll just give you an easy ill.u.s.tration; you saw his delight this morning when the "Duke" rode past; well I"ll tell you the converse of that proposition now. The night before last, having nothing better to do, we went to the theatre; the piece was "La Perouse," which they have been playing here for the last two months to crowded houses, to exhibit some North American Indians whom some theatrical speculator brought over "expres", in all the horrors of fur, wampum, and yellow ochre. Finding the "spectacle" rather uninteresting I leaned back in my box, and fell into a doze. Meanwhile, my inquiring friend, Mr. Burke, who felt naturally anxious, as he always does, to get au fond at matters, left his place to obtain information about the piece, the audience, and, above all, the authenticity of the Indians, who certainly astonished him considerably.
"Now it so happened that about a fortnight previously some violent pa.s.sion to return home to their own country had seized these interesting individuals, and they felt the most irresistible longing to abandon the savage and unnatural condiments of roast beef and Guinness"s porter, and resume their ancient and more civilized habits of life. In fact, like the old African lady, mentioned by the missionary at the Cape, they felt they could die happy if they "could only once more have a roast child for supper," and as such luxuries are dear in this country, stay another week they would not, whatever the consequences might be; the manager reasoned, begged, implored and threatened, by turns; all would not do, go they were determined, and all that the unfortunate proprietor could accomplish was, to make a purchase of their properties in fur, belts, bows, arrows, and feathers, and get them away quietly, without the public being the wiser. The piece was too profitable a one to abandon, so he looked about anxiously, to supply the deficiency in his corps dramatique. For several days nothing presented itself to his thoughts, and the public were becoming more clamorous for the repet.i.tion of a drama which had greatly delighted them. What was to be done? In a mood of doubt and uncertainty the wretched manager was taking his accustomed walk upon the light-house pier, while a number of unfortunate country fellows, bare legged and lanky, with hay ropes fastening their old grey coats around them, were standing beside a packet about to take their departure for England, for the harvest. Their uncouth appearance, their wild looks, their violent gestures, and, above all, their strange and guttural language, for they were all speaking Irish, attracted the attention of the manager; the effect, to his professional eye was good, the thought struck him at once. Here were the very fellows he wanted. It was scarcely necessary to alter any thing about them, they were ready made to his hand, and in many respects better savages than their prototypes. Through the mediation of some whiskey, the appropriate liquor in all treaties of this nature, a bargain was readily struck, and in two hours more, "these forty thieves" were rehearsing upon the cla.s.sic boards of our theatre, and once more, La Perouse, in all the glory of red capital letters, shone forth in the morning advertis.e.m.e.nts. The run of the piece continued unabated; the Indians were the rage; nothing else was thought or spoken of in Dublin, and already the benefit of Ashewaballagh Ho was announced, who, by the by, was a little fellow from Martin"s estate in Connemara, and one of the drollest dogs I ever heard of. Well, it so happened that it was upon one of their nights of performing that I found myself, with Mr. Burke, a spectator of their proceedings; I had fallen into an easy slumber, while a dreadful row in the box lobby roused me from my dream, and the loud cry of "turn him out," "pitch him over," "beat his brains out," and other humane proposals of the like nature, effectually restored me to consciousness; I rushed out of the box into the lobby, and there, to my astonishment, in the midst of a considerable crowd, beheld my friend, Mr. Burke, belaboring the box-keeper with all his might with a cotton umbrella of rather unpleasant proportions, accompanying each blow with an exclamation of "well, are they Connaughtmen, now, you rascal, eh? are they all west of Athlone, tell me that, no? I wonder what"s preventing me beating the soul out of ye." After obtaining a short cessation of hostilities, and restoring poor Sharkey to his legs, much more dead than alive from pure fright, I learned, at last, the teterrima causa belli. Mr. Burke, it seems, had entered into conversation with Sharkey, the box-keeper, as to all the particulars of the theatre, and the present piece, but especially as to the real and authentic history of the Indians, whose language he remarked, in many respects to resemble Irish. Poor Sharkey, whose benefit-night was approaching, thought he might secure a friend for life, by imparting to him an important state secret; and when, therefore, pressed rather closely as to the "savages" whereabout" resolved to try a bold stroke, and trust his unknown interrogator. "And so you don"t really know where they come from, nor can"t guess?" "Maybe, Peru," said Mr. Burke, innocently. "Try again, sir," said Sharkey, with a knowing grin. "Is it Behring"s Straits?" said Mr. Burke. "What do you think of Galway, sir?" said Sharkey, with a leer intended to cement a friendship for life; the words were no sooner out of his lips, than Burke, who immediately took them as a piece of direct insolence to himself and his country, felled him to the earth, and was in the act of continuing the discipline when I arrived on the field of battle."
CHAPTER XXI.
A NIGHT AT HOWTH.
"And must you really leave us so soon," said Tom as we issued forth into the street; "why I was just planning a whole week"s adventure for you. Town is so full of all kinds of idle people, I think I could manage to make your time pa.s.s pleasantly enough."
"Of that," I replied, "I have little doubt; but for the reasons I have just mentioned, it is absolutely necessary that I should not lose a moment; and after arranging a few things here, I shall start to-morrow by the earliest packet, and hasten up to London at once."
"By Jupiter," said Tom, "how lucky. I just remember something, which comes admirably apropos. You are going to Paris--is it not so?"
"Yes, direct to Paris."
"Nothing could be better. There is a particularly nice person, a great friend of mine, Mrs. Bingham, waiting for several days in hopes of a chaperon to take care of herself and daughter--a lovely girl, only nineteen, you wretch--to London, en route to the continent: the mamma a delightful woman, and a widow, with a very satisfactory jointure--you understand--but the daughter, a regular downright beauty, and a ward in chancery, with how many thousand pounds I am afraid to trust myself to say. You must know then they are the Binghams of--, upon my soul, I forget where; but highly respectable."
"I regret I have not the pleasure of their acquaintance, and the more because I shall not be able to make it now."
"As why?" said Tom gravely.
"Because, in the first place, I am so confoundedly pressed for time that I could not possibly delay under any contingency that might arise; and your fair friends are, doubtless, not so eagerly determined upon travelling night and day till they reach Paris. Secondly, to speak candidly, with my present hopes and fears weighing upon my mind, I should not be the most agreeable travelling companion to two ladies with such pretensions as you speak of; and thirdly,--"
"Confound your thirdly. I suppose we shall have sixteenthly, like a Presbyterian minister"s sermon, if I let you go on. Why, they"ll not delay you one hour. Mrs. Bingham, man, cares as little for the road as yourself; and as for your pet.i.ts soins, I suppose if you get the fair ladies through the Custom-House, and see them safe in a London hotel, it is all will be required at your hands."
"Notwithstanding all you say, I see the downright impossibility of my taking such a charge at this moment, when my own affairs require all the little attention I can bestow; and when, were I once involved with your fair friends, it might be completely out of my power to prosecute my own plans."
As I said this, we reached the door of a handsome looking house in Kildare-street; upon which Tom left my arm, and informing me that he desired to drop a card, knocked loudly.
"Is Mrs. Bingham at home," said he, as the servant opened the door.
"No sir, she"s out in the carriage."
"Well, you see Harry, your ill luck befriends you; for I was resolved on presenting you to my friends and leaving the rest to its merits."
"I can safely a.s.sure you that I should not have gone up stairs," said I. "Little as I know of myself, there is one point of my character I have never been deceived in, the fatal facility by which every new incident or adventure can turn me from following up my best matured and longest digested plans; and as I feel this weakness and cannot correct it; the next best thing I can do is fly the causes."
"Upon my soul," said Tom, "you have become quite a philosopher since we met. There is an old adage which says, "no king is ever thoroughly gracious if he has not pa.s.sed a year or two in dethronement;" so I believe your regular lady-killer--yourself for instance--becomes a very quiet animal for being occasionally jilted. But now, as you have some commissions to do, pray get done with them as fast as possible, and let us meet at dinner. Where do you dine to-day?"
"Why, upon that point, I am at your service completely."
"Well, then, I have got a plan which I think will suit you. You said you wished to go by Holyhead, for fear of delay; so, we"ll drive down at six o"clock to Skinner"s and dine with him on board the packet at Howth. Bring your luggage with you, and it will save you a vast deal of fuss and trouble in the morning."
Nothing could be better management for me than this, so I accordingly promised acquiescence; and having appointed a rendezvous for six o"clock, bade O"Flaherty good by, inwardly rejoicing that my plans were so far forwarded, and that I was not to be embarra.s.sed with either Mrs. Bingham or her daughter, for whose acquaintance or society I had no peculiar ambition.
My commissions, though not very numerous, occupied the few hours which remained, and it was already a few minutes past six o"clock when I took my stand under the piazza of the Post Office to wait for O"Flaherty. I had not long to do so, for immediately after I had reached the spot, he arrived in an open barouche and four posters, with three other young men, to whom he severally introduced me, but whose names I have totally forgotten; I only remember that two of the party were military men then quartered in town.
When I had taken my seat, I could not help whispering to Tom, that although his friend Skinner might be "bon" for a visitation or two at his dinner, yet as we were now so strong a party, it might be as well to dine at the hotel.
"Oh," said he, "I have arranged all that; I have sent him a special messenger two hours since, and so make your mind easy--we shall not be disappointed, nor be short-taken."
Our drive, although a long one, pa.s.sed quickly over, and before we had reached our destination, I had become tolerably intimate with all the party, who were evidently picked men, selected by O"Flaherty for a pleasant evening.
We drove along the pier to the wharf, where the steamer lay, and were received at once by Tom"s friend with all the warm welcome and hospitality of a sailor, united with the address and polish of a very finished gentleman. As we descended the companion-ladder to the cabin, my mind became speedily divested of any fears I might have indulged in, as to the want of preparation of our entertainer. The table was covered with all the appanage of handsome plate and cut gla.s.s, while the side-tables glittered with a magnificent dessert, and two large wine-coolers presented an array of champagne necks shining with their leaden cravats that would have tempted an anchorite.
I remember very little else of that evening than the coup d"oeil I have mentioned; besides, were my memory more retentive, I might scruple to trespa.s.s farther on my reader"s patience, by the detail of those pleasures, which, like love-letters, however agreeable to the parties immediately concerned, are very unedifying to all others. I do remember, certainly, that good stories and capital songs succeeded each other with a rapidity only to be equalled by the popping of corks; and have also a very vague and indistinct recollection of a dance round the table, evidently to finish a chorus, but which, it appears, finished me too, for I saw no more that night.
How many men have commemorated the waking sensations of their fellow-men, after a night"s debauch; yet at the same time, I am not aware of any one having perfectly conveyed even a pa.s.sing likeness to the mingled throng of sensations which crowd one"s brain on such an occasion. The doubt of what has pa.s.sed, by degrees yielding to the half-consciousness of the truth, the feeling of shame, inseparable except to the habitually hard-goer, for the events thus dimly pictured, the racking headache and intense thirst, with the horror of the potation recently indulged in: the recurring sense of the fun or drollery of a story or an incident which provokes us again to laugh despite the jarring of our brain from the shaking. All this and more most men have felt, and happy are they when their waking thoughts are limited to such, at such times as these--the matter becomes considerably worse, when the following morning calls for some considerable exertion, for which even in your best and calmest moments, you only find yourself equal.
It is truly unpleasant, on rubbing your eyes and opening your ears, to discover that the great bell is ringing the half-hour before your quarterly examination at college, while Locke, Lloyd, and Lucian are dancing a reel through your brain, little short of madness; scarcely less agreeable is it, to learn that your friend Captain Wildfire is at the door in his cab, to accompany you to the Phoenix, to stand within twelve paces of a cool gentleman who has been sitting with his arm in Eau de Cologne for the last half-hour, that he may pick you out "artist-like." There are, besides these, innumerable situations in which our preparations of the night would appear, as none of the wisest; but I prefer going at once to my own, which, although considerably inferior in difficulty, was not without its own "desagremens."
When I awoke, therefore, on board the "Fire-fly," the morning after our dinner-party, I was perfectly unable, by any mental process within my reach, to discover where I was. On ship-board I felt I must be--the narrow berth--the gilded and panelled cabin which met my eye, through my half-open curtains, and that peculiar swelling motion inseparable from a vessel in the water, all satisfied me of this fact. I looked about me, but could see no one to give me the least idea of my position. Could it be that we were on our way out to Corfu, and that I had been ill for some time past?
But this cabin had little resemblance to a transport; perhaps it might be a frigate--I knew not. Then again, were we sailing, or at anchor, for the ship was nearly motionless; at this instant a tremendous noise like thunder crashed through my head, and for a moment I expected we had exploded, and would be all blown up; but an instant after I discovered it must be the escape of the steam, and that I was on board a packet ship. Here, then, was some clue to my situation, and one which would probably have elicited all in due season; but just at this moment a voice on deck saved me from any further calculations. Two persons were conversing whose voices were not altogether unknown to me, but why I knew not.
"Then, Captain, I suppose you consider this as an excellent pa.s.sage."
"Yes, of course I do," replied the captain, "it"s only five hours since we left Howth, and now you see we are nearly in; if we have this run of the tide we shall reach the Head before twelve o"clock."
"Ha! ha!" said I to myself, "now I begin to learn something. So we have crossed the channel while I was sleeping--not the least agreeable thing for a man to hear who suffers martyrdom from sea sickness--but let me listen again."
"And that large mountain there--is that Snowdon?"
"No. You cannot see Snowdon; there is too much mist about it; that mountain is Capel Carrig; and there that bold bluff to the eastward, that is Penmen Mawr."
"Come, there is no time to be lost," thought I; so springing out of my berth, accoutred as I was, in merely trowsers and slippers, with a red handkerchief fastened night-cap fashion round my head, I took my way through the cabin.
My first thought on getting upon my legs was how tremendously the vessel pitched, which I had not remarked while in my berth, but now I could scarce keep myself from falling at every step. I was just about to call the steward, when I again heard the voices on deck.
"You have but few pa.s.sengers this trip."
"I think only yourself and a Captain Lorrequer," replied the captain, "who, by-the-by, is losing all this fine coast, which is certainly a great pity."