A return chaise from Kilc.o.c.k was at last secured, and Daly, with his servant on the box, proceeded towards Dublin.
It was dark when they reached the capital, and drove with all the speed they could accomplish to the Knight"s house in Henrietta Street. Great was Daly"s discomfort to learn that his friend Darcy had just driven from the door.
"Where to?" said he, as he held his watch in his hand, as if considering the chances of still overtaking him.
"To a dinner-party, sir, at Lord Castlereagh"s," said the servant.
"At Lord Castlereagh"s!" And nothing but the presence of the man repressed the pa.s.sionate exclamation that quivered on his lip.
"Yes, sir, his Lordship and Mr. Heffernan called here--"
"Mr. Heffernan,--Mr. Con Heffernan do you mean?" interrupted he, quickly. "Ah! I have it now. And when was this visit?"
"On Monday last, sir."
"On Monday," said Daly to himself. "The very day the letter was written to me: there"s something in it, after all. Drive to Kildare Place, and as fast as you can," said he, aloud, as he sprang into the chaise.
The steps were up, the door banged to, the horses lashed into a gallop, and the next moment saw the chaise at the end of the street.
Short as the distance was,--scarcely a mile to Heffer-nan"s house,--Daly"s impatient anxiety made him think it an eternity. His object was to reach the house before Heffernan started; for he judged rightly that not only was the Secretary"s dinner planned by that astute gentleman, but that its whole conduct and machinery rested on his dexterity.
"I know the fellow well," muttered Daly,--"ay, and, by Heaven! he knows _me_. His mock candor and his counterfeit generosity have but a bad chance with such men as myself; but Darcy"s open, unsuspecting temperament is the very metal he can weld and fashion to his liking."
It was in the midst of reflections like these, mingled with pa.s.sionate bursts of impatience at the pace, which was, notwithstanding, a sharp gallop, that they dashed up to Heffer-nan"s door. To make way for them, a chariot that stood there was obliged to move on.
"Whose carriage is this?" said Daly, as, without waiting for the steps to be lowered, he sprang to the ground.
"Mr. Heffernan"s, sir."
"He is at home, then?"
"Yes, sir; but just about to leave for a dinner-party."
"Stand by that chariot, Sandy, and take care that no one enters it till I come back," whispered Daly in his servant"s ear. And Sandy took up bis post at the door like a sentinel on duty. "Tell your master," said Daly to the servant, who stood at the open hall-door, "that a gentleman desires to speak with him."
"He"s just going out, sir."
"Give my message," said Daly, sternly.
"With what name, sir?"
"Repeat the words as I have given them to you, and don"t dictate to me how I am to announce myself," said he, harshly, as he opened the door and walked into the parlor.
Scarcely had he reached the fireplace when a bustle without proclaimed that Heffernan was pa.s.sing downstairs, and the confused sound of voices was heard as he and his servant spoke together. "Ah! very well," said Heffernan, aloud; "you may tell the gentleman, John, that I can"t see him at present. I "ve no notion of keeping dinner waiting half an hour."
And so saying, he pa.s.sed out to enter the carriage.
"Na, na," said Sandy, as the footman offered his arm to a.s.sist his master to mount the steps; "ye maun wait a wee. I trow ye hae no seen my master yet."
"What means this insolence? Who is this fellow?--push him aside."
"That"s na sae easy to do," replied Sandy, gravely; "and though I hae but one arm, ye "ll no be proud of yer-sel "gin you try the game."
"Who are you? By what right do you stop me here?" said Heffernan, who, contrary to his wont, was already in a pa.s.sion.
"I"m Bagenal Daly"s man; and there"s himsel in the parlor, and he"ll tell you mair, maybe."
The mention of that name seemed to act like a spell upon Heffernan, and, without waiting for another word, he turned back hastily, and re-entered the house. He stopped as he laid his hand on the handle of the door, and his face, when the light fell on it, was pale as death; and although no other sign of agitation was perceptible, the expression of his features was very different from ordinary. The pause, brief as it was, seemed sufficient to rally him, for, opening the door with an appearance of haste, he advanced towards Daly, and, with an outstretched hand, exclaimed,--
"My dear Mr. Daly, I little knew who it was I declined to see. They gave me no name, and I was just stepping into my carriage when your servant told me you were here. I need not tell you that I would not deny myself to _you_."
"I believe not, sir," said Daly, with a strong emphasis on the words. "I have come a long journey to see and speak with you."
"May I ask it, as a great favor, that you will let our interview be for to-morrow morning? You may name your hour, or as many of them as you like--or will you dine with me?"
"We "ll dine together to-day, sir," said Daly.
"That"s impossible," said Heffernan, with a smile which all his tact could not make an easy one. "I have been engaged for four days to Lord Castlereagh,--a party which I had some share in a.s.sembling together,--and, indeed, already I am five-and-twenty minutes late."
"I regret deeply, sir," said Daly, as, crossing his hands behind his back, he slowly walked up and down the room,--"I regret deeply that I must deprive the n.o.ble Secretary"s dinner-party of so very gifted a guest. I know something of Mr. Heffernan"s entertaining powers, and I have heard even more of them; but for all that, I must be unrelenting, and--"
"The thing is really impossible."
"You will dine with me to-day," was the cool answer of Daly, as, fixing his eyes steadily on him, he uttered the words in a low, determined tone.
"Once for all, sir--" said Heffernan, as he moved towards the door.
"Once for all," repeated Daly, "I will have my way. This is no piece of caprice,--no sudden outbreak of that eccentricity which you and others affect to fasten on me. No, Mr. Heffernan; I have come a hundred and fifty miles with an object, and not all the wily dexterity of even you shall balk me. To be plain, sir, there are reports current in the clubs and society generally that you have been the means of securing the Knight of Gwynne to the side of Government. I know--ay, and you know--how many of these rumors originate on the shallow foundation of men being seen together in public, and cultivating an intimacy on purely social grounds. Now, Mr. Heffernan, Darcy"s opinions, it is well known, are not those of the Ministry, and the only result of such calumnies will be that he, the head of a family, and a country gentleman of the highest rank, will be drawn into a dangerous altercation with some of those lounging puppies that circulate such slanders. I am his friend, and, as it happens, with no such ties to life and station as he possesses. I will, if possible, place myself in a similar position, and, to do so, I know no readier road than by keeping your company. I will give the gentlemen every pretext to talk of me as they have done of him; and if I hear a mutter, or if I see a signal that the most suspicious nature can torture into an affront, I will teach the parties that if they let their tongues run glibly, they at least shall keep their hair-triggers in order. Now, sir, you "ll not only dine with me to-day, but you "ll do so in the large room of the Club. I "ve given you my reasons, and I tell you flatly that I will hear nothing in opposition to them; for I am quite ready to open the ball with Mr. Con Heffernan."
Heffernan"s courage had been proved on more than one occasion; but, somehow, he had his own reasons, it would seem, for declining the gage of battle here. That they were valid ones would appear from the evident struggle compliance cost him, as, with a quivering lip and whisper, he said:
"There may be much force in what you say, Mr. Daly,--your motives, at least, are unquestionable. I will offer, therefore, no further opposition." So saying, he opened the door to permit Daly to pa.s.s out.
"To the Club," said he to the footman, as they both seated themselves in the chariot.
"The Club, sir!" repeated the astonished servant.
"Yes, to Daly"s Club," said Bagenal himself. And they drove off.
CHAPTER XVIII. LORD CASTLEREAGH"S DINNER-PARTY.
The day of Lord Castlereagh"s dinner-party had arrived, and the guests, all save Mr. Heffernan, were a.s.sembled in the drawing-room. The party was small and select, and his Lordship had gone through the usual routine of introducings, when Hamilton asked if he still expected any one.
"Yes; Mr. Heffernan promised to make one of our twelve; he is generally punctuality itself, and I cannot understand what detains him."
"He said he "d call for me on his way," said Lord Beerhaven, "and I waited some time for him; but as I would not risk spoiling your Lordship"s _entrees_, I came away at last."
This speech was made by one who felt no small uneasiness on his own part respecting the cookery, and took the occasion of suggesting his fears, as a hint to order dinner.