"No!" cries Ralph again.
"Yes!" says Mr. Jinks.
"Revenge, nice and good?"
"Supreme!"
"How?"
"Listen!"
"Stop a moment, my dear fellow," said Ralph; "don"t be hasty."
And, rising, Ralph went to the door, opened it, and looked out cautiously, after which, he closed it, and turned the key in the lock; then he went to the fire-place, and looked up the chimney with a solemn air of precaution, which was very striking. Then he returned and took his seat, and with various gurglings of a mysterious nature in his throat, said:
"You have a communication to make, Jinks?"
"I have, sir."
"In relation to revenge."
"Yes."
"Then go on, old fellow; the time is propitious--I am listening."
And Ralph looked attentively at Mr. Jinks.
CHAPTER LIII.
PROJECTS OF REVENGE, INVOLVING HISTORICAL DETAILS.
The companions looked at each other and shook their heads; Mr. Jinks threateningly, Ralph doubtfully. That gentleman seemed to be dubious of his friend"s ability to prepare a revenge suitable to the deserts of O"Brallaghan, who had sold his favorite coat.
Mr. Jinks, however, looked like a man certain of victory.
"Revenge, sir," said Mr. Jinks, "is of two descriptions. There is the straight-forward, simple, vulgar hitting at a man, or caning him; and the quiet, artistic arrangement of a drama, which comes out right, sir, without fuss, or other exterior effusion."
And after this masterly distinction, Mr. Jinks raised his head, and regarded Ralph with pride and complacency.
"Yes" said the young man; "what you say is very true, my boy; go on--go on."
"Genius is shown, sir, in the manner of doing it--"
"Yes."
"Of working on the materials around you."
"True; that is the test of genius; you are right. Now explain your idea."
"Well, sir," said Mr. Jinks, "that is easy. In this town, wherein we reside--I refer to Winchester--there are two prominent cla.s.ses, besides the English-Virginia people."
"Are there?"
"Yes, sir."
"Tell me--you mean--"
"The natives of the Emerald Isle, and those from the land of sour krout," said Mr. Jinks, with elegant paraphrase.
"You mean Dutch and Irish?"
"Yes, sir."
"Very well; I understand that. Let me repeat: in the town of Winchester there are two cla.s.ses, besides the natives--Dutch and Irish. Is that right? I never was very quick."
"Just right."
"Well, tell me about them, and how your revenge is concerned with them. Tell me all about them. Dutch and Irish!--I know nothing of them."
"I will, sir,--I will tell you," said Mr. Jinks, gulping down one-fourth of his gla.s.s of rum; "and, I think, by the time I have developed my idea, you will agree with me that the revenge I have chalked out, sir, is worthy of an inventive talent higher than my own."
"No, no," said Ralph, in a tone of remonstrance, "you know there could be none."
"Yes," said Mr. Jinks, modestly, "I know myself, sir--I have very little merits, but there are those who are superior to me in that point."
Which seemed to mean that the quality of invention was the sole failing in Mr. Jinks" intellect--all his other mental gifts being undoubtedly superior to similar gifts in humanity at large.
"Well, we won"t interchange compliments, my dear fellow," replied Ralph, puffing at his pipe; "go on and explain about the Dutch and Irish--I repeat, that I absolutely know nothing of them."
Mr. Jinks sipped his rum, and after a moment"s silence, commenced.
"You must know," he said, "that for some reason which I cannot explain, there is a quarrel between these people which has lasted a very long time, and it runs to a great height--"
"Indeed!"
"Yes; and on certain days there is a feeling which can only be characterized by the a.s.sertion that the opposite parties desire to suffuse the streets and public places with each other"s gory blood!"
"No, no!" said Ralph; "is it possible!"
"Yes, sir, it is more--it is true," said Mr. Jinks, with dignity. "I myself have been present on such occasions; and the amount of national feeling displayed is--is--worse than mouldy cloth," observed Mr.
Jinks, at a loss for a simile, and driven, as he, however, very seldom was, to his profession for an ill.u.s.tration.
"I wonder at that," said Ralph; "as bad as mouldy cloth? I never would have thought it!"
"Nevertheless it"s true--dooms true," said Mr. Jinks; "and there are particular days when the rage of the parties comes up in one opprobrious concentrated ma.s.s!"