The Black Baronet; or, The Chronicles Of Ballytrain

ds Fenton as myst

Shakspeare says, kept the word of promise to his ear, but broken it to his hope, and, what was still worse, to his appetite. On sitting down, he found before him two excellent salt herrings to begin with; and on ringing the bell to i

ter," asked the

waiter, myself; but

u come when I rang

, pulling a bone of a herring from between his teeth, th

stronger inclination to laugh than to scold him. This fellow, t

served with a pair of d-d salt

curse anything that God-blessed be his na

ed with two salt he

h them?-Why, wasn't it

t promise

mised it

le waiter

t here last week, and the sorra drop of it they left behind them. Devil a drop of venison t

the demesne adjoining, and where is it? I

ne you have. What do you call that." He lifted an old battered tin cover, and discovered a rabbit, gathered up as if it were in the act of starting for its burrow. "You see, Pe

and a half long, were projected at full length toward the guest, as if t

"all I can say is, that I h

lways ait the more of it-that's the sure card; ever and always when you have a bad dinner, ait, I sa

ould with difficulty restrain his mirth at th

ner as that. Do you wish for any liquor? But maybe you don't. It's not every one carries a full purse th

at do you mean

think, but one of them had the imperance to tell me that he was allowed a guinea a-day to live on! Troth, I crossed mysolf, and bid him go

have you got

an that shuffles-that won't tell the truth, or give you a straight answer.

ions? How many kin

at matther-all sorts

you an

to you as a friend; sure, 't is

f I pay

e you no wine-it would be only aidin' you in extravagance, an' I wouldn't have the

d with the serious manner of a man who utter

me wine, have you no cheaper liquor? I am not in the

for yourself. We

a bottle o

utiful on

efer it i

l you give up your own will for wanst, and be guided by a wiser man? for health-an'

must be draught, I sha

our lips. Jist be guided by me, an' you'll find that your health an' pocket will both be the betther for it. Troth, it's fat and

" asked the strang

e back-wait till I bring

al, minutes, he returned with a qua

wid; however, I think they won't go back that way again. My name you want? Why, then, my name is Paudeen Gair-that is, Sharp

you been here,"

oin' on fourteen years; but I'm only

w-servant-Peggy, I think

t l

e been before

t? Maybe 'tis yo

ean? I don't u

ugh, and it is n't my

ily was she

ct her, the darlin'. Amin! A wurra yeelsh! may the curs

the stranger, as the waiter uttered these benevolent i

disposed to give me credit for; I see you are a

ately, that's readiest to give it. I have known many a foolish creature to do what you are doing, when, if the truth was known, th

t the other to finish his

in point of fact, no one could tell what had become of him, or where he could have concealed himself, during these brief but mysterious absences. Paudeen Gair and Peggy observed that he wrote at

ion of his name he was sometimes addressed-was about to take away t

tell me where the wild, ragged fel

lain, daicent suit o' clothes on him. It's whispered about among us this long time, that, if he had his

at else do th

had great learnin', an' must a' had fine broughten-up,

or whether he is a nativ

knows anything at all, barrin' guesswork, about the unfortunate poor creature. If ever he was a gintlema

him to me, if you know where

ndifference; for the truth was, that the whole establishment

me, Paudeen, but s

iniature, surveyed it for nearly half a minute; he then looked into the fire, and seemed absorbed in long and deep reflec

existed, would strengthen-I know not whether to say-my suspicions or my hopes. The early disappearance of that poor boy, without the existence of a single vestige by which he could be traced, resembles one of those mys

, uncertainty, and deep anxiety, through t

y family over, or betray any consciousness of a particular knowledge of their past or present circumstances. 'Tis true, he may overreach me; but if he does, I cannot help it. Yet, after all," he proceeded, "if he should prove t

nd seemed once more buried

s contemplation and interest. On meeting him, he perceived that he was slightly af

"there's a daicent person in o

person, you bog-trotting G

om-thin sorra one of me knows whether

rade, G

l; but I know that he wants you, f

your tradesman," he replied

" exclaimed Fenton. "Why, you have brought me to the wrong room, you blundering villain. I thought you were conducting me to some worthy tradesman. You have mistaken t

eplied the other, laughing. "That wil

's no tradesman-whatever he is. He took on him a look like a lord when that u

stranger, handing him a chair, and

e time, a certain degree of restraint upon his maimer, fo

, "I am glad to see that you h

ds-or, I should rather say, three pounds

u to make yourself as comfortable as possible, an

you, that, if I were in a state of utter and absolute starvation, I would not p

with a good deal of surprise.

shall retain it as pocket-money. Like the Vicar of Wakefield's daughters, I sh

erved the other, "and rather

h as I do; but, at all events, just imagine that I am both caprici

"However, to come to other matters, pray

esbyterian and Methodist. It has, besides, that characteristic locality, either of English legislation or Irish crimes-or, perhaps, of both-a gallows-green. It has a public pump, that has

mmercial ma

, talking of that, perhaps you are not aware of a singular custom

ave been." ask

m his counter to the ceiling; to this post was attached a single handcuff, and it always happened that, when any person was caught in the act of committing a theft in his shop, one arm of the offender was stretched up to this handcuff, into which the wrist was locke

n times for Fenton's once, "that such an outrage upon the right of the subject, and such a contempt

ich I have witnessed with my own eyes; but we have

and landed proprietors hav

to the progress of their own independence, but to the improvement of their tenantry. Then, many of them employ servile, plausible, and unprincipled agents, who, provided they wring the rent, by every species of severity and oppression, out of the people, are considered by their employers v

into the state and condition of the country. Have you no

went to it as he spoke, accompanied by the stranger; "do you see," he added

d the other, "I see

o whom they apply, if deficient in means to accomplish their purpose, is James Trimble. In him they find a friend, if he knows, as he usually does, that they have passed through life with a character of worth and hereditary integrity. If they want a portion of their outfit, and possess not means to procure it, in kind-hearted James Trimble they are certain to find a friend, who will supply their necessities upon the strength of their bare promise to repay him. Honor,-then-honor, sir, I say again, to the unexampled faith, truth, and high principle of the industrious Irish p

treet, and stopped at the very shop which belonged to the subject of Fent

stranger, fastening his eyes, with a loo

ed, "is the carriage

f surpassing elegance and beauty stepped out of it,

harming girl?" asked

tered over to a chair, became pale as death, and trembled with such v

you ever known, this f

a minute, during which the

," said he; "I am quite feeble-in fact, not in a condition to ans

ch from love of silence, as apparently from inability to speak. The stranger, in the mean time, eyed him keenly; and as he examined his features from time to time, it might be observed that an expression of satisfact

od enough to raise the window

ached Miss Gourlay (for it was she), who, on looking up, crimsoned deeply, and, with one long taper finger on her lips, as if to intimate caution and silence, bowed to the stranger. The latter, who had presence of mind enough to observe the hint, did not bow in

, one cure-get me drink-drink, I say; that is what will revive me. Sir, my life, for the last fourtee

might render this strange individual more communicative, and that by this means he might succeed in relieving himself of his doubts-for he still had doubts touching Fe