not speak his thanks in words; but he
did it with such an eloquence by his looks as had been more than
sufficient, even had I done him the greatest favour in my power. But I
believe to this day that I could not have better pleased him had I been
the King and made him my Lord High Chancellor.

"But, sor," said Michael, when he had somewhat recovered himself, and
knelt and, despite mine efforts to prevent him, kissed my hand, "Oi 'am
not wourthy o' sich an honour. Sure, sor, Oi can lay on a hard blow
and sich loike, but as fer attindin' on a gintlemin, in a proper way
loike, uh! bad luck to me, Oi'd be but a disgrace to thee, sor."

"Come, come, Michael, thou must not be too modest," said I.

"Remember this advice that now I give thee," said Harleston. "If thou
wouldst rise in this world that is filled with the gusts of
opportunities do not let modesty nor fear close up thy wings of
advantage. But spread them rather, that they may catch these eddying
gusts, and thou be borne upon them to the heights of greatness."

Michael stood and stared at Harleston, with his mouth open, for a
breathing space. Then said he in surprise:--"But, yer honour, divil a
wing have Oi to moy name, and Oi dount want thim jist yit, seein' that
one must go through purgatory ere he begins to grow thim."

Evidently Harleston's speech was beyond the depth of Michael's
understanding.

"Uh! sor," said he, when he had expressed his opinion of the wings of
advantage, "Oi was about to finish about Sor William whin yer honours
spoke to me so koindly.

"What, was there more?"

"Thare was, sor. Oi walked down the hall till Oi came to a corner,
and, as he had koind o' made me inquisitive loike, by his quistioning
o' me so close, Oi jist stipped around the corner and stopped to look
back to see whare he wint, sor."

"Yes, and where did he go?" I asked with interest.

"Sure, sor, he wint straight up to the door whare the ladies came out
o', and he stops thare, sor, and he looks back to see if thare was anny
one behoind him loike. Will, sor, Oi was out o' soight by the toime
his eyes had rached the place whare Oi was hidin'. Whin Oi looks out
agin he was not thare; but the ladies' door was open."

"Death and damnation!" I almost shrieked. Then turning to
Michael:--"Go on, go on!" I cried.

"He was ounly in fer the space o' whoilst ye moight brathe about a half
a score o' toimes, thin out he comes, with a koind o' disappintment on
his face