w that he was laughed at, and he looked angry; but he did
not want to quarrel with his son, so he continued:

"Jervis writes me word that it is absolutely necessary that thirty
thousand pounds should be paid for you at once; or, that your remaining
in London--or, in fact, in the country at all, is quite out of the
question."

"Indeed, my lord, I'm afraid Jervis is right."

"Thirty thousand pounds! Are you aware what your income is?"

"Why, hardly. I know Jervis takes care that I never see much of it."

"Do you mean that you don't receive it?"

"Oh, I do not at all doubt its accurate payment. I mean to say, that
I don't often have the satisfaction of seeing much of it at the right
side of my banker's book."

"Thirty thousand pounds! And will that sum set you completely free in
the world?"

"I am sorry to say it will not--nor nearly."

"Then, Lord Kilcullen," said the earl, with most severe, but still most
courteous dignity, "may I trouble you to be good enough to tell me
what, at the present moment, you do owe?"

"I'm afraid I could not do so with any accuracy; but it is more than
double the sum you have named."

"Do you mean, that you have no schedule of your debts?--no means of
acquainting me with the amount? How can you expect that I can assist
you, when you think it too much trouble to make yourself thoroughly
acquainted with the state of your own affairs?"

"A list could certainly be made out, if I had any prospect of being
able to settle the amount. If your lordship can undertake to do so at
once, I will undertake to hand you a correct list of the sums due,
before I leave Grey Abbey. I presume you would not require to know
exactly to whom all the items were owing."

This effrontery was too much, and Lord Cashel was very near to losing
his temper.

"Upon my honour, Kilcullen, you're cool, very cool. You come upon me
to pay, Heaven knows how many thousands--more money, I know, than I'm
able to raise; and you condescendingly tell me that you will trouble
yourself so far as to let me know how much money I am to give you--but
that I am not to know what is done with it! No; if I am to pay your
debts again, I will do it through Jervis."

"Pray remember," replied Lord Kilcullen, not at all disturbed from his
equanimity, "that I have not proposed that you should pay my debts
without knowing where the money went; and also that I have not yet
asked you to pay them at all."

"Who, then, do you expect will