ve I had a sort of one, once."

"I'm a more dutiful son than you," said the other; "I never can forget
mine. I have no doubt an alligator on the banks of the Nile is a
fearful creature--a shark when one's bathing, or a jungle tiger when
one's out shooting, ought, I'm sure, to be avoided; but no creature
yet created, however hungry, or however savage, can equal in ferocity
a governor who has to shell out his cash! I've no wish for a
_tete-a-tete_ with any bloody-minded monster; but I'd sooner meet a
starved hyena, single-handed in the desert, than be shut up for another
hour with my Lord Cashel in that room of his on the right-hand side
of the hall. If you hear of my having beat a retreat from Grey Abbey,
without giving you or any one else warning of my intention, you will
know that I have lacked courage to comply with a second summons to
those gloomy realms. If I receive another invite such as that I got
this morning, I am off."

Lady Cashel's guests came on the day appointed; the carriages were
driven up, one after another, in quick succession, about an hour before
dinner-time; and, as her ladyship's mind became easy on the score of
disappointments, it was somewhat troubled as to the multitude of people
to be fed and entertained. Murray had not yet forgiven the injury
inflicted on him when the family dinner was kept waiting for Lord
Kilcullen, and Richards was still pouting at her own degraded position.
The countess had spent the morning pretending to make arrangements,
which were in fact all settled by Griffiths; and when she commenced
the operation of dressing herself, she declared she was so utterly
exhausted by what she had gone through during the last week, as to be
entirely unfit to entertain her company. Poor dear Lady Cashel! Was she
so ignorant of her own nature as to suppose it possible that she should
ever entertain anybody?

However, a glass of wine, and some mysterious drops, and a little
paint; a good deal of coaxing, the sight of her diamonds, and of a
large puce-coloured turban, somewhat revivified her; and she was in her
drawing-room in due time, supported by Lady Selina and Fanny, ready to
receive her visitors as soon as they should descend from their
respective rooms.

Lady Cashel had already welcomed Lord George, and shaken hands with the
bishop: and was now deep in turnips and ten-pound freeholders with the
gouty colonel, who had hobbled into the room on a pair of crutches, and
was accommodate