at's nonsense. One can keep no common terms with
such a blackguard as that. However, it's done now; and I must say I
think it was well done."

"There's no doubt of your talent in the matter, Armstrong: upon my soul
I never saw anything so cool. What a wretch--what an absolute fiend the
fellow is!"

"Bad enough," said the parson. "I've seen bad men before, but I think
he's the worst I ever saw. What'll Mrs O'Kelly say of my coming in this
way, without notice?"

The parson enjoyed his claret at Kelly's Court that evening, after his
hard day's work, and the next morning he started for Grey Abbey.

XXXVI. MR ARMSTRONG VISITS GREY ABBEY ON A DELICATE MISSION

Lord Cashel certainly felt a considerable degree of relief when his
daughter told him that Lord Kilcullen had left the house, and was on
his way to Dublin, though he had been forced to pay so dearly for the
satisfaction, had had to falsify his solemn assurance that he would
not give his son another penny, and to break through his resolution of
acting the Roman father [50]. He consoled himself with the idea that he had
been actuated by affection for his profligate son; but such had not
been the case. Could he have handed him over to the sheriff's officer
silently and secretly, he would have done so; but his pride could not
endure the reflection that all the world should know that bailiffs had
forced an entry into Grey Abbey.

[FOOTNOTE 50: Roman father--Lucius Junius Brutus, legendary
founder of the Roman republic, was said to have
passed sentence of death on his two sons for
participating in a rebellion.]

He closely questioned Lady Selina, with regard to all that had passed
between her and her brother.

"Did he say anything?" at last he said--"did he say anything
about--about Fanny?"

"Not much, papa; but what he did say, he said with kindness and
affection," replied her ladyship, glad to repeat anything in favour of
her brother.

"Affection--pooh!" said the earl. "He has no affection; no affection
for any one; he has no affection even for me.--What did he say about
her, Selina?"

"He seemed to wish she should marry Lord Ballindine."

"She may marry whom she pleases, now," said the earl. "I wash my hands
of her. I have done my best to prevent what I thought a disgraceful
match for her--"

"It would not have been disgraceful, papa, had she married him six
months ago."

"A gambler