n satyrs
by whom I was surrounded, I patiently waited until they were asleep,
when I quietly took my departure."

Burke could not help inferring from Finigan's manner, that he had
overheard a greater portion of their conversation on the occasion
alluded to than he seemed disposed to acknowledge.

"Now, Finigan," he said, "I feel disposed to place every confidence in
you. Will you answer candidly the question I am about to propose to you?
Did you hear Bryan M'Mahon's name mentioned?"

"You say, Mr. Hycy," replied Finigan, emptying his glass, "that you
would enthertain no apprehension in placing confidence in me?"

"Not the slightest," replied Hycy; "I believe you to be the very soul of
honor; and, besides, are you not my old master? As you say yourself, did
I not break grammatical ground, under you?"

"The soul of honor," replied the pedagogue, complacently--"that is
excellently said. Well, then, Mr. Burke, I shall not deal out my
confidence by beggarly instalments--I did hear Bryan M'Mahon's name
mentioned; and I heard a plan alluded to between you and them for
reducing him to--"

"That was all humbug, Finigan, so far as I am concerned; but for the
present I am obliged to let them suppose what you allude to, in order
to keep them honest to myself if I can. You know they have a kind of
hereditary hatred against the M'Mahons; and if I did not allow them to
take their own way in this, I don't think I could depend on them."

"Well, there is raison in that too," replied Finigan.

"I am sure, Finigan," proceeded Hycy, "that you are too honorable a man
to breathe either to Bryan M'Mahon or any one else, a single syllable
of the conversation which you overheard merely by accident. I say I
am certain you will never let it transpire, either by word of mouth or
writing. In me you may always calculate on finding a sincere friend;
and of this let me assure you, that your drink, if everything goes right
with us, won't cost you much--much! not a penny; if you had two throats
instead of one--as many necks as Hydra, we should supply them all."

"Give me your hand, Mr. Hycy--you are a gintleman, and I always said
would be one--I did, sir--I prognosticated as much years ago; and
sincerely felicitous am I that my prognostications have been verified
for so far. I said you would rise--that exaltation was before you--and
that your friends might not feel at all surprised at the elevated
position in which you will die. _Propino tibi_,