Hycy," said Clinton to himself as he took
his way to Burke's. "I think you have but little chance in that quarter,
oh, most accomplished Hycy, and indeed I am not a whit sorry; but should
be very much so were it otherwise."

It is singular enough that whilst Clinton was introducing the subject
of Hycy's attachment to his sister, that worthy young gentleman was
sustaining a much more serious and vehement onset upon a similar subject
at home. Gerald Cavanagh and his wife having once got the notion of a
marriage between Kathleen and Hycy into their heads, were determined not
to rest until that desirable consummation should be brought about. In
accordance with this resolution, we must assure our readers that Gerald
never omitted any opportunity of introducing the matter to Jemmy Burke,
who, as he liked the Cavanaghs, and especially Kathleen herself, who,
indeed, was a general favorite, began to think that, although in point
of circumstances she was by no means a match for him, Hycy might do
still worse. It is true, his wife was outrageous at the bare mention of
it; but Jemmy, along with a good deal of blunt sarcasm, had a resolution
of his own, and not unfrequently took a kind of good-natured and
shrewd delight in opposing her wishes whenever he found them to be
unreasonable. For several months past he could not put his foot out of
the door that he was not haunted by honest Gerald Cavanagh, who had only
one idea constantly before him, that of raising his daughter to the rank
and state in which he knew, or at least calculated that Hycy Burke would
keep her. Go where he might, honest Jemmy was attended by honest Gerald,
like his fetch. At mass, at market, in every fair throughout the country
was Cavanagh sure to bring up the subject of the marriage; and what
was the best of it, he and his neighbor drank each other's healths so
repeatedly on the head of it, that they often separated in a state that
might be termed anything but sober. Nay, what is more, it was a fact
that they had more than once or twice absolutely arranged the whole
matter, and even appointed the day for the wedding, without either of
them being able to recollect the circumstances on the following morning.

Whilst at breakfast on the morning in question, Burke, after finishing
his first cup of tea, addressed his worthy son as follows:--

"Hycy, do you intend to live always this way?"

"Certainly not, Mr. Burke. I expect to dine on something more
substantia