fire, where the Count was expending his
consolations on my mother.

"After all, _Miladi_, it is not so bad as you think in the provinces;
I once spent three weeks in Brittany, very pleasantly indeed: _oui,
pardieu_, it's quite true. To be sure, we had Perlet, and Mademoiselle
Mars, and got up the _Precieuse Ridicules_ as well as in Paris."

The application of this very apposite fact to Ireland was clearly
satisfactory to my mother, who smiled benignly at the speaker, while my
father turned upon him a look of the most indescribable import.

"Jack, my boy!" said he, taking me by the arm, "were I your age, and had
no immediate prospect of active service, I should prefer Ireland to any
country in the world. I have plenty of old friends on the staff there.
The Duke himself was my schoolfellow----"

"I hope he will be properly attentive," interrupted my mother. "Dear
Jack, remind me to-morrow to write to Lady Mary."

"Don't mistake the country you are going to," continued my father; "you
will find many things very different from what you are leaving; and,
above all, be not over ready to resent, as an injury, what may merely be
intended as a joke: your brother officers will always guide you on these
points."

"And above all things," said my mother, with great earnestness, "do not
adopt that odious fashion of wearing their hair. I've seen members of
both Houses, and particularly that little man they talk so much of, Mr.
Grattan, I believe they call him----"

"Make your mind perfectly easy on that head, my lady," said my father,
dryly, "your son is not particularly likely to resemble Henry Grattan."

My cousin Julia alone seemed to relish the tone of sarcasm he spoke
in, for she actually bestowed on him a look of almost grateful
acknowledgment.

"The carriage, my lady," said the servant. And at the same moment my
mother, possibly not sorry to cut short the discussion, rose from her
chair.

"Do you intend to look in at the Duchess's, General?"

"For half an hour," replied my father; "after that I have my letters to
write. Jack, you know, leaves us to-morrow."

"'Tis really very provoking," said my mother, turning at the same time a
look towards the Count.

"_A vos ordres, Madame_," said he, bowing with an air of most
deferential politeness, while he presented his arm for her acceptance.

"Good night, then," cried I, as the party left the room; "I have so much
to do and to think of, I shan't join you." I turned t