to Mrs. Paul.

"The edge-du-cong, by the mortial!" said he, sputtering out the words,
as his bloodshot eyes nearly bolted out of his head.

Had I been a Bengal tiger, my advent might have caused less alarm. The
officers not knowing if the Duke himself were coming, wiped their lips,
resumed their caps and chakos, and sprang to the ground in dismay and
confusion: as Mrs. Rooney herself, with an adroitness an Indian juggler
might have envied, plunged the fork, drumstick and all, into the
recesses of her muff; while with a back hand she decanted the XX upon
a bald major of infantry, who was brushing the crumbs from his facings.
One individual alone seemed to relish and enjoy the discomfiture of the
others: this was the young lady whom I before remarked, and whose whole
air and appearance seemed strangely at variance with everything around
her. She gave free current to her mirth; while Mrs. Paul, now suddenly
restored to a sense of her nervous constitution, fell back in her
carriage, and appeared bent upon a scene.

"You caught us enjoying ourselves, Mr. Stilton?"

"Hinton, if you'll allow me, madam."

"Ay, to be sure--Mr. Hinton. Taking a little snack, which I am sure
you'd be the better for after the fatigues of the day."

"Eh, au au! a devilish good luncheon," chimed in a pale sub, the first
who ventured to pluck up his courage.

"Would a sandwich tempt you, with a glass of champagne?" said Mrs. Paul,
with the blandest of smiles.

"I can recommend the lamb, sir," said a voice behind.

"Begad, I'll vouch for the porter," said the Major. "I only hope it is a
good cosmetic."

"It is a beautiful thing for the hair," said Mrs. Rooney, half venturing
upon a joke.

"No more on that head, ma'am," said the little Major, bowing pompously.

By this time, thanks to the assiduous attentions of Bob Dwyer, I was
presented with a plate, which, had I been an anaconda instead of an
aide-decamp, might have satisfied my appetite. A place was made for
me in the carriage; and the faithful Bob, converting the skirt of his
principal blue into a glass-cloth, polished a wine-glass for my private
use.

"Let me introduce my young friend, Mr. Hinton," said Mrs. Paul, with a
graceful wave of her jewelled hand towards her companion. "Miss Louisa
Bellew, only daughter of Sir Simon Bellew, of ------" what the place was
I could not well hear, but it sounded confoundedly like
Killhiman-smotherum--"a beautiful place in the county Mayo. Bob,