-and-by.'

'The Heavens forbid!' piously ejaculated the priest, as he helped
himself to a very considerable portion of the lobster.

'Is this a fast, Father Loftus?' said I slyly.

'No, my son, but we'll make it one. That reminds me of what happened
to me going up in the boat. It was a Friday, and the dinner, as you
may suppose, was not over-good; but there was a beautiful cut of fried
salmon just before me--about a pound and a half, maybe two pounds; this
I slipped quietly on my plate, observing to the company, in this way,
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is a fast day with me"--when a big fellow,
with red whiskers, stooped across the table, cut my bit of fish in two
halves, calling out as he carried off one, "Bad scran to ye! d'ye think
nobody has a soul to be saved but yourself?"'

'Ah, they're a pious people, are the Irish!' said the Major solemnly,
'and you'll remark that when you see more of them. And now, Captain, how
do you like us here?'

'Exceedingly,' said I, with warmth. 'I have had every reason to be
greatly pleased with Ireland.'

'That's right! and I'm glad of it! though, to be sure, you have not seen
us in our holiday garb. Ah, if you were here before the Union; if you
saw Dublin as I remember it--and Tom there remembers it--"that was a
pleasant place." It was not trusting to balls and parties, to dinners
and routs, but to all kinds of fun and devilment besides. All the
members of Parliament used to be skylarking about the city, playing
tricks on one another, and humbugging the Castle people. And, to be
sure, the Castle was not the grave, stupid place it is now--they were
convivial, jovial fellows----'

'Come, come, Major,' interrupted I; 'you are really unjust--the present
court is not the heavy----'

'Sure, I know what it is well enough. Hasn't the duke all the privy
council and the bishops as often to dinner as the garrison and the bar?
Isn't he obliged to go to his own apartment when they want to make a
night of it, and sing a good chorus? Don't tell me! Sure, even as late
as Lord Westmorland's time it was another thing--pleasant and happy
times they were, and the country will never be the same till we have
them back again!'

Being somewhat curious to ascertain in what particular our degeneracy
consisted--for in my ignorance of better, I had hitherto supposed the
present regime about as gay a thing as need be--I gradually led the
Major on to talk of those happier days when Ireland kept all its