ircumstances attending my duel; and
that his grace had not only expressed himself highly satisfied with
my conduct, but had ordered a very polite reply to be addressed to
the Major, thanking him for his great kindness, and saying with what
pleasure he found that a member of his staff had fallen into such good
hands.

'His grace desires me to add,' continued the writer, 'that you need only
consult your own health and convenience with respect to your return to
duty; and, in fact, your leave of absence is perfectly discretionary.'

My mind relieved of a weighty load by the contents of this letter, I
recovered my strength already so far that I sat up in bed to peruse the
others. My next was from my father; it ran thus:--

'Dear Jack,--Your friend Major Mahon, to whom I write by this post,
will deliver this letter to you when he deems fit. He has been most
good-natured in conveying to me a narrative of your late doings; and
I cannot express how grateful we all are to him for the truly friendly
part he has taken towards you. After the strictest scrutiny, for
I confess to you I feared lest the Major's might be too partial an
account, I rejoice to say that your conduct meets with my entire
approbation. An older and a wiser head might, it is possible, have
avoided some of the difficulties you have met with; but this I will add,
that once in trouble, no one could have shown better temper or a
more befitting spirit than you did. While I say this, my dear Jack,
understand me clearly that I speak of you as a young, inexperienced man,
thrown, at his very outset of life, not only among strangers, but in a
country where, as I remarked to you at first, everything was different
from those in your own. You have now shown yourself equal to any
circumstances in which you may be placed. I therefore not only expect
that you will meet with fewer embarrassments in future, but that, should
they arise, I shall have the satisfaction of finding your character
and your habits will be as much your safeguard against insult as your
readiness to resent any will be sure and certain.

'I have seen the duke several times, and he expresses himself as much
pleased with you. From what he mentions, I can collect that you are well
satisfied with Ireland, and therefore I do not wish to remove you from
it. At the same time, bear in mind, that by active service alone can you
ever attain to, or merit, rank in the army; and that hitherto you have
only been a sol