then, my Lord Colambre, I agree with you, that family
honour's a mighty fine thing, only troublesome to one's self and one's
friends, and expensive to keep up with all the other expenses and debts
a gentleman has nowadays. So I, that am under no natural obligations
to it by birth or otherwise, have just stood by through life, and asked
myself, before I would volunteer being bound to it, what could this same
family honour do for a man in this world? And, first and foremost, I
never remember to see family honour stand a man in much stead in a
court of law--never saw family honour stand against an execution, or a
custodiam, or an injunction even. 'Tis a rare thing, this same family
honour, and a very fine thing; but I never knew it yet, at a pinch, pay
for a pair of boots even,' added Sir Terence, drawing up his own with
much complacency.

At this moment Sir Terence was called out of the room by one who wanted
to speak to him on particular business.

'My dear father,' cried Lord Colambre, 'do not follow him; stay for one
moment, and hear your son--your true friend.'

Miss Nugent went out of the room, that she might leave the father and
son at liberty.

'Hear your natural friend for one moment,' cried Lord Colambre. 'Let
me beseech you, father, not to have recourse to any of these paltry
expedients, but trust your son with the state of your affairs, and we
shall find some honourable means--'

'Yes, yes, yes, very true; when you're of age, Colambre, we'll talk of
it; but nothing can be done till then. We shall get on, we shall get
through, very well, till then, with Terry's assistance. And I must beg
you will not say a word more against Terry--I can't bear it--I can't
hear it--I can't do without him. Pray don't detain me--I can say no
more--except,' added he, returning to his usual concluding sentence,
'that there need, at all events, be none of this, if people would but
live upon their own estates, and kill their own mutton.' He stole out of
the room, glad to escape, however shabbily, from present explanation
and present pain. There are persons without resource who in difficulties
return always to the same point, and usually to the same words.

While Lord Colambre was walking up and down the room, much vexed and
disappointed at finding that he could make no impression on his
father's mind, nor obtain his confidence as to his family affairs, Lady
Clonbrony's woman, Mrs. Petito, knocked at the door, with a message from