ummer evening, as he was issuing out to the play-table in his
sedan-chair, according to his wont, her Ladyship's barouche and four,
with her outriders in the tawny livery of the Lyndon family, came
driving into the courtyard of the house which they inhabited; and in
that carriage, by her Ladyship's side, sat no other than the 'vulgar
Irish adventurer,' as she was pleased to call him: I mean Redmond Barry,
Esquire. He made the most courtly of his bows, and grinned and waved his
hat in as graceful a manner as the gout permitted; and her Ladyship and
I replied to the salutation with the utmost politeness and elegance on
our parts.

I could not go to the play-table for some time afterwards for Lady
Lyndon and I had an argument on transubstantiation, which lasted for
three hours; in which she was, as usual, victorious, and, in which her
companion, the Honourable Miss Flint Skinner, fell asleep; but when, at
last, I joined Sir Charles at the casino, he received me with a yell of
laughter, as his wont was, and introduced me to all the company as Lady
Lyndon's interesting young convert. This was his way. He laughed and
sneered at everything. He laughed when he was in a paroxysm of pain; he
laughed when he won money, or when he lost it: his laugh was not jovial
or agreeable, but rather painful and sardonic.

'Gentlemen,' said he to Punter, Colonel Loder, Count du Carreau, and
several jovial fellows with whom he used to discuss a flask of champagne
and a Rhenish trout or two after play, 'see this amiable youth! He has
been troubled by religious scruples, and has flown for refuge to my
chaplain, Mr. Runt, who has asked for advice from my wife, Lady Lyndon;
and, between them both, they are confirming my ingenious young friend in
his faith. Did you ever hear of such doctors, and such a disciple?'

''Faith, sir,' said I, 'if I want to learn good principles, it's surely
better I should apply for them to your lady and your chaplain than to
you!'

'He wants to step into my shoes!' continued the knight.

'The man would be happy who did so,' responded I, 'provided there were
no chalk-stones included!' At which reply Sir Charles was not very well
pleased, and went on with increased rancour. He was always free-spoken
in his cups; and, to say the truth, he was in his cups many more times
in a week than his doctors allowed.

'Is it not a pleasure, gentlemen,' said he, 'for me, as I am drawing
near the goal, to find my home such a happy