thoughtfully provided by Providence
expressly for the amusement of the British race, and treats him
normally with the indulgence due to an inferior and unlucky species, but
occasionally with indignant alarm when the old gentleman shows signs of
intending his Irish nonsense to be taken seriously.

STRAKER. I'll go tell the young lady. She said you'd prefer to stay here
[he turns to go up through the garden to the villa].

MALONE. [who has been looking round him with lively curiosity] The young
lady? That's Miss Violet, eh?

STRAKER. [stopping on the steps with sudden suspicion] Well, you know,
don't you?

MALONE. Do I?

STRAKER. [his temper rising] Well, do you or don't you?

MALONE. What business is that of yours?

Straker, now highly indignant, comes back from the steps and confronts
the visitor.

STRAKER. I'll tell you what business it is of mine. Miss Robinson--

MALONE. [interrupting] Oh, her name is Robinson, is it? Thank you.

STRAKER. Why, you don't know even her name?

MALONE. Yes I do, now that you've told me.

STRAKER. [after a moment of stupefaction at the old man's readiness in
repartee] Look here: what do you mean by gittin into my car and lettin
me bring you here if you're not the person I took that note to?

MALONE. Who else did you take it to, pray?

STRAKER. I took it to Mr Ector Malone, at Miss Robinson's request, see?
Miss Robinson is not my principal: I took it to oblige her. I know Mr
Malone; and he ain't you, not by a long chalk. At the hotel they told me
that your name is Ector Malone.

MALONE. Hector Malone.

STRAKER. [with calm superiority] Hector in your own country: that's what
comes o livin in provincial places like Ireland and America. Over here
you're Ector: if you avn't noticed it before you soon will.

The growing strain of the conversation is here relieved by Violet, who
has sallied from the villa and through the garden to the steps, which
she now descends, coming very opportunely between Malone and Straker.

VIOLET. [to Straker] Did you take my message?

STRAKER. Yes, miss. I took it to the hotel and sent it up, expecting to
see young Mr Malone. Then out walks this gent, and says it's all right
and he'll come with me. So as the hotel people said he was Mr Ector
Malone, I fetched him. And now he goes back on what he said. But if he
isn't the gentleman you meant, say the word: it's easy enough to fetch
him back again.

MALONE. I should esteem it a great favor if