had been disregarded, and the consequences he had predicted had
actually followed, he was too magnanimous ever to harass them by useless
expostulations or vain reproofs; such as--"I told you how it would
happen"--"I advised you in time"--"you would not listen to
reason"--and other posthumous apothegms of the same character. No, on
the contrary, he maintained a considerate and gentlemanly silence on the
subject--a circumstance which saved them from the embarrassment of much
self-defence, or a painful admission of their error--and not only
satisfied them that Tom was honest and unselfish, but modest and
forbearing. It is true, that an occasional act or solecism of manner,
somewhat at variance with the conventional usages of polite society, and
an odd vulgarism of expression, were slight blemishes which might be
brought to his charge, and would probably have told against any one
else. But it was well known that Mr. Norton admitted himself to be a
Connaught gentleman, with some of the rough habits of his country, as
well of manner as of phraseology, about him; and it was not to be
expected that a Connemara gentleman, no matter how high his birth and
connection, could at once, or at all, divest himself of these piquant
and agreeable peculiarities.

So much for Tom, who had been for at least a couple of years previous to
his present appearance fairly domesticated with his lordship, acting not
only as his guide, philosopher, and friend, but actually as major-domo,
or general steward of the establishment, even condescending to pay the
servants, and kindly undertaking to rescue his friend, who was ignorant
of business, from the disagreeable trouble of coming in contact with
tradesmen, and making occasional disbursements in matters of which Lord
Dunroe knew little or nothing. Tom was indeed a most invaluable friend,
and his lordship considered it a very fortunate night on which they
first became acquainted; for, although he lost to the tune of five
hundred pounds to him in one of the most fashionable gaming-houses of
London, yet, as a compensation--and more than a compensation--for that
loss, he gained Tom in return.

His lordship was lying on one side in bed, with the Memoirs of ------
on the pillow beside him, when Tom, who had only entered a few minutes
before, on looking at the walls of the apartment, exclaimed, "What the
deuce is this, my lord? Are you aware that your father will be here in a
couple of hours from this time?