that you
were yourself prepared to advance this small sum."

"Me! Terry Driscoll lend five thousand pounds! Arrah, look at me, my
Lord,--just take a glance at me, and you 'll see how likely it is I 'd
have as many shillings! 'T was only by rayson of being always about--on
the tramp, as they call it--that Mr. Hankes thought I could be of use to
your Lordship. 'Go over,' says he, 'and just tell him who and what you
are.' There it is now!"

Lord Glengariff made no reply, but slowly walked the room in deep
meditation; a passing feeling of pity for the poor fellow before him had
overcome any irritation his own disappointment had occasioned, and for
the moment the bent of his mind was compassionate.

"Well, Driscoll," said he, at length, "I don't exactly see how you can
serve me in this matter."

"Yes, my Lord," said Terry, with a pleasant leer of his restless eyes.

"I say I don't perceive that you can contribute in any way to the
object I have in view," said his Lordship, half peevish at being, as he
thought, misapprehended. "Hankes ought to have known as much himself."

"Yes, my Lord," chimed in Terry.

"And you may tell him so from _me_. He is totally unfitted for his
situation, and I am only surprised that Dunn, shrewd fellow that he is,
should have ever placed a man of this stamp in a position of such trust.
The first requisite in such a man is to understand the deference he owes
to _us_."

There was an emphasis on the last monosyllable that pretty clearly
announced how little share Terry Driscoll enjoyed in this co-partnery.

"That because I have a momentary occasion for a small sum of ready
money, he should send over to confer with me a half-witted--I mean a man
only half recovered from a fever--a poor fellow still suffering from--"

"Yes, my Lord," interposed Terry, as he laid his hand on his forehead in
token of the seat of his calamity.

"It is too gross,--it is outrageous,--but Dunn shall hear of it,--Dunn
shall deal with this fellow when he comes back. I 'm sorry for you,
Driscoll,--very sorry indeed; it is a sad bereavement, and though you
are not exactly a case for an asylum,--perhaps, indeed, you might have
objections to an asylum--"

"Yes, my Lord."

"Well, in that case private friends are, I opine--private friends--and
the kind sympathies of those who have known you--eh, don't you think
so?"

"Yes, my Lord."

"That is the sensible view to take of it. I am glad you see it in this
way. It s