the scowl of vengeance which crossed my uncle's brows as I
turned round and looked at him as I shut the door. I found my way out
without the assistance of the servants, and hastened home as fast as I
could.

"O'Brien," said I, on my return, "there is no time to be lost; the
sooner you hasten to town with this letter of introduction, the better
it will be, for depend upon it my uncle will do me all the harm that he
can." I then repeated to him all that had passed, and it was agreed,
that O'Brien should take the letter, which having reference to the
bearer, would do as well for him as for me; and, if O'Brien obtained on
appointment, I was sure not only of being one of his lieutenants, but
also of sailing with a dear friend. The next morning, O'Brien set off
for London, and fortunately saw the First Lord the day after his
arrival, which was a _levee_ day. The First Lord received the letter
from O'Brien, and requested him to sit down. He then read it, inquired
after his lordship, asked whether his health was good, etc.

O'Brien replied that, "with the blessing of God, his lordship might live
many years: that he had never heard him complain of ill health." All
which was not false, if not true. I could not help observing to
O'Brien, when he returned home and told me what had passed, that "I
thought, considering what he had expressed with respect to white lies
and black lies, that he had not latterly adhered to his own creed."

"That's very true, Peter; and I've thought of it myself, but it is my
creed nevertheless. We all know what's right, but we don't always
follow it. The fact is, I begin to think that it is absolutely
necessary to fight the world with it own weapons. I spoke to Father
McGrath on the subject, and he replied, `That if any one, by doing
wrong, necessitated another to do wrong to circumvent him, that the
first party was answerable, not only for his own sin, but also for the
sin committed in self-defence.'"

"But O'Brien, I do not fix my faith so implicitly upon Father McGrath;
and I do not much admire many of his directions."

"No more do I, Peter, when I think upon them; but how am I to puzzle my
head upon these points? All I know is, that when you are divided
between your inclination and your duty, it's mighty convenient to have a
priest like Father McGrath to decide for you, and to look after your
soul into the bargain."

It occurred to me, that I myself, when finding fault with O'Brien, h