ad,
in the instance of both the letters from Lord Privilege, been also
guilty of deceit. I was therefore blaming him for the same fault
committed by myself; and I am afraid that I was too ready in consoling
myself with Father McGrath's maxim, "That one might do evil, that good
might come." But to return to O'Brien's interview.

After some little conversation, the First Lord said, "Captain O'Brien, I
am always very ready to oblige Lord Privilege, and the more so as his
recommendation is of an officer of your merit. In a day or two, if you
will call at the Admiralty, you will hear further." O'Brien wrote to us
immediately, and we waited with impatience for his next letter; but
instead of this letter, he made his appearance on the third day, and
first hugging me in his arms, he then came to my sister, embraced her,
and skipped and danced about the room.

"What is the matter, O'Brien?" said I, while Ellen retreated in
confusion.

O'Brien pulled a parchment out of his pocket. "Here, Peter, my dear
Peter; now for honour and glory. An eighteen-gun brig, Peter. The
_Rattlesnake_--Captain O'Brien--West India station. By the holy father!
my heart's bursting with joy," and down he sank into an easy chair
"A'n't I almost beside myself?" inquired he, after a short pause.

"Ellen thinks so, I daresay," replied I, looking at my sister, who stood
in a corner of the room, thinking O'Brien was really out of his senses,
and still red with confusion.

O'Brien, who then called to mind what a slip of decorum he had been
guilty of, immediately rose, and resuming his usual unsophisticated
politeness, as he walked up to my sister, took her hand and said,
"Excuse me, my dear Miss Ellen: I must apologise for my rudeness; but my
delight was so great and my gratitude to your brother so intense, that I
am afraid that in my warmth, I allowed the expressions of my feelings to
extend to one so dear to him, and so like him in person and in mind.
Will you only consider that you received the overflowings of a grateful
heart towards your brother, and for his sake pardon my indiscretion?"

Ellen smiled, and held out her hand to O'Brien, who led her to the sofa,
where we all three sat down: and O'Brien commenced a more intelligible
narrative of what had passed. He had called on the day appointed, and
sent up his card. The First Lord could not see him, but referred him to
the private secretary, who presented him with his commission to the
_Ra