people--"

"What does that old woman say? Tell me _her_ opinion of Cashel," said
Lord Kilgoff, rallying into something like his accustomed manner. "You
know whom I mean!" cried he, impatient at Linton's delay in answering.
"The old woman one sees everywhere,--she married that Scotch sergeant--"

"Lady Janet MacFarline--"

"Exactly, sir."

"She thinks precisely with your Lordship."

"I'm sure of it; I told my Lady so," muttered he to himself.

Linton caught the words with eagerness, and his dark eyes kindled; for
at last were they nearing the territory he wanted to occupy.

"Lady Kilgoff," said he, slowly, "does not need any aid to appreciate
him; she reads him thoroughly, the heartless, selfish, unprincipled
spendthrift that he is."

"She does not, sir," rejoined the old man, with a loud voice, and a
stroke of his cane upon the floor that echoed through the room; "you
never were more mistaken in your life. His insufferable puppyism, his
reckless effrontery, his underbred familiarity, are precisely the very
qualities she is pleased with,--'They are so different,' as she says,
'from the tiresome routine of fashionable manners.'"

"Unquestionably they are, my Lord," said Linton, with a smile.

"Exactly, sir; they differ as do her Ladyship's own habits from those of
every lady in the peerage. I told her so; I begged to set her right on
that subject, at least."

"Your Lordship's refinement is a most severe standard," said Linton,
bowing low.

"It should be an example, sir, as well as a chastisement. Indeed, I
believe few would have failed to profit by it." The air of insolent
pride in which he spoke seemed for an instant to have brought back the
wonted look to his features, and he sat up, with his lips compressed,
and his chin pro-traded, as in his days of yore.

"I would entreat your Lordship to remember," said Linton, "how few have
studied in the same school you have; how few have enjoyed the intimacy
of 'the most perfect gentleman of all Europe;' and of that small circle,
who is there could have derived the same advantage from the privilege?"

"Your remark is very Just, sir. I owe much--very much--to his Royal
Highness."

The tone of humility in which he said this was a high treat to the
sardonic spirit of his listener.

"And what a penance to you must be a visit in such a house as this!"
said Linton, with a sigh.

"True, sir; but who induced me to make it? Answer me that."

Linton started with amaz