and ask them?"

Then he stood close over her, and shook his head.

"But I should have done so," she continued after a pause. "I
recognise it now; and let there be an end of it. There is a something
which does make a woman unfit for matrimony." And the tears coursed
themselves down her wan cheeks. "Now it has all been said that need
be said, and let there be an end of it. I have talked too much about
myself. What has brought you to London?"

"Just a young woman," he whispered slowly.

A pang shot through her heart; and yet not quite a pang, for with it
there was a rush of joy, which was not, however, perfect joy, because
she felt that it must be disappointed.

"Bother your young woman," she said; "who cares for your young woman!
How are you going on in Galway?"

"Sadly enough, to tell the truth."

"No rents?"

He shook his head.

"Nothing but murders and floods?"

"The same damnable old story running on from day to day."

"And have the girls no servants yet?"

"Not a servant; except old Peter, who is not quite as faithful as he
should be."

"And,--and what about that valiant gay young gentleman, Captain
Clayton?"

"Everything goes amiss in love as well as war," said Frank. "Between
the three of them, I hardly know what they want."

"I think I know."

"Very likely. Everything goes so astray with all of us, so that the
wanting it is sufficient reason for not getting it."

"Is that all you have come to tell me?"

"I suppose it is."

"Then you might have stayed away."

"I may as well go, perhaps."

"Go? no! I am not so full of new friends that I can afford to throw
away my old like that. Of course you may not go, as you call it!
Do you suppose I do not care to hear about those girls whom I
love,--pretty nearly with all my heart? Why don't you tell me about
them, and your father? You come here, but you talk of nothing but
going. You ain't half nice."

"Can I come in yet?" This belonged to a voice behind the door, which
was the property of Mr. O'Mahony.

"Not quite yet, father. Mr. Jones is telling me about them all at
Morony Castle."

"I should have thought I might have heard that," said Mr. O'Mahony.

"The girls have special messages to send," said Rachel.

"I'll come back in another ten minutes," said Mr. O'Mahony. "I shall
not wait longer than that."

"Only their love," said Frank; upon which Rachel looked as though she
thought that Frank Jones was certainly an ass.

"Of course I wa