ole,' said Lockwood.

'So it is. How is that to be managed, landlord? Does his lordship permit
strangers to visit the castle?'

'Nothing easier than that, sir,' said the host, who gladly embraced a
project that should detain his guests at the inn. 'My lord went through the
town this morning on his way to Loughrea fair; but the young ladies is at
home; and you've only to send over a message, and say you'd like to see the
place, and they'll be proud to show it to you.'

'Let us send our cards, with a line in pencil,' said Walpole, in a whisper
to his friend.

'And there are young ladies there?' asked Lockwood.

'Two born beauties; it's hard to say which is handsomest,' replied the
host, overjoyed at the attraction his neighbourhood possessed.

'I suppose that will do?' said Walpole, showing what he had written on his
card.

'Yes, perfectly.'

'Despatch this at once. I mean early to-morrow; and let your messenger ask
if there be an answer. How far is it off?'

'A little over twelve miles, sir; but I've a mare in the stable will
"rowle" ye over in an hour and a quarter.'

'All right. We'll settle on everything after breakfast to-morrow.' And the
landlord withdrew, leaving them once more alone.

'This means,' said Lockwood drearily, 'we shall have to pass a day in this
wretched place.'

'It will take a day to dry our wet clothes; and, all things considered, one
might be worse off than here. Besides, I shall want to look over my notes.
I have done next to nothing, up to this time, about the Land Question.'

'I thought that the old fellow with the cow, the fellow I gave a cigar to,
had made you up in your tenant-right affair,' said Lockwood.

'He gave me a great deal of very valuable information; he exposed some of
the evils of tenancy at will as ably as I ever heard them treated, but he
was occasionally hard on the landlord.'

'I suppose one word of truth never came out of his mouth!'

'On the contrary, real knowledge of Ireland is not to be acquired from
newspapers; a man must see Ireland for himself--_see_ it,' repeated he,
with strong emphasis.

'And then?'

'And then, if he be a capable man, a reflecting man, a man in whom the
perceptive power is joined to the social faculty--'

'Look here, Cecil, one hearer won't make a House: don't try it on
speechifying to me. It's all humbug coming over to look at Ireland. You may
pick up a little brogue, but it's all you'll pick up for your journey.'
After thi