l.'

'Serious, I believe they are. He is cut cruelly about the face and head,
and his body bruised all over. The finest peasantry have a taste for
kicking with strong brogues on them, Mr. Kearney, that cannot be equalled.'

'I wish with all my heart they'd kick the English out of Ireland!' cried
Kearney, with a savage energy.

''Faith! if they go on governing us in the present fashion, I do not say
I'll make any great objection. Eh, Adams?'

'Maybe so!' was the slow and very guttural reply, as the fat man crossed
his hands on his waistcoat.

'I'm sick of them all, Whigs and Tories,' said Kearney.

Is not every Irish gentleman sick of them, Mr. Kearney? Ain't you sick
of being cheated and cajoled, and ain't _we_ sick of being cheated and
insulted? They seek to conciliate _you_ by outraging _us_. Don't you think
we could settle our own differences better amongst ourselves? It was
Philpot Curran said of the fleas in Manchester, that if they'd all pulled
together, they'd have pulled him out of bed. Now, Mr. Kearney, what if we
all took to "pulling together?"'

'We cannot get rid of the notion that we'd be out-jockeyed,' said Kearney
slowly.

'We _know_,' cried the other, 'that we should be out-numbered, and that is
worse. Eh, Adams?'

'Ay!' sighed Adams, who did not desire to be appealed to by either side.

'Now we're alone here, and no eavesdropper near us, tell me fairly,
Kearney, are you better because we are brought down in the world? Are you
richer--are you greater--are you happier?'

'I believe we are, Mr. Flood, and I'll tell you why I say so.'

I'll be shot if I hear you, that's all. Fill your glass. That's old port
that John Beresford tasted in the Custom-House Docks seventy-odd years ago,
and you are the only Whig living that ever drank a drop of it!'

'I am proud to be the first exception, and I go so far as to believe--I
shall not be the last!'

'I'll send a few bottles over to that boy in the infirmary. It cannot but
be good for him,' said Flood.

'Take care, for Heaven's sake, if he be threatened with inflammation. Do
nothing without the doctor's leave.'

'I wonder why the people who are so afraid of inflammation, are so fond of
rebellion,' said he sarcastically.

'Perhaps I could tell you that, too--'

'No, do not--do not, I beseech you; reading the Whig Ministers' speeches
has given me such a disgust to all explanations, I'd rather concede
anything than hear how it could be defended! Ap