with it, about twenty ripe pears that Mac had just stolen in the orchard,
and had in his hat. I wish you only saw the bishop; and Mac himself, he was
a picture. Well, well, you forget it all now, but I remember it as if it
was only yesterday. Any champagne, Mr. O'Grady? I'm mighty dry.'

"'Of course,' said Darby. 'Waiter, some champagne here.'

[Illustration: THE SALUTATION.]

"'Ah, it's himself was the boy for every kind of fun and devilment, quiet
and demure as he looks over there. Mac, your health. It's not every day of
the week we get champagne.'

"He laid down his knife and fork as I said this; his face and temples grew
deep purple; his eyes started as if they would spring from his head; and he
put both his hands to his forehead, as if trying to assure himself that it
was not some horrid dream.

"'A little slice more of the turkey,' said I, 'and then, O'Grady, I'll try
your hock. It's a wine I'm mighty fond of, and so is Mac there. Oh, it's
seldom, to tell you the truth, it troubles us. There, fill up the glass;
that's it. Here now, Darby,--that's your name, I think,--you'll not think
I'm taking a liberty in giving a toast? Here then, I'll give M'Manus's
health, with all the honors; though it's early yet, to be sure, but we'll
do it again, by-and-by, when the whiskey comes. Here's M'Manus's good
health; and though his wife, they say, does not treat him well, and keeps
him down--'

"The roar of laughing that interrupted me here was produced by the
expression of poor Mac's face. He had started up from the table, and
leaning with both his hands upon it, stared round upon the company like a
maniac,--his mouth and eyes wide open, and his hair actually bristling with
amazement. Thus he remained for a full minute, gasping like a fish in
a landing-net. It seemed a hard struggle for him to believe he was not
deranged. At last his eyes fell upon me; he uttered a deep groan, and with
a voice tremulous with rage, thundered out,--

"'The scoundrel! I never saw him before.'

"He rushed from the room, and gained the street. Before our roar of
laughter was over he had secured post-horses, and was galloping towards
Ennis at the top speed of his cattle.

"He exchanged at once into the line; but they say that he caught a glimpse
of my name in the army list, and sold out the next morning; be that as it
may, we never met since."

I have related O'Shaughnessy's story here, rather from the memory I have of
how we all laughed a