omething to do
this blessed morning," said Thady, as he showed Mr. Prendergast also
into the dining-room, and went up stairs to inform his master that
there was yet another gentleman come upon business. "The Captain has
got 'em both to hisself," said Thady, as he closed the door.

The name of Mr. "Pendhrergrast," as the Irish servants generally
called him, was quite unknown to the owner of Hap House, as was also
that of Mr. Mollett, which had been brought up to him the first of
the two; but Owen began to think that there must be something very
unusual in a day so singularly ushered in to him. Callers at Hap
House on business were very few, unless when tradesmen in want of
money occasionally dropped in upon him. But now that he was so
summoned Owen began to bestir himself with his boots and breeches.
A gentleman's costume for a hunting morning is always a slow
one--sometimes so slow and tedious as to make him think of
forswearing such articles of dress for all future ages. But now he
did bestir himself,--in a moody melancholy sort of manner; for his
manner in all things latterly had become moody and melancholy.

In the mean time Captain Donnellan and the two strangers sat almost
in silence in the dining-room. The Captain, though he did not perhaps
know much of things noticeable in this world, did know something of
a gentleman, and was therefore not led away, as poor Thady had been,
by Aby's hat and rings. He had stared Aby full in the face when he
entered the room, and having explained that he was not the master
of the house, had not vouchsafed another word. But then he had also
seen that Mr. Prendergast was of a different class, and had said a
civil word or two, asking him to come near the fire, and suggesting
that Owen would be down in less than five minutes. "But the old cock
wouldn't crow," as he afterwards remarked to his friend, and so they
all three sat in silence, the Captain being very busy about his
knees, as hunting gentlemen sometimes are when they come down to
bachelor breakfasts.

And then at last Owen Fitzgerald entered the room. He has been
described as a handsome man, but in no dress did he look so well as
when equipped for a day's sport. And what dress that Englishmen ever
wear is so handsome as this? Or we may perhaps say what other dress
does English custom allow them that is in any respect not the reverse
of handsome. We have come to be so dingy,--in our taste I was going
to say, but it is rather