are a most impudent and knavish scoundrel, to
speak to me in this style, and in my own office, too! Go and get the
balance of the rent, otherwise you shall repent it; and, mark me, sirra,
no more of your dishonesty."

"As God is to judge me--"

"Ah, my friend--," began Solomon.

"Be off to h--l, sir, out of this," thundered Phil. "Be off, I say, to
h--l or Connaught; or if you don't, take my word for it, you'll find
yourself in a worse mess. To address my father in such language! Be off,
sir; ha!"--Bow-wow! said his face once more.

"Ah," said Solomon, when the man had retired, "I see your patience and
your difficulties--but there is no man free from the latter in this
checkered vale of sorrow."

"Call Roger Regan," said Val; "here's a fellow, now, who has an
excellent farm at a low rent, yet he never is prepared with a penny.
Well Regan."

"Oh! devil resave the penny, sir;--you, must only prize (appraise) the
craps; the ould game, sir--the ould game; however, it's a merry world as
long as it lasts, and we must only take our own fun out of it."

"What is the matter with your head, Regan?" asked Val.

"Devil a much, sir; a couple o' cuts that you might lay your finger
in. We an' the Haimigans had another set to on Thursday last, but be my
sowl, we thrashed them into chaff--as we're well able to do. Will I have
the pleasure of drinking your health, gintlemen? I think I see the right
sort here."

"Give him a glass of spirits," said Val; "I think, Regan, you have seen
some one drinking to-day already."

"Well, gintlemen, here's--if we're to have a short life, may it be a
merry one!--and may we never ait worse mait than mutton. Mr.
M'Slime, more power to you!--She's next door to me"--and he winked at
Solomon--"an' barrin' the paleness, by the powers gettin' on famous;
throth, sir," in reply to Val--"only share of two half-pints wid Paddy
Colgan, in regard of that day that's in it--blowin' bullocks--and, I
believe, another half-pint wid Para Bellow. Blood, sir, but that's a
beautiful drop! Sowl it would take the tear off a widow's pig--or the
widow herself. Faith, Mr. M'Clutchy, I could tell where the cow grazes
that was milked for that! Awough! However, no matther, I'm rantin' Regan
from sweet Anghadarra--Regan the Rake that never seen to-morrow. Whish!
more power!"

"That will do, Regan; you have not your rent."

"Oh! d--n the penny, as usual.--Success!

"Well, but what's to be done? I must come down."

"