"How dare you, you scoundrel!—do you mean to say 66 'Nothing disrispictful to your lordship's family. He's up now; that's the blood-bow! wow! they're as high as blazes. No one else dar' say half that to him, but myself. honour." We all have our faults, your Part of this was said to the priest, and part to the Earl; for the harper, having managed to keep pony between their horses, gave a nod, a wink, and a word to each, as the occasion required. his 66 Well, what are my faults, Dermot? for I suppose I must hear you out." "If I might make bould to tell you before his rivirence, I'd say your honour was a thought too open-like, and out-spoken." "Too honest, you think?" said the Earl. "Undubitably so. I think your rivirence will agree with me, that a little more- -a little more -what's that you call it-going round about the bush, you know ?" "Circumlocution ?" said the Jesuit. "Circumlocution, I never heard that word before; no it's not circumcolution, but" "Deception ?" said the Earl. 66 Yes, deciption-no, not exactly deciption outright either; your rivirence knows what I mane." "Sophistry ?" said the priest. "No your rivirence, it's not that." "Scheming?" said the Earl. "No, it's not skaming; sure your lordship knows I don't approve of skaming. Is there such a word your rivirence, as dubitation ?" "Yes." What does that mane ?" "Doubting." "That's not it then, but it's something like that. It's something I think, belongin' to your rivirence." "Is it Jesuistry?" said the Earl, with a sly look at the priest. "That's the word, your honour. I think, your rivirence, a little more Jesithry, would be very useful to his lordship, in dealing with the bloody Protestant rogues about here. Now, for eximple, we have caught this old fox, the Earl of Ormond, in his own trap, nately I say, and thanks to your rivirence for it; and it's not to be fighting wid him, or reproachin' him about our uncle, whose head he sent to the Queen, may his sowl rest in peace! or tellin' him our mind, we ought to be; but seein' what we can make of his skin. Don't you agree with me, your rivirence ?" The Jesuit nodded. "Dermot," said the Earl, whose blood was rising, "don't presume too far on my kindness." "There it is again-Bow! wow!-It's the blood of the Desmonds, your rivirence," turning to the priest," your lordship is so warm.” "Warm! do you mean to say- -Oh !—Ugh! this shoulder! it's getting painful.' "I mane nothing disrispictful to your honour's noble house; and I'll say nothing more to anger you, as the shoulder is tormentin' you, for a saint couldn't be expicted to be as cool and as patient as a cowcumber, whin it is peeled and sliced; but there's the ould castle now, and I'll put a plasther on that for you, in no time.” It was thus that the witty harper turned off the attack made upon himself, by turning the tables on the Earl; but the good old man had another object in view, to wile away his master's pain, which he did effectually by his amusing banter, which, on this occasion, was as potent as his great "chirurgical insthrument,” the harp! CHAPTER VIII. "He for that promised journey bids prepare "I am faint. My gashes cry for help. POPE. So well thy words become thee as thy wounds: SHAKSPEARE. THE reader has now to learn, if he has not yet discovered, that Dermot, the harper, and Archer, the Jesuit, were two of the Earl's Prime Ministers. It would not have suited a man, circumstanced like the "Sugane," or "Straw Earl," to have been overfastidious in the choice of servants, or too imperious in the manner of treating them. Like David in the hold, he felt grateful to all who came and enlisted themselves under his banner. But the Jesuit, Archer, was no common man; the councils of kings have been directed by inferior minds; but he was altogether devoted to the service of Rome. Dermot was as much devoted to the Earl; and if he used the freedom, it was because he possessed the faithfulness of a servant, who had known the Earl from a boy, and had often carried him on his back. "Now, your lordship," said the harper, coming to the Earl's bedside, the next morning, "me and Father Archer has been holdin' a council of state this morning, concernin' your farther movements." "Oh! indeed!" said the Earl. "Well, I should have thought, as my movements were the subject of discussion, you might have waited for my presence." 66 Why, my Lord, your horse is de combat, and therefore, could not be present." "My horse! what's the matter with my horse? Is he hurt?" 66 'No, my Lord; but we did not like to wake you, as you are hurt yourself, or horse de combat, as they say in France." "Hors de combat, you mean." 66 Yes, I believe that's the word." "That is no reason I should be put hors de conseil ; so you will be pleased to let me hear the subject you have had, in your wisdom, under consideration." As the harper was about to explain and apologize for his impertinence, the Jesuit entered the room, and inquired politely after the Earl's health, and then said : |