"You affect to have a very intimate knowledge of Mr. Cashel's affairs, sir," said Kennyf.e.c.k, who was driven beyond all further endurance.

"Somewhat more than you possess, Mr. Kennyf.e.c.k; for I know his tenantry.

Not as you know them, from answering to their names at rent-day, but from seeing them in seasons of distress and famine,--from hearing their half-uttered hopes that better days were coming when the new landlord himself was about to visit them; from listening to their sanguine expectations of benefits; and now, within some few days, from hearing the low mutterings of their discontent,--the prelude of worse than that."

"I have seen nothing else than the same scenes for forty years, but I never remember the people more regular in their payments," said the attorney.

"Well, don't venture among the Drumcoologhan boys alone; that, at least, I would recommend you," said the doctor, menacingly.

"Why not?--who are they?--where are these fellows?" cried Cashel, for danger was a theme that never failed to stir his heart.

"It 's a bad barony, sir," said Kennyf.e.c.k, solemnly.

"A district that has supplied the gallows and the convict-ship for many a year; but we are wandering away from the theme we ought to discuss,"

interposed Tiernay, "and the question narrows itself to this; if this property is still yours,--if you have not already consigned it to another,--what is my friend's interest worth?"

"That will require calculation and reflection."

"Neither, Mr. Kennyf.e.c.k," broke in Cashel. "Learn Mr. Corrigan's expectations, and see that they are complied with."

"My friend desired a small annuity on the life of his granddaughter."

"Be it an annuity, then," replied Cashel.

"By heaven!" exclaimed Tiernay, as if he could not restrain the impulse that worked within him, "you are a fine-hearted fellow. Here, sir," said he, taking a paper from his pocket,--"here is a doc.u.ment, which my poor friend sat up half the night to write, but which I'd half made up my mind never to give you. You'd never guess what it is, nor your keen friend either, but I 'll spare you the trouble of spelling it over. It's a renunciation of Cornelius Corrigan, Esq., for himself and his heirs forever, of all right, direct or contingent, to the estate of Tubbermore, once the family property of his ancestors for eleven generations. You never heard of such a claim," said Tiernay, turning to Cashel, "but Mr. Kennyf.e.c.k did; he knows well the importance of that piece of paper he affects to treat with such indifference."

"And do you suppose, sir, that if this claim you speak of be a good and valid one, I could, as a man of honor, maintain a possession to which I had no right? No; let Mr. Corrigan take back that paper; let him try his right, as the laws enable him. If I stand not here as the just owner of this house, I am ready to leave it at this instant; but I am neither to be intimidated by a threat nor conciliated by a compromise."

"Mr. Corrigan's claim has nothing to go upon, I a.s.sure you," broke in Kennyf.e.c.k. "If we accept the paper, it is by courtesy,--to show that we respect the feeling that suggested it,--nothing more."

While these words were addressed to Tiernay, Cashel, who had walked towards one of the windows, did not hear them.

"Well," cried Tiernay, after an awkward pause, "the devil a worse negotiator ever accepted a mission than myself! When I desire to be frank, the only truths that occur to me are sure to be offensive, and I never am so certain to insult as when I fancy I 'm doing a favor.

Goodbye, sir; pardon the liberties of an old man, whose profession has taught him to believe that remedies are seldom painless, and who, although a poor man, would rather any day lose the fee than the patient! You'll not treat Con Corrigan the less kindly because he has an imprudent friend. I'm sorry to think that I leave an unfavorable impression behind me; but I'm glad, heartily glad, I came here to breakfast, for I go away convinced of two things, that I was far from believing so certain when I entered,"--he paused for a second or two, and then said,--"that a spendthrift could have an unblemished sense of honor, and that an attorney could appreciate it!"

With these words he departed, while Cashel, after staring for a few moments at Kennyf.e.c.k, threw himself back in his chair, and laughed long and heartily.

"An original, sir,--quite an original," said Kennyf.e.c.k, who, not exactly knowing whether to accept the doctor's parting speech as a compliment, or the reverse, contented himself with this very vague expression.

"He's a fine old fellow, although he does lay on his salve in Indian fashion, with a scalping-knife; but I wish he'd not have said anything of that confounded paper."

"Pardon me, sir," interposed Kennyf.e.c.k, taking it from his pocket, "but it might prove of inestimable value, in the event of any future litigation."

"What! you kept it, then?" cried Cashel.

"Of course I did, sir. It is a doc.u.ment scarce inferior to a deed of t.i.tle; for, although Mr. Corrigan has nothing to substantiate a claim at law, it is incontestable that his family were the original owners of this estate."

Cashel took the paper from Kennyf.e.c.k's hand, and seemed to peruse it for some minutes, and then approaching the fire he threw it into the blaze, and pressed it down with a poker till it was consumed; while Kennyf.e.c.k, too much consternated to utter a word, stood the personification of terror-struck astonishment.

"You have burnt it, sir!" said he at last, in a whisper.

"Why not, sir?" cried Cashel, rudely. "Should I have made use of it against the man who wrote it, or against his heirs, if by chance they should seek one day to dispute my right?"

A deep sigh was all the reply Kennyf.e.c.k could make.

"I understand your compa.s.sion well," said Cashel, scornfully. "You are right, sir. It was the buccaneer, not the gentleman, spoke there; but I 'm sick of masquerading, and I long for a little reality."

Without waiting for a reply, Roland left the room, and wandered out into the park.

CHAPTER IX. THE BURNT LETTER--"GREAT EXPECTATIONS"

"'Like Dido's self,' she said, 'I'm free!

Trojan or Tyrian are alike to me.'"

There was but one species of tyranny Mr. Kennyf.e.c.k ever attempted in his family: this was, to shroud with a solemn mystery every little event in his professional career which he saw excited any curiosity with his wife and daughters. It was true that on such occasions he became a mark for most sneering insinuations and derisive commentaries, but he rose with the dignity of a martyr above all their taunts, and doubtless felt in his heart the supporting energy of a high-priest standing watch over the gate of the Temple.

The few pencilled lines by Cashel, which had summoned him to the meeting recorded in the last chapter, he threw into the fire as soon as he had read, and then arising from the breakfast-table, dryly observed,--

"Don't wait breakfast, Mrs. Kennyf.e.c.k; I shall not be back for some time."

"Another secret, Mr. Kennyf.e.c.k?" said his wife, scoffingly.

He only smiled in reply.

"It ought to be a duel, at least, pa," said his eldest daughter, "from the urgent haste of your departure."

"Or a runaway couple, who wish to have the settlements--"

"Is that all you know of the matter, Livy?" said her sister, laughing heartily; "why, child, your Gretna Green folks never have settlements--never think of them till six months later, when they are wanting to separate."

"Is there any occasion for mystery in this case?" rejoined Mrs.

Kennyf.e.c.k, haughtily.

"To be sure there may, my dear," broke in Aunt f.a.n.n.y; "there 's many a dirty thing the lawyers have to do they 'd be ashamed to own before their families."

Even this did not move Mr. Kennyf.e.c.k, and, although from the way he nestled his chin behind the folds of his white cravat, and a certain scarcely perceptible shake of the head, it was clear he longed to refute the foul aspersion.

"I suppose you will appear at dinner, sir?" said Mrs. Kennyf.e.c.k, with her grandest air.

"I hope so, Mrs. Kennyf.e.c.k," was the mild answer.

"Without you should take it into your head, pa, to enter into rivalry with Mr. Linton, and stay away, heaven knows where or how long," said Miss Kennyf.e.c.k.

Mr. Kennyf.e.c.k did not wait for more, but left the room with an air whose solemnity well suited any amount of secrecy.