"I thank you heartily for that speech," said the old man, as he grasped the other's hand cordially; "you deserve, and shall have my fullest confidence."

"May I ask," said Jack, "if this offer to buy off Merl be made in the interest of the Martins, for otherwise I really see no great object, so far as they are concerned, in the change of mastery?"

"You'll have to take _my_ word for that," said Repton, "or rather, to take the part I a.s.sume in this transaction as the evidence of it; and now, as I see that you are satisfied, will you accept of the duty of this negotiation? Will you see and speak with Merl? Urge upon him all the arguments your own ingenuity will furnish, and when you come, if you should be so driven, to the coercive category, and that you want the siege artillery, then send for _me_. Depend upon it, it will be no _brutum fulmen_ that I 'll bring up; nor will I, as Pelham said, fire with 'government powder.' My cannon shall be inscribed, like those of the old volunteers, independence or--"

At any other moment Jack might have smiled at the haughty air and martial stride of the old man, as, stimulated by his words, he paced the room; but there was a sincerity and a resolution about him that offered no scope for ridicule. His very features wore a look of intrepidity that bespoke the courage that animated him.

"Now, Ma.s.singbred," said he, laying his hand on the young man's arm, "it is only because I am not free to tell another man's secret that I do not at once place you fully in possession of all I myself know of this transaction; but rely on it, you shall be informed on every point, and immediately after the issue of this negotiation with Merl, whatever be the result, you shall stand on the same footing with myself."

"You cannot suppose that I exact this confidence?" began Jack.

"I only know it is your due, sir," said Repton. "Go now,--it is not too early; see this man, and let the meeting be of the briefest, for if I were to tell you my own mind, I'd say I'd rather he should reject our offer."

"You are, I own, a little incomprehensible this morning," said Ma.s.singbred, "but I am determined to yield you a blind obedience; and so I'm off."

"I 'll wait breakfast for you," said Repton, as he reseated himself to his work.

Repton requested Mr. Nelligan's permission to have his breakfast served in his own room, and sat for a long time impatiently awaiting Ma.s.singbred's return. He was at one time aroused by a noise below stairs, but it was not the announcement of him he looked for; and he walked anxiously to and fro in his chamber, each moment adding to the uneasiness that he felt.

"Who was it that arrived half an hour ago?" asked he of the servant.

"Mr. Joe, sir, the counsellor, has just come from Dublin, and is at breakfast with the master."

"Ah! he 's come, is he? So much the better," muttered Repton, "we may want his calm, clear head to a.s.sist us here; not that we shall have to fear a contest,--there is no enemy in the field,--and if there were, Val Repton is ready to meet him!" And the old man crossed his arms, and stood erect in all the consciousness of his undiminished vigor. "Here he comes at last,--I know his step on the stair." And he flung open the door for Ma.s.singbred.

"I read failure in your flushed cheek, Ma.s.singbred; failure and anger both, eh?"

Ma.s.singbred tried to smile. If there was any quality on which he especially prided himself, it was the bland semblance of equanimity he could a.s.sume in circ.u.mstances of difficulty and irritation. It was his boast to be able to hide his most intense emotions at moments of pa.s.sion, and there was a period in which, indeed, he wielded this acquirement. Of later times, however, he had grown more natural and impulsive; he had not yet lost the sense of pain this yielding occasioned, and it was with evident irritation that he found Repton had read his thoughts.

"You perceive, then, that I am unsuccessful?" said he, with a faint smile. "So much the better if my face betrays me; it will save a world of explanation!"

"Make your report, sir, and I'll make the tea," said Repton, as he proceeded to that office.

"The fellow was in bed,--he refused to see me, and it was only by some insistence that I succeeded in gaining admittance. He has had leeches to his temples. He was bruised, it seems, when he fell, but far more frightened than hurt. He looks the very picture of terror, and lies with a perfect armory of pistols beside his bed. Scanlan was there, and thought to remain during our interview; but I insisted on his withdrawing, and he went. The amiable attorney, somehow, has a kind of respect for me that is rather amusing. As for Merl, he broke out into a vulgar tirade of pa.s.sion, abused the country and the people, cursed the hour he came amongst them, and said, if he only knew the nature of the property before he made his investment, he 'd rather have purchased Guatemala bonds, or Santa Fe securities.

"'Then I have come fortunately,' said I, 'for I bring you an offer to reimburse all your outlay, and to rid you of a charge so little to your inclination.'

"'Oh! you do, do you?' said he, with one of his cunningest leers.

'You may not be able, perhaps, to effect that bargain, though. It's one thing to pay down a smart sum of money and wait your time for recovering it, and it's another to surrender your compact when the hour of acquisition has arrived. I bought this reversion--at least, I paid the first instalment of the price--four years ago, when the late man's life was worth twenty years' purchase. Well, he 's gone now, and do you think that I 'm going to give up my claim for what it cost me?'

"I gently insinuated that the investigation of the claim might lead to unpleasant revelations. There were various incidents of the play-table, feasible and successful enough after a supper with champagne, and in the short hours before day, which came off with an ill-grace on the table of a court of justice, with three barons of the exchequer to witness them.

That I myself might prove an awkward evidence, if unhappily cited to appear; that of my own knowledge I could mention three young fellows of good fortune who had been drained to their last shilling in his company.

In fact, we were both remarkably candid with each other, and while _I_ reminded _him_ of some dark pa.s.sages at _ecarte, he_ brought to _my_ memory certain protested bills and dishonored notes that 'non jucundum esset meminisse.' I must say, for both of us, we did the thing well, and in good breeding; we told and listened to our several shortcomings with a temper that might have graced a better cause, and I defy the world to produce two men who could have exchanged the epithets of swindler and scamp with more thorough calm and good manners. Unhappily, however, high as one rises in his own esteem by such contests, he scarcely makes the same ascent in that of his neighbor, and so we came, in our overflowing frankness, to admit to each other more of our respective opinions than amounts to flattery. I believe, and, indeed, I hope, I should have maintained my temper to the end, had not the fellow pretty broadly insinuated that some motive of personal advantage had prompted my interference, and actually pushed his insolence so far as to insinuate that 'I should make a better thing' by adhering to his fortunes."

Repton started at these words, and Ma.s.singbred resumed: "True, upon my honor; I exaggerate nothing. It was a gross outrage, and very difficult to put up with; so I just expressed my sincere regret that instead of being in bed he was not up and stirring, inasmuch as I should have tried what change of air might have done for him, by pitching him out of the window. He tugged violently at the bell-rope, as though I were about to execute my menace, and so I left him. My diplomacy has, therefore, been a sad failure. I only hope that I may not have increased the difficulty of the case by my treatment of it."

"You never thought of _me_ at all, then?" asked Repton.

"Never, till I was once more in the street; then I remembered something of what you said about coercive means, but of what avail a mere menace?

This fellow is not new to such transactions,--he has gone through all the phases of 'bulleydom.' Besides, there is a dash of Shylock in every Jew that ever breathed. They will 'have their bond,' unless it can be distinctly proved to them that the thing is impossible."

"Now then for our breaching battery," said Repton, rising and pacing the room. "This attempt at a compromise never had any favor in my eyes; Barry wished it, and I yielded. Now for a very different course. Can you find a saddle-horse here? Well, then, be ready to set out in half an hour, and search out Barry for me. He'll be found at Kilkieran, or the neighborhood; say we must meet at once; arrange time and place for the conference, and come back to me."

Repton issued his directions with an air of command, and Ma.s.singbred prepared as implicitly to obey them.

"Mr. Nelligan has lent me his own pad," said Ma.s.singbred, entering soon after, "and his son will accompany me, so that I am at your orders at once."

"There are your despatches," said Repton, giving him a sealed packet.

"Let me see you here as soon as may be."

CHAPTER x.x.xVI. A GREAT DISCOVERY

About an hour after Ma.s.singbred's departure for Kilkieran, Mr. Repton set out for Cro' Martin Castle. The inn had furnished him its best chaise and four of its primest horses; and had the old lawyer been disposed to enjoy the pleasure which a great moralist has rated so highly, of rapid motion through the air, he might have been gratified on that occasion. Unhappily, however, he was not so minded. Many and very serious cares pressed upon him. He was travelling a road, too, which he had so often journeyed in high spirits, fancying to himself the pleasant welcome before him, and even rehearsing to his own mind the stores of agreeability he was to display,--and now it was to a deserted mansion, lonely and desolate, he was turning! Death and ruin both had done their work on that ancient family, whose very name in the land seemed already hastening to oblivion!

Few men could resist the influence of depression better than Repton. It was not alone that his temperament was still buoyant and energetic, but the habits of his profession had taught him the necessity of being prepared for emergencies, and he would have felt it a dereliction of duty were his sentiments to overmaster his power of action.

Still, as he went along, the well-known features of the spot would recall memories of the past. There lay a dense wood, of which he remembered the very day, the very hour, poor Martin had commenced the planting. There was the little trout-stream, where, under pretence of fishing, he had lounged along the summer day, with Horace for his companion; that, the school-house Mary had sketched, and built out of her own pocket-money. And now the great ma.s.sive gates slowly opened, and they were within the demesne,--all silent and noiseless. As they came in sight of the castle, Repton covered his face with his hands, and sat for some minutes thus. Then, as if mastering his emotion, he raised his head and folded his arms on his chest.

"You are true to time, I perceive, Dr. Leslie," said he, as the chaise stopped at the door and the venerable clergyman came forward to greet him.

"I got your note last night, sir, but I determined not to keep you waiting, for I perceive you say that time is precious now."

"I thank you heartily," said Repton, as he shook the other's hand. "I am grateful to you also for being here to meet me, for I begin to feel my courage fail me as to crossing that threshold again!"

"Age has its penalties as well as its blessings, sir," said Leslie, "and amongst these is to outlive those dear to us!" There was a painful significance to his own desolate condition that made these words doubly impressive.

Repton made no reply, but pulled the bell strongly; and the loud, deep sounds rung out clearly through the silent house. After a brief interval a small window above the door was opened, and a man with a blunderbuss in his hand sternly demanded their business.

"Oh, I ax pardon, sir," said he, as suddenly correcting himself. "I thought it was that man that 's come to take the place,--'the Jew,'

they call him,--and Mr. Magennis said I was n't to let him in, or one belonging to him."

"No, Barney, we are not his friends," said Dr. Leslie; "this is Mr.

Repton."

"Sure I know the Counsellor well, sir," said Barney. "I 'll be down in a minute and open the door."

"I must go to work at once," said Repton, in a low and somewhat broken voice, "or this place will be too much for me. Every step I go is calling up old times and old scenes. I had thought my heart was of sterner stuff. Isn't this the way to the library? No, not that way,--that was poor Martin's own breakfast-room!" He spoke hurriedly, like one who wished to suppress emotion by very activity of thought.

While the man who conducted them opened the window-shutters and the windows, Repton and his companion sat down without speaking. At last he withdrew, and Repton, rising, said,--"Some of the happiest hours of my life were pa.s.sed in this same room. I used to come up here after the fatigues of circuit, and, throwing myself into one of those easy-chairs, dream away for a day or two, gazing out on that bold mountain yonder, above the trees, and wondering how those fellows who never relaxed, in this wise, could sustain the wear and tear of life; for that junketing to Harrow-gate, that rattling, noisy steamboating up the Rhine, that c.o.c.kney heroism of Swiss travel, is my aversion. The calm forenoon for thought, the pleasant dinner-table for genial enjoyment afterwards,--these are true recreations. And what evenings we have had here! But I must not dwell on these." And now he threw upon the table a ma.s.s of papers and letters, amongst which he sought out one, from which he took a small key. "Dr. Leslie," said he, "you might have been a.s.sured that I have not called upon you to meet me to-day without a sufficient reason. I know that, from certain causes, of which I am not well informed, you were not on terms of much intimacy with my poor friend here. This is not a time to think of these things; _you_, I am well a.s.sured, will never remember them."

Leslie made a motion of a.s.sent; and the other went on, his voice gradually gaining in strength and fulness, and his whole manner by degrees a.s.suming the characteristic of the lawyer.

"To the few questions to which I will ask your answers, now, I have to request all your attention. They are of great importance; they may, very probably, be re-asked of you under more solemn circ.u.mstances; and I have to bespeak, not alone all your accuracy for the replies, but that you may be able, if asked, to state the manner and even the words in which I now address you.--You have been the inc.u.mbent of this parish for a length of time,--what number of years?"

"Sixty-three. I was appointed to the vicarage on my ordination, and never held any other charge."