isclosing, which was tolerably well known for a considerable
time previous to the disclosure. Between them it was arranged that he
and his father should make a formal proposal of marriage to her parents,
as the best means of bringing the matter to a speedy issue. Before this
was done, however, Gerald, at the instigation of his wife, contrived
once more to introduce the subject as if by accident, in a conversation
with Jemmy Burke, who repeated his anxiety for the match as the best way
of settling down his son, and added, that he would lay the matter before
Hycy himself, with a wish that a union should take place between them.
This interview with old Burke proved a stumbling-block in the way of
M'Mahon. At length, after a formal proposal on the behalf of Bryan, and
many interviews with reference to it, something like a compromise was
effected. Kathleen consented to accept the latter in marriage, but
firmly and resolutely refused to hear Burke's name as a lover or suitor
mentioned. Her parents, however, hoping that their influence over her
might ultimately prevail, requested that she would not engage herself to
any one for two years, at the expiration of which period, if no change
in her sentiments should take place, she was to be at liberty to marry
M'Mahon. For the remainder of the summer and autumn, and up until
November, the period at which our narrative has now arrived, or, in
other words, when Bryan M'Mahon met Nanny Peety, matters had rested
precisely in the same position. This unexpected interview with the
mendicant's daughter, joined to the hints he had already received, once
more caused M'Mahon to feel considerably perplexed with regard to Hycy
Burke. The coincidence was very remarkable, and the identity of the
information, however limited, appeared to him to deserve all the
consideration which he could bestow upon it, but above all things he
resolved, if possible, to extract the secret out of Nanny Peety.

One cause of Hycy Burke's extravagance was a hospitable habit of dining
and giving dinners in the head inn of Ballymacan. To ask any of his
associates to his father's house was only to expose the ignorance of his
parents, and this his pride would not suffer him to do. As a matter
of course he gave all his dinners, unless upon rare occasions, in Jack
Shepherd's excellent inn; but as young Clinton and he were on terms of
the most confidential intimacy, he had asked him to dine on the day in
question at his fathe