a
gambler--which, unfortunately, I was at one time--whether I won or lost,
I never could endure to discuss the game after it was over. So long as
there was a goal to reach, few men could feel more ardor in the pursuit.
I believe I have the passion for success as strong as my neighbors,
but the struggle over, the prize won, whether by myself or another it
mattered not, it ceased to have any hold upon me. I could address myself
to a new contest, but never look back on the old one."

"So that," said Kennyfeck, drawing a long breath to conceal a sigh, "I
am to conclude that this is a topic you would not desire to renew.
Well, I yield of course; only pray how am I to obtain your opinion on
questions concerning your property?"

"My opinions," said Cashel, "must be mere arbitrary decisions, come to
without any knowledge; that you are well aware of. I know nothing of
this country,--neither its interests, its feelings, nor its tastes. I
know just as little of what wealth will do, and what it will not do.
Tell me, therefore, in a few words, what other men, situated as I am,
would pursue,--what habits they would adopt, how live, and with whom. If
I can conform, without any great sacrifice of personal freedom, I 'll do
so, because I know of no slavery so bad as notoriety. Just then give me
your counsel, and I ask, intending to follow it."

Few men were less able than Mr. Kennyfeck to offer a valuable opinion on
these difficult subjects, but the daily routine of his professional life
had made him acquainted with a certain detail that seemed, to himself at
least, an undeviating rule of procedure. He knew that, to the heir of a
large estate coming of age, a wife and a seat in Parliament were the two
first objects. He had so often been engaged in drawing up settlements
for the one, and raising money for the other contingency, that they
became as associated in his mind with one-and-twenty years of age as
though intended by Nature to denote it.

With some reserve, which we must not scrutinize, he began with the
political object.

"I suppose, sir," said he, "you will desire to enter Parliament?"

"I should like it," said Cashel, earnestly, "if a sense of inferiority
would not weigh too heavily on me to compensate for the pleasure. With
an education so neglected as mine, I should run the hazard of either
unjustly depreciating my own judgment, or what is worse, esteeming it at
more than its worth. Now, though I suspect that the inter