isit, was to apprise the doctor, who
was to keep in the way; and, when she arrived, the good lady was just to
send across to him for some 'peppermint drops,' upon which hint Toole
himself would come slily over, and place himself behind the arras in the
bed-room, whither, for greater seclusion and secrecy, she was to conduct
the redoubted Mary Matchwell, who was thus to be overheard, and taken by
the clever doctor in the act; and then and there frightened not only
into a surrender of the documents, but of the money she had already
extracted, and compelled to sign such a confession of her guilt as would
effectually turn the tables, and place her at the mercy of the once more
happy Macnamara.

The doctor was so confident, and the scheme, to the sanguine Celtic
imagination of the worthy matron, appeared so facile of execution and
infallible of success, that I believe she would at that moment have
embraced, and even kissed, little Toole, in the exuberance of her
gratitude, had that learned physician cared for such fooleries.

The fact is, however, that neither the doctor nor his patient quite
understood Mrs. Matchwell or her powers, nor had the least inkling of
the marvellous designs that were ripening in her brain, and involving
the fate of more than one of the good easy people of Chapelizod, against
whom nobody dreamed a thunderbolt was forging.

So the doctor, being a discreet man, only shook her cordially by the
hand, at his departure, patting her encouragingly at the same time, on
her fat shoulder, and with a sly grin and a wink, and a wag of his
head--offering to 'lay fifty,' that between them 'they'd be too hard for
the witch.'

CHAPTER XXXI.

BEING A SHORT HISTORY OF THE GREAT BATTLE OF BELMONT THAT LASTED FOR SO
MANY DAYS, WHEREIN THE BELLIGERENTS SHOWED SO MUCH CONSTANCY AND VALOUR,
AND SOMETIMES ONE SIDE AND SOMETIMES T'OTHER WAS VICTORIOUS.

So jolly old General Chattesworth was away to Scarborough, and matters
went by no means pleasantly at Belmont; for there was strife between the
ladies. Dangerfield--cunning fellow--went first to Aunt Becky with his
proposal; and Aunt Becky liked it--determined it should prosper, and
took up and conducted the case with all her intimidating energy and
ferocity. But Gertrude's character had begun to show itself of late in
new and marvellous lights, and she fought her aunt with cool, but
invincible courage; and why should she marry, and above all, why marry
that ho