st driven to madness by what sounded like an outrage to his pride,
he had set out for Dublin to fasten upon some one--any one--a personal
quarrel in the vindication of my mother's honor. Fagan's address
was known to him, by frequent mention of his name, and thither he
accordingly hastened. The Grinder was from home; but to await his
return, De Gabriac was ushered upstairs into the drawing-room, where an
elderly man was seated writing at a table. The old man lifted his head
and slightly saluted the stranger, but continued his occupation without
any further notice, and De Gabriac threw himself into a chair to wait,
with what patience he could, for Fagan's coming.

There was a newspaper on the table, and De Gabriac took it up to spell
as he could the intelligence of the day. Almost the very first lines
which caught his eye were an announcement of an "Extensive sale of
valuable furniture, plate, and household effects, late the property
of Walter Carew, Esq." Certain enigmatical words that headed the
advertisement puzzled the foreigner, and, unable to restrain his
eagerness to unravel their meaning, he advanced to the table where the
old man was writing, and in a polite tone asked him to explain what
meant such phrases as "_In re_ Joseph Curtis, Esq., of Meagh-valley
House, and others, petitioners."

The other, thus addressed, looked from the newspaper to the inquirer,
and back again to the paper, and then to the astonished face of the
Frenchman, without a word. "I have to hope," said De Gabriac, "that
nothing in my question may appear rude or uncivil. I merely wished to
know--"

"To know who Joseph Curtis is!" broke in the old man, quickly. "Then
I 'll tell you, sir. He is the only surviving son of Robert Harrison
Curtis and Eleanor Anne, his wife, born at Meagh-valley House, in
the parish of Cappagh, barony of Ivrone, Anno Domini 1704. Served in
Parliament for twenty-eight years, and commanded the militia of his
native county till deprived of that honor by a rascally Government and a
perjured Viceroy." Here his voice grew loud, and his manner violent and
excited. "Since when, sir, harassed, persecuted, and tortured, he has
been robbed of his estates, stripped of his property, and left houseless
and friendless,--ay, sir, friendless, I say; for poverty and want
attract no friendship,--and who would still be the victim of knavery and
scoundrelism if Providence had not blessed him with a clear head as well
as a strong heart