his, and deplore that. But let me tell you there are
other duties of your station beside apologies. You should take measures
that when persons of my rank and station accept the shelter of
your roof, they are not broken in upon by rascally foreigners, vile
adventurers, and swindlers! You may be as angry as you please, sir, but
I will repeat every word I have said. Yes, Mr. Fagan; I talk from book,
sir,--I speak with knowledge; for when you were serving out crab-apples,
in a check-apron, at your father's stall, I was travelling on the
Continent as a young gentleman of fortune!"

"Until you tell me how you have been insulted, and by whom," said Fagan,
with some warmth, "I must hope that there is some easily explained
mistake."

"Egad! this is better and better," exclaimed Curtis. "No, sir, you
mistake me much; you entirely misunderstand me. I should most implicitly
accept your judgment as to a bruised peach or a blighted pear; but upon
a question of injured honor or of outraged feeling, I should scarcely
defer to you so humbly!" and as he said these words, with an air of
most exaggerated self-importance, he put on his hat and left the room,
without once noticing the respectful salutation of the Grinder.

When Fagan entered his daughter's room, he was surprised at the presence
of the stranger, whom she presented to him as the Count de Gabriac, and
who had so far profited by the opportunity as to have already made a
most favorable impression upon the fair Polly.

Polly rapidly told her father that the stranger, while awaiting his
return, had been accidentally exposed to the most outrageous treatment
from Curtis, to shelter him from a continuance of which she had offered
him the hospitality of her own apartment.

"He came in," resumed she, "to learn some tidings of his cousin's
affairs; for it appears that law proceedings of the most rigorous kind
are in operation, and the poor widow will be obliged to leave Castle
Carew."

Polly spoke with true feelings of regret, for she really now learned for
the first time that my mother's position was involved in any difficulty,
though from what precise cause she was still in ignorance.

"Leave me to speak with the Count alone, Polly; I can probably afford
him the information he seeks."

The interview was not of long duration; but Fagan acquitted himself with
a degree of tact and delicacy that scarcely seemed native to him. It
is difficult to guess at his real motives in the mat