is matter over
coolly and sensibly. And to make your mind easy, I may tell you at once,
I have arranged a meeting for you with Burke at five to-morrow morning.'

I grasped his hand convulsively within mine, as a gleam of savage
satisfaction shot through me.

'Yes, yes,' said he, as if replying to my look, 'it's all as it ought to
be. Even his own friends are indignant at his conduct; and indeed I may
say it's the first time a stranger has met with such in our country.'

'I can well believe it,' Major,' said I; 'for, unless from the
individual in question, I have met with nothing but kindness and
good feeling amongst you. He indeed would seem an exception to his
countrymen.'

'Therefore the sooner you shoot him the better. But I wish I could
Father Tom.'

'_Adest, domine_,' cried the priest, at the same moment, as he entered
the room, throwing his wet greatcoat into a corner and giving himself
a shake a Newfoundland dog might have envied. 'Isn't this pretty work,
Bob?' said he, turning to his cousin with a look of indignant reproach:
'he is not twenty-four hours in the town, and you've got him into
a fight already! And sure it's my own fault that ever brought you
together. _Nec fortunam nec gratiam habes_--no indeed, you have neither
luck nor grace. _Mauvaise tete_, as the French say---always in trouble.
Arrah, don't be talking to me at all, at all! reach me over the spirits.
Sorra better I ever saw you!--disturbing me out of my virtuous dreams at
two in the morning. True enough, _dic mihi societatem tuam_; but little
I thought he'd be getting you shot before you left the place.'

I endeavoured to pacify the good priest as well as I was able; the Major
too made every explanation; but what between his being called out of
bed, his anger at getting wet, and his cousin's well-known character for
affairs of this nature, it was not before he had swallowed his second
tumbler of punch that he would 'listen to rayson.'

'Well, well, if it is so, God's will be done,' said he with a sigh. '_Un
bon coup d'epee_, as we used to say formerly, is beautiful treatment for
bad blood; but maybe you're going to fight with pistols? Oh, murther,
them's dreadful things!'

'I begin to suspect,' said the Major slyly, 'that Father Tom's afraid
if you shoot Ulick he'll never get that fifty pounds he won. _Hinc illo
lacrymo_--eh, Tom?'

'Ah, the spalpeen,' said the priest, with a deep groan, 'didn't he do me
out of that money already?'