Ireland. There, there! don't take the matter up that way,
for heaven's sake! My dear fellow, hear me out!' But I could hear no
more; the rushing blood that crowded on my brain stunned and stupefied
me, and it took several minutes before I became sufficiently collected
to ask him to go on.

'I heard the thing so confusedly,' said he, 'that I cannot attempt
anything like connection in relating it. But the story goes that your
duel in Loughrea did not originate about the steeplechase at all, but in
a quarrel about this girl, with her brother or her cousin, who, having
discovered your intentions regarding her, you wished to get rid of, as a
preliminary. No one but a fool could credit such a thing.'

'None but such could have invented it,' said I, as my thoughts at once
recurred to Lord Dudley de Vere.

'The duke, however, spoke to General Hinton----'

'To my father! And how did he----'

'Oh, behaved as only he could have done: "Stop, my lord!" said he; "I'll
spare you any further relation of this matter. If it be true, my son is
unworthy of remaining on your staff. If it be false, I'll not permit him
to hold an appointment where his reputation has been assailed without
affording him an opportunity of defence." High words ensued, and the end
was that if you appeared before to-day, you were to hear the charge and
have an opportunity for reply. If not, your dismissal was to be made
out, and another appointed in your place. Now that I have told you what
I feel the indiscretion of my ever having spoken of, promise me, my
dear Hinton, that you will take no step in the matter. The intrigue is
altogether beneath you, and your character demands no defence on your
part.'

'I almost suspect I know the person,' said I gloomily.

'No, no; I'm certain you can't. It is some woman's story; some piece of
tea-table gossip, depend on it--in any case, quite unworthy of caring
about.'

'At all events, I am too indifferent at this moment to feel otherwise
about anything,' said I. 'So, good-bye; Horton. My regards to all our
fellows; good-bye!'

'Good-bye, my boy,' said he, warmly shaking my hand. 'But, stop a
moment, I have got some letters for you; they arrived only a few days
since.'

He took a packet from a drawer as he spoke, and once more bidding him
adieu, I set out on my return to the Castle.

CHAPTER XLVI. FAREWELL TO IRELAND

My first care on reaching my quarters was to make preparations for my
departure by the pac