' added he, looking at Sir Terence, who cleared his throat;
and Lord Clonbrony, who was on the point of opening all his affairs to
his son, stopped short.

'Colambre,' said he, 'we will not say anything more of this at present;
for nothing effectual can be done till you are of age, and then we shall
see all about it.'

Lord Colambre perfectly understood what his father meant, and what was
meant by the clearing of Sir Terence's throat. Lord Clonbrony wanted his
son to join him in opening the estate to pay his debts; and Sir Terence
feared that, if Lord Colambre were abruptly told the whole sum total of
the debts he would never be persuaded to join in selling or mortgaging
so much of his patrimony as would be necessary for their payment. Sir
Terence thought that the young man, ignorant probably of business, and
unsuspicious of the state of his father's affairs, might be brought, by
proper management, to any measures they desired. Lord Clonbrony wavered
between the temptation to throw himself upon the generosity of his
son, and the immediate convenience of borrowing a sum of money from his
agent, to relieve his present embarrassments.

'Nothing can be settled,' repeated he, 'till Colambre is of age; so it
does not signify talking of it.'

'Why so, sir?' said Lord Colambre. 'Though my act, in law, may not be
valid, till I am of age, my promise, as a man of honour, is binding now;
and, I trust, would be as satisfactory to my father as any legal deed
whatever.'

'Undoubtedly, my dear boy; but--'

'But what?' said Lord Colambre, following his father's eye, which turned
to Sir Terence O'Fay, as if asking his permission to explain.

'As my father's friend, sir, you ought, permit me to say, at this moment
to use your influence to prevail upon him to throw aside all reserve
with a son, whose warmest wish is to serve him, and to see him at ease
and happy.'

'Generous, dear boy,' cried Lord Clonbrony. 'Terence, I can't stand it;
but how shall I bring myself to name the amount of the debts?'

'At some time or other, I must know it,' said Lord Colambre; 'I cannot
be better prepared at any moment than the present; never more disposed
to give my assistance to relieve all difficulties. Blindfold, I cannot
be led to any purpose, sir,' said he, looking at Sir Terence; 'the
attempt would be degrading and futile. Blindfolded I will not be--but,
with my eyes open, I will see, and go straight and prompt as heart can
go, to my father