tand; but
no matter,--hem, hem! 'Congestion of--' hem, hem! 'In our next, we hope
to give a still more favorable report.' Then here's the next: 'To the
aide-decamp sent to inquire after the "hero of College Green," the
answer this morning was, "Better; able to sit up."' Well, here we
go,--No. 3: 'His Excellency mentioned this morning at the Privy Council
the satisfaction he felt at being able to announce that Mr. (from
motives of delicacy we omit the name) is now permitted to take some
barley gruel, with a spoonful of old Madeira. The Bishop of Ferns and
Sir Boyle Roach both left their cards yesterday at the barracks.' I
waited a day or two after this; but--would you believe it?--no notice
was taken; not even the Opposition papers said a word, except some
insolent rascal in 'The Press' asks, 'Can you tell your readers, Are we
to have anything more from Captain Bubbleton?' So then I resolved to
come out in force, and here you see the result: 'Friday, 20th. It is now
our gratifying task to announce the complete restoration of the young
gentleman whose case has, for some weeks past, been the engrossing topic
of conversation of all ranks and classes, from the table of the Viceroy
to the humble denizen of Mud Island. Mr. Burke is the only son and heir
to the late Matthew Burke, of Cremore, county of Galway. His family have
been long distinguished for their steady, uncompromising loyalty; nor
is the hereditary glory of their house likely to suffer in the person
of the illustrious youth, who, we learn, is now to be raised to the
baronetcy under the title of Sir Thomas Bubbleton Burke, the second name
assumed to commemorate the services of Captain Bubbleton, whose--'Of
course I dilated a little here to round the paragraph. Well, this
did it; here was the shell that exploded the magazine. For early this
morning I received a polite note from the Castle,--I won't tell you the
writer, though; I like a good bit of surprise. And egad, now I think on
't, I won't say anything more about the letter either, only that we 're
in luck, my lad, as you 'll soon acknowledge. What 's the hour now? Ah!
a quarter to twelve. But wait, I think I hear him in the next room. Jump
up, and dress as fast as you can, while I do the honors."

With this the captain bustled out of the room; and, although he banged
the door after him, I could hear his voice in the act of welcoming some
new arrival.

In spite of the sea of nonsense and absurdity through which