r, from those very words. 'If
she lets me into the house to-morrow,' said I, 'she is mine.'

As I went downstairs I put ten guineas into the hand of the hall-porter,
who looked quite astonished at such a gift.

'It is to repay you for the trouble of opening the door to me,' said I;
'you will have to do so often.'

CHAPTER XVI. I PROVIDE NOBLY FOR MY FAMILY

The next day when I went back, my fears were realised: the door was
refused to me--my Lady was not at home. This I knew to be false: I had
watched the door the whole morning from a lodging I took at a house
opposite.

'Your lady is not out,' said I: 'she has denied me, and I can't, of
course, force my way to her. But listen: you are an Englishman?' 'That
I am,' said the fellow, with an air of the utmost superiority. 'Your
honour could tell that by my HACCENT.'

I knew he was, and might therefore offer him a bribe. An Irish family
servant in rags, and though his wages were never paid him, would
probably fling the money in your face.

'Listen, then,' said I. 'Your lady's letters pass through your hands,
don't they? A crown for every one that you bring me to read. There is a
whisky-shop in the next street; bring them there when you go to drink,
and call for me by the name of Dermot.'

'I recollect your honour at SPAR,' says the fellow, grinning: 'seven's
the main, hey?' and being exceedingly proud of this reminiscence, I bade
my inferior adieu.

I do not defend this practice of letter-opening in private life, except
in cases of the most urgent necessity: when we must follow the examples
of our betters, the statesmen of all Europe, and, for the sake of a
great good, infringe a little matter of ceremony. My Lady Lyndon's
letters were none the worse for being opened, and a great deal
the better; the knowledge obtained from the perusal of some of her
multifarious epistles enabling me to become intimate with her character
in a hundred ways, and obtain a power over her by which I was not slow
to profit. By the aid of the letters and of my English friend, whom I
always regaled with the best of liquor, and satisfied with presents of
money still more agreeable (I used to put on a livery in order to meet
him, and a red wig, in which it was impossible to know the dashing and
elegant Redmond Barry), I got such an insight into the widow's movements
as astonished her. I knew beforehand to what public places she would
go; they were, on account of her widowhood, but fe