ld under no
circumstances promise this until he should first hear the nature of it,
upon which, he said, he would then judge for himself. After hearing it,
however, he said that on Dunphy's own account he would not breathe it
even to her without his permission.

"Mind," said Dunphy, at the conclusion of their dialogue, and with his
usual caution, "I am not sartin of what I have mentioned; but I hope,
plaise God, in a short time to be able to prove it; and, if not, as
nobody knows it but yourself an' me, why there's no harm done. Dear
knows, I have a strong reason for lettin' the matter lie as it is, even
if my suspicions are true; but my conscience isn't aisy, Mr. Eoberts,
an' for that raison' I came to spake to you, to consult with you, and to
have your advice."

"And my advice to you is, Dunphy, not to attack the enemy until your
plans are properly laid, and all your forces in a good position. The
thing can't be proved now, you say; very well; you'd be only a fool for
attempting to prove it."

"I'm not sayin'," said the cautious old sinner again, "that it can be
proved at any time, or proved at all--that is, for a sartinty; but I
think, afther a time, it may. There's a person not now in the country,
that will be back shortly, I hope; and if any one can prove what I
mentioned to you, that person can. I know we'd make a powerful friend by
it, but--"

Here he squirted his thin tobacco spittle "out owre his beard," but
added nothing further.

"Dunphy, my fine old fellow," said Sam, "it was very kind of you to come
to me upon this point. You know the affection I have for the young man;
thank you, Dunphy; but it's natural--it's all the heart of man. Dunphy,
how long is it, now, since you and I messed together in the gallant
eleven times three? Fifty years, I think, Dunphy, or more. You were
a smart fellow then, and became servant, I think, to a young
captain--what's this his name was? oh! I remember--Gourlay; for, Dunphy,
I remember the name of every officer in our regiment, since I entered
it; when they joined, when they exchanged, sold out, or died like brave
men in the field of battle. It's upwards of fifty. By the way, he left
us--sold out immediately after his father's death."

"Ay, ould Sir Edward--a good man; but he had a woman to his wife, and if
ever there was a divil--Lord bless us!--in any woman, there was one, and
a choice bad one, too, in her. The present barrownight, Sir Thomas, is
as like her as if sh