and he might perhaps be better prepared to discuss it
with the priest if he could first make this friend of the O'Hara family
understand how much he, Neville, was personally injured by this "turning
up" of a disreputable father. But, should he allow the priest at once to
run away to Scroope and his noble uncle, the result of such conversation
would simply be renewed promises on his part in reference to his future
conduct to Kate O'Hara.

"Lord Scroope wasn't very well when I left him. By the bye, Father
Marty, I've been particularly anxious to see you."

"'Deed thin I was aisy found, Mr. Neville."

"What is this I hear about--Captain O'Hara?"

"What is it that you have heard, Mr. Neville?" Fred looked into the
priest's face and found that he, at least, did not blush. It may be that
all power of blushing had departed from Father Marty.

"In the first place I hear that there is such a man."

"Ony way there was once."

"You think he's dead then?"

"I don't say that. It's a matter of,--faith, thin, it's a matter of nigh
twenty years since I saw the Captain. And when I did see him I didn't
like him. I can tell you that, Mr. Neville."

"I suppose not."

"That lass up there was not born when I saw him. He was a handsome man
too, and might have been a gentleman av' he would."

"But he wasn't."

"It's a hard thing to say what is a gentleman, Mr. Neville. I don't know
a much harder thing. Them folk at Castle Quin, now, wouldn't scruple
to say that I'm no gentleman, just because I'm a Popish priest. I say
that Captain O'Hara was no gentleman because--he ill-treated a woman."
Father Marty as he said this stopped a moment on the road, turning round
and looking Neville full in the face. Fred bore the look fairly well.
Perhaps at the moment he did not understand its application. It may be
that he still had a clear conscience in that matter, and thought that he
was resolved to treat Kate O'Hara after a fashion that would in no way
detract from his own character as a gentleman. "As it was," continued
the priest, "he was a low blag-guard."

"He hadn't any money, I suppose?"

"'Deed and I don't think he was iver throubled much in respect of money.
But money doesn't matter, Mr. Neville."

"Not in the least," said Fred.

"Thim ladies up there are as poor as Job, but anybody that should say
that they weren't ladies would just be shewing that he didn't know the
difference. The Captain was well born, Mr. Neville, av' that