him with the troop. He explained that he had
been absent a great deal, and that now Captain Johnstone was taking his
share of ease. He was all alone at the barracks, and could not get away.
There was some truth in this, created perhaps by the fact that as he
didn't stir, Johnstone could do so. Johnstone was backwards and forwards,
fishing at Castle Connel, and Neville was very exact in explaining that
for the present he was obliged to give up all the delights of the coast.
But the days were days of trial to him.

A short history of the life of Captain O'Hara was absolutely sent to
him by the Countess of Scroope. The family lawyer, at the instance of
the Earl,--as she said, though probably her own interference had been
more energetic than that of the Earl,--had caused enquiries to be made.
Captain O'Hara, the husband of the lady who was now living on the coast
of County Clare, and who was undoubtedly the father of the Miss O'Hara
whom Fred knew, had passed at least ten of the latter years of his
life at the galleys in the south of France. He had been engaged in
an extensive swindling transaction at Bordeaux, and had thence been
transferred to Toulon, had there been maintained by France,--and was now
in London. The Countess in sending this interesting story to her nephew
at Ennis, with ample documentary evidence, said that she was sure that
he would not degrade his family utterly by thinking of allying himself
with people who were so thoroughly disreputable; but that, after all
that was passed, his uncle expected from him a renewed assurance on the
matter. He answered this in anger. He did not understand why the history
of Captain O'Hara should have been raked up. Captain O'Hara was nothing
to him. He supposed it had come from Castle Quin, and anything from
Castle Quin he disbelieved. He had given a promise once and he didn't
understand why he should be asked for any further assurance. He
thought it very hard that his life should be made a burden to him by
foul-mouthed rumours from Castle Quin. That was the tenour of his letter
to his aunt; but even that letter sufficed to make it almost certain
that he could never marry the girl. He acknowledged that he had bound
himself not to do so. And then, in spite of all that he said about the
mendacity of Castle Quin, he did believe the little history. And it
was quite out of the question that he should marry the daughter of a
returned galley-slave. He did not think that any jury