eaceful grave, his place
would know him no more. If he traveled through all his thirty miles of
seaboard, the Scotch laborers would doff their hats more respectfully to
the steward of the "Law Life" than to the humane old homicide. The royal
writ, which he defied from his place at St. Stephen's, might be served
now, I imagine, without danger of the bailiff's breaking his fast on the
same. Claret flows soberly from long-necked bottles whose corks bear the
brand of the wine-merchant, high priced and legal, instead of from the
cask of which the snug sandy cove and the roguish-looking hooker could
have told tales. But, in spite of visionary rents, and poor-rates
sternly real, the Irish squire still clings to the exercise of that
hospitality which has been an heirloom with the tribes since the days of
Strongbow.

One of my longest halting-places was at Ralph Mohun's, by whom, though
personally unknown to him, I was made very welcome as a friend of Guy's.
My host deserves a more especial mention, for his history was a sad,
though not an uncommon one.

He began life in a Cavalry regiment, wherein he conducted himself with
fair average propriety till he met Lady Caroline Desborough. He fell in
love with her--most people did--but, unluckily, when she married Mr.
Mannering, to whom she had been predestined since her _debut_, he could
not bring himself to wear the willow decently and in order, like her
other disappointed admirers.

It was the old unhappy story: her husband neglected Lady Caroline
consistently--ill-treated her sometimes. Mohun pursued his purpose with
the relentless obstinacy of his character. Eighteen months after her
marriage they fled together.

He was not rich, so that the trial which ensued, with its heavy damages,
completely crippled him. The partner of his crime was absolutely
penniless. They went to Vienna, and Ralph entered the Austrian
Cuirassiers, where he had some interest to push him. He had lingered
some time within reach of England, to give Mannering an opportunity of
demanding satisfaction. But the injured husband knew his man too well to
trust himself within fifteen paces of Mohun's pistol. He chose a surer,
safer revenge in taking no steps to procure a divorce, and so debarring
Ralph from his only means of atonement--marriage with his victim.

He varied the dull routine of seducers, it is true, for he never wearied
of, or behaved unkindly to, the woman he had ruined. Time brought many
troubl