l the cool negligence of his
unruffled nature.

"At last!" cried he, as Cashel entered. "I have been waiting here most
impatiently to know how you got through it."

"Through what!--how--what do you mean?"

"That affair with Kilgoff. I slipped away when I saw that he _would_
enter the boudoir, after having coughed and sneezed like a grampus,
in the hope of attracting your attention; but you were so confoundedly
engrossed by my Lady's agreeability,--so excessively tender--"

"Linton, I must stop you at once. I may barter some of my own
self-respect for quietness' sake, and let you talk this way of me, but
you shall not do so of another."

"Hang it, man, she is an older friend than yourself. I have known her
these seven years--as little more than a child."

"Your friendship would seem a costly blessing, if you understand its
duties always in this fashion."

"I hope it will admit of a little frankness, at all events," said he,
affecting a laugh. "It will be too bad if you both fall out with me for
watching over your interests."

"I don't understand you."

"I will be plain enough. I have seen for many a day back what has
been going on. I perceived the very commencement of the mischief, when
probably neither she nor you dreamed of it; and, resigning all the
esteem that years had cemented between us, I spoke to her. Ay, Roland,
I told her what would happen. I said that qualities like yours could not
be brought every day into contrast with those of poor Kilgoff without
most unhappy comparisons. I explained to her, that if she did form an
attachment to you, it could not be one of those passing flirtations that
an easy code of fashion admits and sanctions; that you were a fellow
whose generous nature could never descend to such heartless levity, and
that there was no sacrifice of position and prospect you would hesitate
to make for a woman that loved you; and I asked her flatly, would she
bring such ruin upon you? The greater fool myself; I ought to have known
better. She not only refused to listen to me, but actually resented my
at-tempted kindness by actual injury. I don't want to speak for myself
here, so I 'll hasten on. It was all but a cut between us, for months
before we met here. You may remember, in Dublin, we rarely even spoke to
each other; we, who once had been like brother and sister!

"Well, before she was a week here, I saw that the danger I had dreaded
so long was hourly becoming more imminent. _You_,