astonishment, almost her chagrin, to discover, that Hemsworth entered
the room a gentleman-like person, of about five-and-forty, tall,
and well-formed, with regular features, rather melancholy in their
expression than otherwise, and with a voice singularly low, soft, and
pleasing, his manner a mixture of well-bred ease, and that excessive
deference so often seen in those who have passed a long portion of life
about persons of rank superior to their own, but without the slightest
trace, that she could discover, of any thing subservient. With all her
disposition to be critical, she could find little fault with either
his manner or his conversation, nor could she detect any appearance
of affectation. On the contrary, he seemed affable, like one who felt
himself among friends, and need set no limits to his natural frankness.
On the several topics he talked, he spoke with good sense and fairness;
and even when the often agitated question of the state of Ireland
was alluded to, he surprised Kate by the absence of any violent or
exaggerated tone, speaking of the people in terms of kindliness and even
affection--lauding the native virtues of their character, and dwelling
with pleasure on the traits which advantageously distinguish them from
the peasantry of other lands.

She listened at first with suspicion and distrust, then, by degrees,
with interested attention, and, at last, with actual delight, to the
narrative he gave of the social condition of Ireland; in which he
laboured to show that a mistaken estimate of the people by England--a
misconception of the national character, a contempt of it, perhaps--had
perpetuated usages, which, by their injustice, had excited the hatred
and animosity of the country, and led to that condition of insulting
depreciation on one side, and proud defiance on the other, which the two
people exhibited towards each other.

So well and ably did he sustain his part--so powerfully support each
position by reference to some fact with which his ample memory supplied
him--that Sir Marmaduke was eventually obliged to confess himself
vanquished, though unconvinced--who ever was, when worsted?--and
Frederick, chagrined at the favour Kate bestowed on the speaker, merely
remarked as he concluded--

"Very conclusive and satisfactory, I have no doubt, it is; but, in
my mind, all you have said goes to prove, that we English are a very
inferior nation, and very unworthily placed in rule and governance over