two very
antagonistic impulses,--the wish to seem something important, and a
lively terror lest the pretence should turn out to be costly. Thus
swayed by opposing motives, I sought a compromise by assuming that I
was incog.; for the present a nobody, to be treated without any
marked attention, and to whom the acme of respect would be a seeming
indifference.

"What is your village called?" I said, carelessly, to the waiter, as he
laid the cloth.

"Ashford, your honor. 'T is down in all the books," answered the waiter.

"Is it noted for anything, or is there anything remarkable in the
neighborhood?"

"Indeed, there is, sir, and plenty. There's Glenmalure and the Devil's
Glen; and there's Mr. Snow Malone's place, that everybody goes to see:
and there's the fishing of Doyle's river,--trout, eight, nine, maybe
twelve, pounds' weight; and there's Mr. Reeve's cottage--a Swiss cottage
belike--at Kinmacreedy; but, to be sure, there must be an order for
that!"

"I never take much trouble," I said indolently. "Who have you got in the
house at present?"

"There's young Lord Keldrum, sir, and two more with him, for the
fishing; and the next room to you here, there's Father Dyke, from
Inistioge, and he's going, by the same token, to dine with the Lord
to-day."

"Don't mention to his Lordship that I am here," said I, hastily. "I
desire to be quite unknown down here." The waiter promised obedience,
without vouchsafing any misgivings as to the possibility of his
disclosing what he did not know.

To his question as to my dinner, I carelessly said, as if I were in
a West-end club, "Never mind soup,--a little fish,--a cutlet and a
partridge. Or order it yourself,--I am indifferent." The waiter had
scarcely left the room when I was startled by the sound of voices
so close to me as to seem at my side. They came from a little wooden
balcony to the adjoining room, which, by its pretentious bow-window,
I recognized to be the state apartment of the inn, and now in the
possession of Lord Keldrum and his party. They were talking away in that
gay, rattling, discursive fashion very young men do amongst each other,
and discussed fishing-flies, the neighboring gentlemen's seats, and the
landlady's niece.

"By the way, Kel," cried one, "it was in your visit to the bar that you
met your priest, was n't it?"

"Yes; I offered him a cigar, and we began to chat together, and so I
asked him to dine with us to-day."

"And he refused?"

"Ye