though I have not wittingly brought unhappiness
upon you. But what there is to be forgiven on my side, I do forgive.
And--and I hope that you may be happy." They were the last words that
he spoke; and then leading her back to her seat, he placed her there,
and without turning to look at her again, he left the room.

He hurried down into the court, and called for his horse. As he stood
there, when his foot was in the stirrup, and his hand on the animal's
neck, Lord Desmond came up to him. "Good-bye, Desmond," he said. "It
is all over; God knows when you and I may meet again." And without
waiting for a word of reply he rode out under the porch, and putting
spurs to his horse, galloped fast across the park. The earl, when he
spoke of it afterwards to his mother, said that Owen's face had been
as it were a thundercloud.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

FOX-HUNTING IN SPINNY LANE.

I think it will be acknowledged that Mr. Prendergast had said no word
throughout the conversation recorded in a late chapter as having
taken place between him and Herbert Fitzgerald over their wine, which
could lead Herbert to think it possible that he might yet recover his
lost inheritance; but nevertheless during the whole of that evening
he held in his pocket a letter, received by him only that afternoon,
which did encourage him to think that such an event might at any rate
be possible. And, indeed, he held in his pocket two letters, having a
tendency to the same effect, but we shall have nothing now to say as
to that letter from Mr. Somers of which we have spoken before.

It must be understood that up to this time certain inquiries had
been going on with reference to the life of Mr. Matthew Mollett,
and that these inquiries were being made by agents employed by Mr.
Prendergast. He had found that Mollett's identity with Talbot had
been so fully proved as to make it, in his opinion, absolutely
necessary that Herbert and his mother should openly give up Castle
Richmond. But, nevertheless, without a hope, and in obedience solely
to what he felt that prudence demanded in so momentous a matter,
he did prosecute all manner of inquiries;--but prosecuted them
altogether in vain. And now, O thou most acute of lawyers, this new
twinkling spark of hope has come to thee from a source whence thou
least expectedst it!

_Quod minime reris Graia pandetur ab urbe._

And then, as soon as Herbert was gone from him, crossing one leg over
the other as he sat in h