d follow under his
escort. In about a quarter of an hour he came, having met the widow in
the street, who sent him back for Miss Riley. Now Murtough saw the trap
which was intended for him, and thought it fair to make what fun he
could of the affair, and being already sickened by various disgusting
exhibitions of the damsel's affectation, he had the less scruple of
"taking her down a peg," as he said himself.

When Murtough reached the house and asked for Miss Riley, he was ushered
into the little drawing-room; and there was that very full-blown young
lady, on a chair before the fire, her left foot resting on the fender,
her right crossed over it, and her body thrown back in a reclining
attitude, with a sentimental droop of the head over a greasy novel: her
figure was _rather_ developed by her posture, indeed more so than Miss
Riley quite intended, for her ankles were not unexceptionable, and the
position of her feet revealed rather more. A bonnet and green veil lay
on the hearth-rug, and her shawl hung over the handle of the
fire-shovel. When Murphy entered, he was received with a faint "How d'
do?"

"Pretty well, I thank you--how are you?" said Murphy, in his rollicking
tone.

"Oh! Miste' Murphy, you are so odd."

"Odd, am I--how am I odd?"

"Oh! _so_ odd."

"Well, you'd better put on your bonnet and come walk, and we can talk
of my oddity after."

"Oh, indeed, I _cawn't_ walk."

"Can't walk!" exclaimed Murphy. "Why can't you walk? I was sent for
you."

"'Deed I cawn't."

"Ah, now!" said Murphy, giving her a little tender poke of his
forefinger on the shoulder.

"Don't, Mister Murphy, _pray_ don't."

"But why won't you walk?"

"I'm too delicate."

Murphy uttered a very long "Oh!!!!!"

"'Deed I am, Miste' Murphy, though you may disbelieve it."

"Well--a nice walk is the best thing in the world for the health. Come
along!"

"Cawn't indeed; a gentle walk on a terrace, or a shadowy avenue, is all
very well--the Rotunda Gardens, for instance."

"Not forgetting the military bands that play there," said Murphy,
"together with the officers of all the barracks in Dublin, clinking
their sabres at their heels along the gravel walks, all for the small
charge of a fi'penny bit."

Miss Riley gave a reproachful look and shrug at the vulgar mention of a
"fi'penny bit," which Murphy purposely said to shock her "Brummagem
gentility."

"How can you be so odd, Miste' Murphy?" she said. "I don't joke,
indeed