bequeath every acre that once belonged to
them." Thus soliloquizing, he went on ringing changes over every form of
imprudence, waste, vanity, and absurdity, which, by applying to them the
simple adjective of "Irish," he fancied were at once intelligible, and
needed no other explanation. In this mood he made his entrance into
Sir Stafford's chamber, and so full of his own thoughts that the worthy
baronet could not fail to notice his preoccupation.

"Eh! Grounsel, what 's the matter, another row with my Lady, eh?" said
he, smiling with his own quiet smile.

"Not to-day. We 've not met this morning, and, consequently, the
armistice of yesterday is still unbroken! The fatigue of last night has,
doubtless, induced her to sleep a little longer, and so I have contrived
to arrive at noon without the risk of an apoplexy."

"What fatigue do you allude to?"

"Oh, I forgot I have a long story for you. What do you suppose her
Ladyship has been performing now?"

"I 've heard all about it," said Sir Stafford, pettishly. "George has
given me the whole narrative of that unlucky business. We must take care
of the poor fellow, Grounsell, and see that he wants for nothing."

"You 're thinking of the pistol-shooting; but that 's not her Ladyship's
last," said the doctor, with a malicious laugh. "It is as a Lady
Bountiful she has come out, and made her debut last night I am bound
to say with infinite success." And, without further preface, Grounsell
related the whole adventure of Lady Hester's visit to the dwarf,
omitting nothing of those details we have already laid before
the reader, and dilating with all his own skill upon the possible
consequences of the step. "I have told you already about these
people: of that old fool, the father, with his Irish pride, his Irish
pretensions, his poverty, and his insane notions about family. Well,
his head a poor thing in the best of times is gone clean mad about this
visit. And then the girls! good, dear, affectionate children as they
are, they 're in a kind of paroxysm of ecstasy about her Ladyship's
style, her beauty, her dress, the charm of her amiability, the
fascination of her manner. Their little round of daily duties will
henceforth seem a dreary toil; the very offices of their charity
will lose all the glow of zeal when deprived of that elegance which
refinement can throw over the veriest trifle. Ay! don't smile at it, the
fact is a stubborn one. They 'd barter the deepest devotion they