the suspicion of ill-will never fails to produce it,’ so he had often found, that taking it for granted that no ill-will exists has the most conciliating effect.  He said, to please opposite parties, he used no arts; but he tried to make all his neighbours live comfortably together, by making them acquainted with each other’s good qualities; by giving them opportunities of meeting sociably, and, from time to time, of doing each other little services and good offices.  ’Fortunately, he had so much to do,’ he said, ’that he had no time for controversy.  He was a plain man, made it a rule not to meddle with speculative points, and to avoid all irritating discussions; he was not to rule the country, but to live in it, and make others live as happily as he could.’

Having nothing to conceal in his character, opinions, or circumstances, Mr. Burke was perfectly open and unreserved in his manner and conversation; freely answered all the traveller’s inquiries, and took pains to show him everything he desired to see.  Lord Colambre said he had thoughts of settling in Ireland; and declared, with truth, that he had not seen any part of the country he should like better to live in than this neighbourhood.  He went over most of the estate with Mr. Burke, and had ample opportunities of convincing himself that this gentleman was indeed, as the innkeeper had described him, ’a right good gentleman, and a right good agent.’

He paid Mr. Burke some just compliments on the state of the tenantry, and the neat and flourishing appearance of the town of Colambre.

’What pleasure it will give the proprietor when he sees all you have done!’ said Lord Colambre.

’Oh, sir, don’t speak of it!—­that breaks my heart, he never has shown the least interest in anything I have done; he is quite dissatisfied with me, because I have not ruined his tenantry, by forcing them to pay more than the land is worth; because I have not squeezed money from them by fining down rents; and—­but all this, as an Englishman, sir, must be unintelligible to you.  The end of the matter is, that, attached as I am to this place and the people about me, and, as I hope, the tenantry are to me—­I fear I shall be obliged to give up the agency.’

‘Give up the agency!  How so?—­you must not,’ cried Lord Colambre, and, for the moment, he forgot himself; but Mr. Burke took this only for an expression of good-will.

‘I must, I am afraid,’ continued he.  ’My employer, Lord Clonbrony, is displeased with me—­continual calls for money come upon me from England, and complaints of my slow remittances.’

’Perhaps Lord Clonbrony is in embarrassed circumstances said Lord Colambre.

‘I never speak of my employer’s affairs, sir,’ replied Mr. Burke; now for the first time assuming an air of reserve.

‘I beg pardon, sir—­I seem to have asked an indiscreet question.’  Mrs. Burke was silent.

‘Lest my reserve should give you a false impression, I will add, sir,’ resumed Mr. Burke, ’that I really am not acquainted with the state of his lordship’s affairs in general.  I know only what belongs to the estate under my own management.  The principal part of his lordship’s property, the Clonbrony estate, is under another agent, Mr. Garraghty.’