‘Very fair! very fair!’ said Sir Terence.  ’My lord, trust me for remembering all the charges against him—­every item; and when he can’t clear himself, if I don’t make him buy a good character dear enough, why, say I’m a fool, and don’t know the value of character, good or bad!’

‘If you know the value of character, Sir Terence,’ said Lord Colambre, ‘you know that it is not to be bought or sold.’  Then, turning from Sir Terence to his father, he gave a full and true account of all he had seen in his progress through his Irish estates; and drew a faithful picture both of the bad and good agent.  Lord Clonbrony, who had benevolent feelings, and was fond of his tenantry, was touched; and, when his son ceased speaking, repeated several times—­

’Rascal! rascal!  How dare he use my tenants so—­the O’Neills in particular!—­Rascal! bad heart!-I’ll have no more to do with him.’  But, suddenly recollecting himself, he turned to Sir Terence, and added, ’That’s sooner said than done—­I’ll tell you honestly, Colambre, your friend Mr. Burke may be the best man in the world—­but he is the worst man to apply to for a remittance, or a loan, in a hurry!  He always tells me “he can’t distress the tenants."’—­’And he never, at coming into the agency even,’ said Sir Terence, ’advanced a good round sum to the landlord, by way of security for his good behaviour.  Now honest Nick did that much for us at coming in.’

‘And at going out is he not to be repaid?’ said Lord Colambre.

‘That’s the devil!’ said Lord Clonbrony; that’s the very reason I can’t conveniently turn him out.’

‘I will make it convenient to you, sir, if you will permit me,’ said Lord Colambre.  ’In a few days I shall be of age, and will join with you in raising whatever sum you want, to free you from this man.  Allow me to look over his account; and whatever the honest balance may be, let him have it.’

‘My dear boy!’ said Lord Clonbrony, ’you’re a generous fellow.  Fine Irish heart!—­glad you’re my son!  But there’s more, much more, that you don’t know,’ added he, looking at Sir Terence, who cleared his throat; and Lord Clonbrony, who was on the point of opening all his affairs to his son, stopped short.

‘Colambre,’ said he, ’we will not say anything more of this at present; for nothing effectual can be done till you are of age, and then we shall see all about it.’

Lord Colambre perfectly understood what his father meant, and what was meant by the clearing of Sir Terence’s throat.  Lord Clonbrony wanted his son to join him in opening the estate to pay his debts; and Sir Terence feared that, if Lord Colambre were abruptly told the whole sum total of the debts he would never be persuaded to join in selling or mortgaging so much of his patrimony as would be necessary for their payment.  Sir Terence thought that the young man, ignorant probably of business, and unsuspicious of the state of his father’s affairs, might be brought, by proper management, to any measures they desired.  Lord Clonbrony wavered between the temptation to throw himself upon the generosity of his son, and the immediate convenience of borrowing a sum of money from his agent, to relieve his present embarrassments.