“Faith, I think it’s six o’ one and half-a-dozen of the other with them.  Still, a body would suppose that the high rogue ought to rest contented; but it’s a hard thing they say to satisfy the cravin’s of man’s heart when pride, an’ love of wealth an’ power, get into it.”

“I’m not at all happy in my mind, Polly,” observed her husband, meditatively; “I’m not at aise—­and I won’t bear this state of mind much longer.  But, then, again, there’s my pension; and that I’ll lose if I spake out.  I sometimes think I’ll go to the country some o’ these days, and see an ould friend.”

“An where to, if it’s a fair question?”

“Why,” he replied, “maybe it’s a fair-question to ask, but not so fair to answer.  Ay!  I’ll go to the country—­I’ll start in a few days—­in a few days!  No, savin’ to me, but I’ll start to-morrow.  Polly, I could tell you something if I wished—­I say I have a secret that none o’ them knows—­ay, have I. Oh, God pardon me!  The d——­d thieves, to make me, me above all men, do the blackest part of the business—­an’ to think o’ the way they misled Edward, too—­who, after all, would be desavin’ poor Lady Gourlay, if he had tould her all as he thought, although he did not know that he would be misleadin’ her.  Yes, faith, I’ll start for the country tomorrow, plaise God; but listen, Polly, do you know who’s in town?”

“Arra, no!—­how could I?”

“Kate M’Bride, so Ginty tells me; she’s livin’ with her.”

“And why didn’t she call to see you?” asked his wife.  “And yet God knows it’s no great loss; but if ever woman was cursed wid a step-daughter, I was wid her.”

“Don’t you know very well that we never spoke since her runaway match with M’Bride.  If she had married Cummins, I’d a’ given her a purty penny to help him on; but instead o’ that she cuts off with a sojer, bekaise he was well faced, and starts with him to the Aist Indies.  No; I wouldn’t spake to her then, and I’m not sure I’ll spake to her now either; and yet I’d like to see her—­the unfortunate woman.  However, I’ll think of it; but in the mane time, as I said, I’ll start for the country in the mornin’.”

And to the country he did start the next morning; and if, kind reader, it so happen that you feel your curiosity in any degree excited, all you have to do is to take a seat in your own imagination, whether outside or in, matters not, the fare is the same, and thus you will, at no great cost, be able to accompany him.  But before we proceed further we shall, in the first place, convey you in ours to the ultimate point of his journey.