“I act a dishonorable part.  Why, sir, I scorn the imputation; but how have I acted a dishonorable part? that’s the point.”

“You put Bryan M’Mahon upon his guard against me, and consequently left an impression on his mind that I was his enemy.”

“Well,” said the other, with a good deal of irony, “that is good!  Have I, indeed?  And pray, Mr. Burke, who says so?”

“I have already stated that my authority for it is good.”

“But you must name you authority, sir, no lurking assassin shall be permitted wid impunity to stab my fair reputation wid the foul dagger of calumny and scandal.  Name your authority, sir?”

“I could do so.”

“Well, sir, why don’t you?  Let me hear the name of the illiterate miscreant, whoever he is, that has dared to tamper with my unblemished fame.”

“All I ask you,” continued Hycy, “is to candidly admit the fact, and state why you acted as you did.”

“Name your authority, sir, and then I shall speak.  Perhaps I did, and perhaps I did not; but when you name your authority I shall then give you a more satisfactory reply.  That’s the language—­the elevated language—­of a gentleman, Mr. Burke.”

“My authority then is no other than Bryan M’Mahon himself,” replied Hycy, “who told me that he was cautioned against me; so that I hope you’re now satisfied.”

“Mr. Burke,” replied Finigan, assuming a lofty and impressive manner, “I have known the M’Mahons for better than forty years; so, in fact, has the country around them; and until the present moment I never heard that a deliberate falsehood, or any breach of truth whatsoever, was imputed to any one of them.  Tom M’Mahon’s simple word was never doubted, and would pass aquil to many a man’s oath; and it is the same thing wid the whole family, man and women.  They are proverbial, sir, for truth and integrity, and a most spontaneous effusion of candor under all circumstances.  You will pardon me then, Mr. Hycy, if I avow a trifle of heresy in this matter.  You are yourself, wid great respect be it spoken, sometimes said to sport your imagination occasionally, and to try your hand wid considerable success at a lapsus veritatis.  Pardon me, then, if I think it somewhat more probable that you have just now stated what an ould instructor of mine used to call a moral thumper; excuse me, I say; and at all events I have the pleasure of drinking your health; and if my conjecture be appropriate, here’s also a somewhat closer adhesion to the veritas aforesaid to you!”

“Do you mean to insinuate that I’m stating what is not true?” said Burke, assuming an offended look, which, however, he did not feel.