“He has as much notion,” thought Bryan, “of troubling his head about me or my memorial, as I have for standin’ candidate for the county.  D—­n them all! they think of nobody but themselves!”

CHAPTER XVIII.—­A Family Dialogue

—­Ahadarra not in for it—­Bryan’s Vote.

Honest Jemmy Burke, we have already said, had brought home his second son, Edward, from school, for the purpose of training him to agricultural pursuits, having now abandoned all notions of devoting him to the Church, as he would have done had Hycy manifested towards him even the ordinary proofs of affection and respect.

“You druv me to it, Rosha,” said he to his wife; “but I’ll let you both know that I’m able to be masther in my own house still.  You have made your pet what he is; but I tell you that if God hasn’t said it, you’ll curse one another with bitther hearts yet.”

“Well, sure you have your own way,” replied his wife, “but you wor ever and always self-willed and headstrong.  However, it’s all the mane blood that’s in you; it breaks your heart to see your son a gintleman; but in spite of your strong brogues and felt caubeen, a gentleman he is, and a gentleman he will be, an’ that’s all I have to say about it.  You’ll tache your pet to hate his brother, I’ll go bail.”

“No, indeed, Rosha,” he replied, “I know my duty to God and my childre’ betther than to turn them against one another; but it’s only a proof of how little you know about Edward and his warm and lovin’ heart, when you spake as you do.”

This indeed was true.  Edward Burke was but a short time at home when he saw clearly how matters stood in the family.  He was in fact a youth of a most affectionate and generous disposition, and instead of attempting to make the breach wider, as Hycy had he been in his place would have done, he did everything in his power to put the parties into a good state of feeling with each other, and to preserve peace and harmony in the family.

One morning, a few days after Hycy’s rejection by Miss Clinton, they were all at breakfast, “the accomplished” being in one of his musical and polite moods, his father bland but sarcastic, and Edward in a state of actual pain on witnessing the wilful disrespect or rather contempt that was implied by Hycy towards his parents.  “Well, Ned,” said his father, “didn’t we spend a pleasant evenin’ in Gerald Cavanagh’s last night?  Isn’t Kathleen a darlin’?”

“She is a delightful girl,” replied Edward, “it can’t be denied; indeed, I don’t think I ever saw so beautiful a girl, and as for her figure, it is perfect—­perfect.”

“Ay,” said the father, “and it’s she that knows the difference between a decent sensible boy and a—­gintleman—­a highflyer.  She was both kind and civil to you, Ned.”

“I don’t know as to the kindness,” replied Edward; “but she was certainly civil and agreeable, and I don’t think it’s in her nature to be anything else.”