The fact is, these gallant officers were rehearsing a pretty little entertainment they designed for the ladies at Belmont.  It was a serenade, in short, and they had been compelled to postpone it in consequence of the broken weather; and though both gentlemen were, of course, romantically devoted to their respective objects, yet there were no two officers in his Majesty’s service more bent upon making love with a due regard to health and comfort than our friends Cluffe and Puddock.  Puddock, indeed, was disposed to conduct it in the true masquerading spirit, leaving the ladies to guess at the authors of that concord of sweet sounds with which the amorous air of night was to quiver round the walls and groves of Belmont; and Cluffe, externally acquiescing, had yet made up his mind, if a decent opportunity presented, to be detected and made prisoner, and that the honest troubadours should sup on a hot broil, and sip some of the absent general’s curious Madeira at the feet of their respective mistresses, with all the advantage which a situation so romantic and so private would offer.

So ‘tinkle, tinkle, twang, twang, THRUM!’ went the industrious and accomplished Puddock’s guitar; and the voices of the enamoured swains kept tolerable tune and time; and Puddock would say, ’Don’t you think, Captain Cluffe, ’twould perhapth go better if we weren’t to try that shake upon A. Do let’s try the last two barth without it;’ and ’I’m thorry to trouble you, but jutht wonth more, if you pleathe—­

  ’"But hard ith the chathe my thad heart mutht purthue,
  While Daphne, thweet Daphne, thtill flieth from my view."’

Puddock, indeed, had strict notions about rehearsing, and, on occasions like this, assumed managerial airs, and in a very courteous way took the absolute command of Captain Cluffe, who sang till he was purple, and his belts and braces cracked again, not venturing to mutiny, though he grumbled a little aside.

So when Dangerfield passed Cluffe’s lodging again, returning on his way into Chapelizod, the songsters were at it still.  And he smiled his pleasant smile once more, and nodded at poor old Cluffe, who this time was very seriously put out, and flushed up quite fiercely, and said, almost in a mutiny—­

’Hang it, Puddock, I believe you’d keep a fellow singing ballads over the street all day.  Didn’t you see that cursed fellow, Dangerfield, sneering at us—­curse him—­I suppose he never heard a gentleman sing before; and, by Jove, Puddock, you know you do make a fellow go over the same thing so often it’s enough to make a dog laugh.’

A minute after Dangerfield had mounted Sturk’s door-steps, and asked to see the doctor.  He was ushered up stairs and into that back drawing-room which we know so well.  Sturk rose as he entered.

‘Your most obedient, Mr. Dangerfield,’ said the doctor, with an anxious bow.

‘Good-morning, Sir,’ said Dangerfield.  ’I’ve got your note, and am here in consequence; what can I do?’