’I thank you, Sir, no; ‘tis a little too early for me.’  And so with the usual ceremonies, Mr. Lowe departed, the governor of the Brass Castle walking beside his horse, as far as the iron gate, to do him honour; and as he rode away towards Lucan, Mr. Dangerfield followed him with a snowy smirk.

Then briskly, after his wont, the knight of the shining spectacles made his natty toilet; and in a few minutes his cocked hat was seen gliding along the hedge toward Chapelizod.

He glanced up at Sturk’s window—­it was a habit now—­so soon as he came in sight, but all looked as usual.  So he mounted the steps, and asked to see Mrs. Sturk.

‘My dear Madam,’ said he, after due courtesies interchanged, ’I’ve but a few minutes; my horse waits yonder at the Phoenix, and I’m away to town.  How does your patient to-day?’

’Oh, mighty well—­wonderful—­that is considering how cold the weather is.  The doctor says he’s lower, indeed, but I don’t mind that, for he must be lower while the cold continues; I always say that; and I judge very much by the eye; don’t you, Mr. Dangerfield? by his looks, you know; they can’t deceive me, and I assure you—­’

‘Your house is quiet; are the children out, Ma’am?’

‘Oh, yes, with Mag in the park.’

‘Perhaps, Ma’am, you’d let me see him?’

‘See him?’

‘Yes, look on him, Ma’am, only for a moment you know.’

She looked very much surprised, and perhaps a little curious and frightened.

’I hope you haven’t heard he’s worse, Mr. Dangerfield.  Oh, Sir, sure you haven’t?’

’No, Madam, on my honour, except from yourself, I’ve heard nothing of him to-day; but I’d like to see him, and speak a word to you, with your permission.’

So Mrs. Sturk led the way up stairs, whispering as she ascended; for she had always the fancy in her head that her Barney was in a sweet light sleep, from which he was on no account to be awakened, forgetting, or not clearly knowing, that all the ordnance in the barrack-yard over the way had not voice enough to call him up from that dread slumber.

‘You may go down, my dear,’ said Mr. Dangerfield to the little girl, who rose silently from the chair as they entered; ’with your permission, Mistress Sturk—­I say, child, you may run down,’ and he smiled a playful, sinister smile, with a little wave of his finger toward the door.  So she courtesied and vanished obediently.

Then he drew the curtain, and looked on Doctor Sturk.  There lay the hero of the tragedy, his smashed head strapped together with sticking-plaster, and a great white fold of fine linen, like a fantastic turban, surmounting his grim yellow features.

Then he slipped his fingers under the coverlet, and took his hand; a strange greeting that!  But it was his pulse he wanted, and when he had felt it for a while—­

‘Psha!’ said he in a whisper—­for the semblance of sleep affected everyone alike—­’his pulse is just gone.  Now, Madam, listen to me.  There’s not a soul in Chapelizod but yourself who does not know his wounds are mortal—­he’s dying, Ma’am.’