“Then I must say,” replied his lordship, “Mr. Lorrequer is the only person who regrets the matter; for had it not been for this, it is more than probable we should never have known we were so near neighbours; in fact, nothing could equal our amazement at hearing were playing the ‘Solitaire’ down here.  You must have found it dreadfully heavy, ’ad have thought us downright savages.’  But then I must explain to you, that my father has made some ‘rule absolute’ about visiting when down here.  And though I know you’ll not consider it a compliment, yet I can assure you there is not another man I know of he would pay attention to, but yourself.  He made two efforts to get here this morning, but the gout ‘would not be denied,’ and so he deputed a most inferior ‘diplomate;’ and now will you let me return with some character from my first mission, and inform my friends that you will dine with us to-day at seven—­a mere family party; but make your arrangements to stop all night and to-morrow:  we shall find some work for my friend there on the hearth; what do you call him, Mr. Lorrequer?”

“’Mouche’—­come here, ‘Mouche.’”

“Ah ‘Mouche,’ come here, my fine fellow—­a splendid dog, indeed; very tall for a thorough-bred; and now you’ll not forget, seven, ’temps militaire,’ and so, sans adieu.”

And with these words his lordship shook me heartily by the hand; and before two minutes had elapsed, had wrapped his box-coat once more across him, and was round the corner.

I looked for a few moments on the again silent street, and was almost tempted to believe I was in a dream, so rapidly had the preceding moments passed over; and so surprised was I to find that the proud Earl of Callonby, who never did the “civil thing” any where, should think proper to pay attention to a poor sub in a marching regiment, whose only claim on his acquaintance was the suspicion of poaching on his manor.  I repeated over and over all his lordship’s most polite speeches, trying to solve the mystery of them; but in vain:  a thousand explanations occurred, but none of them I felt at all satisfactory; that there was some mystery somewhere, I had no doubt; for I remarked all through that Lord Kilkee laid some stress upon my identity, and even seemed surprised at my being is such banishment.  “Oh,” thought I at last, “his lordship is about to get up private theatricals, and has seen my Captain Absolute, or perhaps my Hamlet”—­I could not say “Othello” even to myself—­“and is anxious to get ‘such unrivalled talent’ even ‘for one night only.’”

After many guesses this seemed the nearest I could think of; and by the time I had finished my dressing for dinner, it was quite clear to me I had solved all the secret of his lordship’s attentions.