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Miss Black, who was saying something in corroboration of Lady O'Shane's opinion, he first attacked, pronouncing her to be an unfeeling, canting hypocrite: then, turning to Lady O'Shane, he said that she might send the dying man away, if she pleased; but that if she did, he would go too, and that never while he existed would he enter her ladyship's doors again.
Ormond accompanied him, and by their joint exertions much of the property was placed in safety under a military guard. Some had been seized and carried off before their arrival, but not by any of Sir Herbert's tenants. It became pretty clear that the neighbours on Sir Ulick O'Shane's estate were the offenders.
One morning when Ormond awoke, the first thing he heard was, that a person from Ireland was below, who was very impatient to see him. It was Patrickson, Sir Ulick O'Shane's confidential man of business. "What news from Castle Hermitage?" cried Ormond, starting up in his bed, surprised at the sight of Patrickson.
He obeyed the lady's summons, and returned to the house. Mrs. M'Crule had not altered in disposition, though her objects had been changed by marriage. Having no longer Lady O'Shane's quarrels with her husband to talk about, she had become the pest of the village of Castle Hermitage and of the neighbourhood the Lady Bluemantle of the parish.
O'Shane's letter was most satisfactory: in terms that were not merely officially polite, but kind, "he assured Mr. O'Shane that he should, as far as it was in his power, pay attention to the young gentleman, whom Mr. O'Shane had so strongly recommended to his care, and by whose appearance and manner the general said he had been prepossessed, when he saw him some months ago at Corny Castle.
Ormond was brought in, which had been left by one of Sir Ulick O'Shane's servants as they went by. "My commission, after all," cried Harry. "I always knew, I always said, that Sir Ulick was a good friend." "Has he purchased the commission?" said Dr. Cambray. "He does not actually say so, but that must be what his note means," said Ormond. "Means! but what does it say? May I see it?"
Ormond heard of it from every tongue, it was written in every face in every house it was the subject of lamentation, of invective. In every street, poor men, with ragged notes in their hands, were stopping to pore over the names at the back of the notes, or hurrying to and fro, looking up at the shop-windows for "half price given here for O'Shane's notes."
Then Ormond, taking all the blame upon himself, and stating what had passed in the strongest light against himself, gave this account of the matter. After having drunk too much at Mr. Cornelius O'Shane's, they were returning from the Black Islands, and afraid of being late, they were galloping hard, when at a narrow part of the road they were stopped by some cars.
Having drunk enough to be ill-humoured, he replied, in an aggravating and ill-bred manner, "Your being Sir Ulick O'Shane's ward may make a difference in your feelings, sir, but I don't see why it should make any in my opinion." "In the expression of that opinion at least, sir, I think it ought."
Ormond was convinced, that in spite of all the festivity at the wake, which had so disgusted him, the poor people mourned sincerely for the friend they had lost. We forgot to mention that Dr. Cambray went to the Black Islands the day after O'Shane's death, and did all he could to prevail upon Ormond to go to his house while the wake was going on, and till the funeral should be over.
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