Davenport Dunn, a Man of Our Day. Volume 1. Lever Charles James

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ of a loan, – a small matter of money your Lordship was wantin’ just at this moment.”

      “I prefer doing these kind of things through my solicitors. I know nothing of business, sir, absolutely nothing,” said his Lordship, haughtily. “The present case, however, might form an exception. The sum I require is, as you justly remark, a mere trifle, and the occasion is not worthy of legal interference.”

      “Yes, my Lord,” chimed in Driscoll, who had a most provoking habit of employing the affirmative in all situations.

      “I suppose he mentioned to you the amount?” asked his Lordship, quickly.

      “No, indeed, my Lord; all he said was, ‘Terry,’ says he, ‘go over to Bilton’s Hotel with this note, and ask for Lord Glengariff. He wants a little ready cash,’ says he, ‘and I tould him you ‘re a likely man to get it for him. It’s too small a matter for us here,’ says he, ‘to be bothered about.’”

      “He had n’t the insolence to make use of these words towards me!” said Lord Glengariff, growing almost purple with passion.

      “Faix, I ‘m afeard he had, my Lord,” said Terry, looking down; “but I ‘m sure he never meant any harm in it; ‘t was only as much as to say, ‘There, Terry, there ‘s something for you; you ‘re a poor strugglin’ man, and are well plazed to turn a penny in a small way. If you can accommodate my Lord there,’ says he, ‘he ‘ll not forget it to you.’”

      The conclusion of this speech was far more satisfactory to his Lordship than its commencement seemed to promise; and Lord Glengariff smiled half graciously as he said, “I ‘m not in the habit of neglecting those who serve me.”

      “Yes, my Lord,” said Driscoll, again.

      “I may safely say that any influence I possess has always been exercised in favor of those who have been, so to say, supporters of my family.”

      Had his Lordship uttered a sentiment of the most exalted and self-denying import, he could not have assumed a prouder air than when he had finished these words. “And now, Mr. Driscoll, to business. I want five thousand pounds – ”

      A long, low whistle from Terry, as he threw up both his hands in the air, abruptly stopped his Lordship.

      “What do you mean? Does the sum appear so tremendous, sir?”

      “Five thousand! Where would I get it? Five thousand pounds? By the mortial man! your Lordship might as well ax me for five millions. I thought it was a hundred; or, maybe, a hundred and fifty; or, at the outside, two hundred pounds, just to take you over to London for what they call the sayson, or to cut a figure at Paris; but, five thousand! By my conscience, that’s the price of an estate nowadays!”

      “It is upon estated property I intend to raise this loan, sir,” said his Lordship, angrily.

      “Not Cushnacreena, my Lord?” asked Terry, eagerly.

      “No, sir; that is secured by settlement.”

      “Nor Ballyrennin?”

      “No; the townland of Ballyrennin is, in a manner, tied up.”

      “Tory’s Mill, maybe?” inquired Terry, with more eagerness.

      “Well, sir,” said his Lordship, drawing himself up, “I must really make you my compliments upon the very accurate knowledge you appear to possess about my estate. Since what period, may I venture to ask, have you conceived this warm interest in my behalf?”

      “The way of it was this, my Lord,” said Driscoll, drawing his chair closer, and dropping his voice to a low, confidential tone. “After I had the fever, – the fever and ague I told you about, – I got up out of bed the poor crayture you see me, not able to think of anything, or do a hand’s turn for myself, but just a burden on my friends or anybody that would keep me. Well, I tried all manner of ways to make myself useful, and I used to go errands here and there over the country for any one that wanted to know what land was to be sold, where there was a lot of good sheep, who had a drove of bullocks or a fancy bull; and, just getting into the habit of it, I larned a trifle of what was doing in the three counties, so that the people call me ‘Terry’s Almanack,’ – that’s the name they gave me, better than Tearin’ Terry, anyhow! At all events, I got a taste for finding out the secrets of all the great families; and, to be sure, if I only had the memory, I’d know a great deal, but my head is like a cullender, and everything runs out as fast as you put it in. That’s how it is, my Lord, and no lie in it.” And Terry wiped his forehead and heaved a heavy sigh, like a man who had just accomplished a very arduous task.

      “So, then, I begin to understand how Hankes sent you over here to me,” said his Lordship.

      “Yes, my Lord,” muttered Terry, with a bow.

      “I had been under the impression – the erroneous impression – that you were yourself prepared to advance this small sum.”

      “Me! Terry Driscoll lend five thousand pounds! Arrah, look at me, my Lord, – just take a glance at me, and you ‘ll see how likely it is I ‘d have as many shillings! ‘T was only by rayson of being always about – on the tramp, as they call it – that Mr. Hankes thought I could be of use to your Lordship. ‘Go over,’ says he, ‘and just tell him who and what you are.’ There it is now!”

      Lord Glengariff made no reply, but slowly walked the room in deep meditation; a passing feeling of pity for the poor fellow before him had overcome any irritation his own disappointment had occasioned, and for the moment the bent of his mind was compassionate.

      “Well, Driscoll,” said he, at length, “I don’t exactly see how you can serve me in this matter.”

      “Yes, my Lord,” said Terry, with a pleasant leer of his restless eyes.

      “I say I don’t perceive that you can contribute in any way to the object I have in view,” said his Lordship, half peevish at being, as he thought, misapprehended. “Hankes ought to have known as much himself.”

      “Yes, my Lord,” chimed in Terry.

      “And you may tell him so from me. He is totally unfitted for his situation, and I am only surprised that Dunn, shrewd fellow that he is, should have ever placed a man of this stamp in a position of such trust. The first requisite in such a man is to understand the deference he owes to us.”

      There was an emphasis on the last monosyllable that pretty clearly announced how little share Terry Driscoll enjoyed in this co-partnery.

      “That because I have a momentary occasion for a small sum of ready money, he should send over to confer with me a half-witted – I mean a man only half recovered from a fever – a poor fellow still suffering from – ”

      “Yes, my Lord,” interposed Terry, as he laid his hand on his forehead in token of the seat of his calamity.

      “It is too gross, – it is outrageous, – but Dunn shall hear of it, – Dunn shall deal with this fellow when he comes back. I ‘m sorry for you, Driscoll, – very sorry indeed; it is a sad bereavement, and though you are not exactly a case for an asylum, – perhaps, indeed, you might have objections to an asylum – ”

      “Yes, my Lord.”

      “Well, in that case private friends are, I opine – private friends – and the kind sympathies of those who have known you – СКАЧАТЬ