politeness? I was determined therefore to stand my ground, and
merely bowed across the room at Miss O'Conor. In so doing I made an
enemy who never deserted me during the whole of my intercourse with
the family. But for her, who knows who might have been sitting
opposite to me as I now write?

"Upon my word, Mr. Green, the ladies will expect much from an Adonis
who takes so long over his toilet," said Tom O'Conor in that cruel
tone of banter which he knew so well how to use.

"You forget, father, that men in London can't jump in and out of
their clothes as quick as we wild Irishmen," said Jack.

"Mr. Green knows that we expect a great deal from him this evening.
I hope you polk well, Mr. Green," said Kate.

I muttered something about never dancing, but I knew that that which
I said was inaudible.

"I don't think Mr. Green will dance," said Tizzy; "at least not
much." The impudence of that child was, I think, unparalleled by any
that I have ever witnessed.

"But in the name of all that's holy, why don't we have dinner?" And
Mr. O'Conor thundered at the door. "Larry, Larry, Larry!" he
screamed.

"Yes, yer honer, it'll be all right in two seconds," answered Larry,
from some bottomless abyss. "Tare an' ages; what'll I do at all," I
heard him continuing, as he made his way into the hall. Oh what a