turning to Lord Clonbrony, who looked much more abashed than he
did, "By the wise one, my good lord, I believe there are some
men--noblemen, too--that don't know their friends from their enemies.
It's my firm persuasion, now, that if I had served you as I served my
friend I was talking of, your son there would, ten to one, think I had
done him an injury by saving the family plate."

"I certainly should, sir. The family plate, sir, is not the first
object in my mind," replied Lord Colambre; "family honour--Nay, Miss
Nugent, I must speak," continued his lordship; perceiving, by her
countenance, that she was alarmed.

"Never fear, Miss Nugent, dear," said Sir Terence; "I'm as cool as
a cucumber.--Faith! then, my Lord Colambre, I agree with you, that
family honour's a mighty fine thing, only troublesome to one's self
and one's friends, and expensive to keep up with all the other
expenses and debts a gentleman has now-a-days. So I, that am under no
natural obligations to it by birth or otherwise, have just stood by it
through life, and asked myself, before I would volunteer being bound
to it, what could this same family honour do for a man in this world?
And, first and foremost, I never remember to see family honour stand
a man in much stead in a court of law--never saw family honour stand
against an execution, or a custodiam, or an injunction even.--'Tis
a rare thing, this same family honour, and a very fine thing; but I
never knew it yet, at a pinch, pay for a pair of boots even," added
Sir Terence, drawing up his own with much complacency.

At this moment, Sir Terence was called out of the room by one who
wanted to speak to him on particular business.