CHAPTER XIV .-- State of the Country.
-- O'Driscol rivals Falstaff--Who Buck English was supposed to be.
M'Carthy, on finding that he had failed, in consequence of the disappearance of Finnerty, in developing the system which nurtured such cowardly and inhuman principles, now found it necessary, independent of all threats uttered against him, to return to college in order to prosecute his studies, and maintain the high position which he had there obtained by honors already won, and the general brilliancy of his answering.

A kind of love-quarrel had taken place between himself and Julia Purcel, which, as is frequently the case, prevented him on the one side from giving, and her on the other, from receiving an explanation.
The consequence was that they separated, each laboring under that yearning of the heart towards the other, which combines the most delicious sensations connected with the passion--tenderness disguised under an impression of offence, hope, uncertainty, and that awful anger that is never to forgive or change, but which, in the meantime, is furtively seeking for an opportunity to be reconciled, and vent its rage in kisses and in tears.
In the meantime, the state of the country was fast becoming such as had seldom, or perhaps never been recollected by living man.

The confederation, conspiracy, opposition, rebellion, or what you will, had risen to a gigantic height.

In point of fact, it ought rather to have been termed an unarmed insurrection.

Passive resistance was the order and the practice of the day.