I have been too confiding and easy--in fact, I have not thought for myself; but been merely good or evil, according to the caprice of the man who managed me, and whom, up until now, I did not suspect." "The man, my good friend, is probably not worse in general than others," replied Vanston; "but the truth is, that there has been such a laxity of management in Irish property--such indifference and neglect upon our part, and such gross ignorance of our duties, that agents were, and in most cases are, at liberty to act as they please in our names, and under show of our authority; you can scarcely suppose this man, consequently, much worse than others who are placed in similar circumstances." The dialogue was here interrupted by the entrance of old Clinton and his nephew; but, as our readers are already in possession of the proofs they brought against Hycy Burke and Fethertonge, it is not necessary that we should detail there conversation at full length.
"I must confess," said Clinton, "that I would have some reason to feel ashamed of my part in the transactions with respect to Ahadarra, were it not, in the first place, that I have never been much afflicted with the commodity; and, in the next, that these transactions are too common to excite any feeling one way or the other." "But you must have known, Clinton," said Chevydale, "that it was a most iniquitous thing in you to enter into a corrupt bargain with a dishonest agent for the property which you knew to belong to another man." "What other man, Mr.Chevydale?
Had not M'Mahon's lease expired ?" "But had you not in your own possession my father's written promise--written, too, on his death-bed--to these honest men, that they should have their leases renewed ?" "Yes, but that was your agent's affair, and his dishonesty, too, not mine." "As much yours as his; and, by the way, I don't see upon what principle you, who are equally involved with him in the profligacy of the transaction, should come to bear testimony against him now.

They say there is honor among thieves, but I see very little of it here." "Faith, to tell you the truth," replied Clinton, "as I said to Harry here, because _I like to see a rogue punished, especially when he is not prepared for it_." "Well," said Chevydale, with a very solemn ironical smile, "I am myself very much of your way of thinking; and, as a proof of it, I beg to say that, as your appointment to the office of Supervisor has not yet been made out, I shall write to my brother, the Commissioner, to take care that it never shall.

To procure the promotion of a man who can deliberately avow his participation in such shameless profligacy would be to identify myself with it.

You have been doubly treacherous, Mr.
Clinton; first to me, whom you know to be your friend, and, in the next place, to the unfortunate partner in your villany, and at my expense; for d----d if I can call it less.

What noise is that ?" Clinton the elder here withdrew, and had scarcely disappeared when two voices were heard in the hall, in a kind of clamorous remonstrance with each other, which voices were those of Father Magowan and our friend O'Finigan, as we must now call him, inasmuch as he is, although early in the day, expanded with that hereditary sense of dignity which will not allow the great O to be suppressed.
"Behave, and keep quiet, now," said his Reverence, "you unfortunate pedagogue you; I tell you that you are inebriated." "Pardon me, your Reverence," replied O'Finigan; "_non ebrius sed vino gravatus_, devil a thing more." "Get out, you profligate," replied the priest, "don't you know that either, at this time o' day, is too bad ?" "_Nego, dominie--nego, Dominie revendre_--denial is my principle, I say.
Do you assert that there's no difference between _ebrius_ and _gravatus vino_ ?" "In your case, you reprobate, I do.