The Martins Of Cro' Martin Volume I Part 31

"And he seemed to understand at once that reparation was to be made for it?"

"The suggestion came from himself, frankly and speedily."

"Well, it's pretty evident we have to deal with a gentleman!" said Magennis, "and that same's a comfort; so I'll leave you now for a short time: amuse yourself as well as you can, but don't quit the room." And with this caution Magennis took his departure, and set off in search of Mr. Repton's chamber.

"Where are you bringing the mutton chops, Peter?" said he to a waiter, who, with a well-loaded tray of eatables, was hastening along the corridor.

"To the ould Counsellor from Dublin, sir. He's break-fastin' with the Major."

"And that's his room, No. 19?"

"Yes, sir."

"They 're merry, at all events," said Magennis, as a burst of hearty laughter was heard from within the chamber.

"'T is just that they are, indeed," replied Peter. "The Counsellor does be telling one story after another, till you 'd think he 'd no end of them. He began last night at supper, and I could scarce change the plates for laughin'."

Muttering some not very intelligible observation to himself, Magennis pa.s.sed down the stairs, and issuing into the street, wended his way to the barber's.

If the Oughterard Figaro had not as brilliant a vocation as his colleague of Seville, his occupations were scarcely less multifarious, for he kept the post-office, was clerk at petty sessions, collected the parish cess, presided over "the pound," besides a vast number of inferior duties. Whether it was the result of a natural gift, or by the various information of his official life, Hosey Lynch was regarded in his native town as a remarkably shrewd man, and a good opinion on a number of subjects.

He was a short, decrepit old fellow, with an enormous head of curly black hair, which he seemed to cultivate with all the address of his craft; probably intending it as a kind of advertis.e.m.e.nt of his skill, displaying as it did all the resources of his handiwork. But even above this pa.s.sion was his ardor for news,--news political, social, legal, or literary; whatever might be the topic, it always interested him, and it was his especial pride to have the initiative of every event that stirred the hearts of the Oughterard public.

The small den in which he performed his functions occupied the corner of the street, giving a view in two directions, so that Hosey, while cutting and curling, never was obliged to lose sight of that world without, in whose doings he felt so strong an interest. In the one easy-chair of this sanctum was Magennis now disposed, waiting for Mr. Lynch, who had just stepped down to "the pound," to liberate the priest's pig. Nor had he long to wait, for Hosey soon made his appearance, and slipping on a very greasy-looking jean-jacket, proceeded to serve him.

"The top of the morning to you, Captain,"--he always styled him by the t.i.tle,--"it's a rare pleasure to see you so early in town; but it will be a bad market to-day--cut and curled, Captain?"

[Ill.u.s.tration: 232]

"No; shaved!" said Magennis, bluntly.

"And shaved you shall be, Captain,--and beautifully shaved, too, for I have got an excellent case from Lamprey's; they came yesterday,--came with the writ against Jones Creegan."

"At whose suit?"

"Mrs. Miles Creegan, the other brother's widow," said Hosey, lathering away and talking with breathless rapidity. "There was a clause in old Sam's will, that if ever Tom, the chap that died at Demerara--you'd like more off the whiskers, it's more military. It was only yesterday Major Froode remarked to me what a soldierlike-looking man was Captain Magennis."

"Is he in command of the detachment?"

"He is in his Majesty's--1st Foot--the 'Buccaneers,' they used to be called; I suppose you never heard why?"

"No, nor don't want to hear. What kind of a man is the Major?"

"He 's a smart, well-made man, with rather a haughty look," said Hosey, drawing himself up, and seeming to imply that there was a kind of resemblance between them.

"Is he English or Irish?"

"Scotch, Captain,--Scotch; and never gives more than fivepence for a cut and curl, pomatum included.--No letters, Mrs. Cronin," cried he, raising up the movable shutter of the little window; then bending down his ear he listened to some whispered communication from that lady, after which he shut the panel, and resumed his functions. "She 's at law with O'Reilly about the party wall. There's the Major now going down to the barracks, and I wonder who's the other along with him;" and Hosey rushed to the door to find some clew to the stranger. In less than a quarter of a minute he was back again, asking pardon for absence, and informing Magennis "that the man in plain clothes was a Dublin counsellor, that arrived the night before. I think I can guess what he's here for."

"What is it?" cried Magennis, eagerly.

"There's an election coming on, and the Martins expect a contest.--Nothing for you, Peter," said he, to an applicant for a letter outside. "He's looking to be made barony constable these four years, and he 's as much chance as I have of being--what shall I say?--"

"Are you done?" asked Magennis, impatiently.

"One minute more, sir--the least touch round the chin,--and, as I was saying, Captain, the Martins will lose the borough."

"Who thinks so besides you?" asked Magennis, gruffly.

"It is, I may say, the general opinion; the notion current in-- There 's Miss Martin herself," cried he, running to the window. "Well, really, she handles them ponies elegant!"

"Does she come often into town?"

"I don't think I saw her in Oughterard--let me see when it was--it's two years--no, but it's not far off--it's more than--"

"Are you done?" said Magennis, impatiently. "I told you that I was pressed for time this morning."

"You're finished now, Captain," said Hosey, presenting him with a small cracked looking-gla.s.s. "That's what I call a neat chin and a beautiful sweep of whisker. Thank you, Captain. It's a pleasure and an honor--not to say that it's--"

Magennis did not wait for the peroration, but striding hastily out of the little shop, issued into the street that led to the inn. On arriving there, he heard that Mr. Rep-ton had gone out, leaving word that he would be found at Major Froode's quarters. Thither Magennis now repaired with all the solemn importance befitting his mission.

As he sent in his name, he could overhear the short colloquy that pa.s.sed within, and perceived that Repton was about to retire; and now the servant ushered him into the presence of a smart, light-whiskered little man, with a pair of shrewd gray eyes, and a high forehead.

"A brother officer, I perceive, sir," said he, looking at the card, whereupon the t.i.tle Captain was inscribed; "pray take a chair."

"You antic.i.p.ate the reason of this visit, Major Froode," said the other, with some degree of constraint, as though the preliminaries were the reverse of pleasant to him. The Major bowed, and Magennis went on: "I suppose, then, I'm to treat with you as the friend of Mr. Valentine Repton?"

"And you are Mr. Ma.s.singbred's?" said the Major, answering the question with another.

"I have that honor, sir," said Magennis, pompously; "and now, sir, how soon can it come off?"

"Don't you imagine, Captain Magennis, that a little quiet discussion of the question at issue between two old soldiers, like you and myself, might possibly be advisable? Is there not a chance that our united experience might not suggest an amicable arrangement of this business?"

"Quite out of the question,--utterly, totally impossible!" said Magennis, sternly.

"Then perhaps I lie under some misconception," said the Major, courteously.

"There was a blow, sir!--a blow!" said Magennis, in the same stern tone.

"I opine that everything that occurred was purely accidental,--just hear me out,--that a hasty word and a hurried gesture, complicated with the impatient movement of a horse--"

A long whistle from Magennis interrupted the speech, and the Major, reddening to the very top of his high forehead, said,--

"Sir, this is unbecoming,--are you aware of it?"

"I'm quite ready for anything when this is settled," said Magennis, but with less composure than he desired to a.s.sume. "What I meant was, that for a blow there is but one reparation."

"Doubtless, if the injury admit of no explanation," said the Major, calmly; "but in that lies the whole question. Consider two things, Captain Magennis: first of all, the equivocal appearance of _your_ friend, the age and standing of _mine_."