‘Thoroughly.’
‘Your mission will be to explain—when asked to explain—certain difficulties of Irish life and habits, and if his lordship should direct conversation to topics of the East, to be careful to know nothing of the subject whatever—mind that.’
‘I shall be careful. I have read the Arabian Nights—but that’s all.’
‘And of that tendency to small joking and weak epigram I would also caution you to beware; they will have no success in the quarter to which you are going, and they will only damage other qualities which you might possibly rely on.’
Atlee bowed a submissive acquiescence.
‘I don’t know that you’ll see Lady Maude Bickerstaffe, his lordship’s niece.’ He stopped as if he had unwittingly uttered an awkwardness, and then added—‘I mean she has not been well, and may not appear while you are at the castle; but if you should—and if, which is not at all likely, but still possible, you should be led to talk of Kilgobbin and the incident that has got into the papers, you must be very guarded in all you say. It is a county family of station and repute. We were there as visitors. The ladies—I don’t know that I ‘d say very much of the ladies.’
‘Except that they were exceedingly plain in looks, and somewhat passées besides,’ added Atlee gravely.
‘I don’t see why you should say that, sir,’ replied the other stiffly. ‘If you are not bent on compromising me by an indiscretion, I don’t perceive the necessity of involving me in a falsehood.’
‘You shall be perfectly safe in my hands,’ said Atlee.
‘And that I may be so, say as little about me as you can. I know the injunction has its difficulties, Mr. Atlee, but pray try and observe it.’