‘This means,’ said Lockwood drearily, ‘we shall have to pass a day in this wretched place.’
‘It will take a day to dry our wet clothes; and, all things considered, one might be worse off than here. Besides, I shall want to look over my notes. I have done next to nothing, up to this time, about the Land Question.’
‘I thought that the old fellow with the cow, the fellow I gave a cigar to, had made you up in your tenant-right affair,’ said Lockwood.
‘He gave me a great deal of very valuable information; he exposed some of the evils of tenancy at will as ably as I ever heard them treated, but he was occasionally hard on the landlord.’
‘I suppose one word of truth never came out of his mouth!’
‘On the contrary, real knowledge of Ireland is not to be acquired from newspapers; a man must see Ireland for himself—see it,’ repeated he, with strong emphasis.
‘And then?’
‘And then, if he be a capable man, a reflecting man, a man in whom the perceptive power is joined to the social faculty—’
‘Look here, Cecil, one hearer won’t make a House: don’t try it on speechifying to me. It’s all humbug coming over to look at Ireland. You may pick up a little brogue, but it’s all you’ll pick up for your journey.’ After this, for him, unusually long speech, he finished his glass, lighted his bedroom candle, and nodding a good-night, strolled away.
‘I’d give a crown to know where I heard of you before!’ said Walpole, as he stared up at the portrait.