‘No, my lord; I have no talent for games, but I like to look at the players.’
Joe touched Dick with his foot, and shot a cunning glance towards him, as though to say, ‘Was I not correct in all I said?’
‘Couldn’t you sing us something, my dear? we’re not such infatuated gamblers that we’ll not like to hear you—eh, Atlee?’
‘Well, my lord, I don’t know, I’m not sure—that is, I don’t see how a memory for trumps is to be maintained through the fascinating charm of mademoiselle’s voice. And as for cards, it’s enough for Miss Kostalergi to be in the room to make one forget not only the cards, but the Fenians.’
‘If it was only out of loyalty, then, I should leave you!’ said she, and walked proudly away.
CHAPTER LXXXIV
NEXT MORNING
The whist-party did not break up till nigh morning. The sergeant had once appeared at the drawing-room to announce that all was quiet without. There had been no sign of any rising of the people, nor any disposition to molest the police. Indeed, so peaceful did everything look, and such an air of easy indifference pervaded the country, the police were half disposed to believe that the report of Donogan being in the neighbourhood was unfounded, and not impossibly circulated to draw off attention from some other part of the country.
This was also Lord Kilgobbin’s belief. ‘The man has no friends, or even warm followers, down here. It was the merest accident first led him to this part of the country, where, besides, we are all too poor to be rebels. It’s only down in Meath, where the people are well off, and rents are not too high, that people can afford to be Fenians.’