“Do you mean,” said he, in a voice guttural with passion, “do you mean to impose upon a man of my stamp with such stupid balderdash as that? And do you fancy that such a paltry attempt at a cheat will avail you here? Now, I'll show you how we treat such pretensions without any help from lawyers. Garvey,” cried he, addressing one of the grooms who stood by, laughing heartily at his master's wit, “Garvey, go in and rouse the gentlemen; tell them to dress quickly and come downstairs; for I 've got sport for them. And you, Mick, saddle Ranty for me, and get out the dogs. Now, Mr. Carew, I like fair play, and so I'll give you fifteen minutes law. Take the shortest cut you can out of these grounds; for, by the rock of Cashel, if you 're caught, I would n't be in your skin for a trifle.”
A regular burst of savage laughter from the bystanders met this brutal speech, and the men scattered in all directions to obey the orders, while I, overwhelmed with passion, stood motionless in the now deserted yard. M'Clean himself had entered the house, and it was only when a signal from one of the grooms attracted my notice that I remarked his absence.
“This way—this way, sir, and don't lose a second,” said the man; “take that path outside the garden wall, and cross the nursery beyond it. If you don't make haste, it's all over with you.”
“He would n't dare—”
“Would n't he?” said he, stopping me. “It's little you know him. The dogs themselves has more mercy than himself when his blood is up.”
“Get the cob ready for me, Joe,” cried a half-dressed man from one of the upper windows of the house, “and a snaffle bridle, remember.”
“Yes, sir,” was the quick reply. “That's ould Delany of Shanestown, and a greater devil there isn't from this to his own place. Blood and ages,” cried he, addressing me, “won't you give yourself a chance? do you want them to tear you to pieces where you stand?”
The man's looks impressed me still more than his words; and though I scarcely believed it possible that my peril could be such as he spoke of, the terrified faces about me struck fear into my heart.
“Would men stand by,” cried I, “and see such an infamous cruelty?”
“Arrah! how could we help it?” said one, stopping me; “and if you won't do anything for yourself, what use can we be?”