“I'll stake my life on it, Sandy is true to his mission. He'd not turn from the duty intrusted to him to hobnob with a Prince of the Blood. Here he comes, however; there was a knock at the door.”
But no; it was a few hurried lines in pencil from the House, begging of them to come up at once, as the Ministerial party was mustering in strength, and the Opposition benches filling but slowly. While deliberating on what course to take, a second summons came from one of the leading men of the party. It was brief, but significant: “Come up quickly. They are evidently pushed hard. Toler has sent a message to O'Donnell, and they are gone out, and Harvey says Castlereagh has six of his fellows ready to provoke us.—W. T.”
“That looks like business, Darcy,” cried Daly, in a transport of delight. “Let us lose no time; there's no knowing how soon so much good valor may ooze out.”
“But Gleeson—”
“If he comes, let him follow us to the House. We can walk; there's no use waiting for the carriage.” Then added, in a mutter to himself, “I 'd give a hundred down to have a shot at the Attorney-General. There, that 's Sandy's voice in the hall;” and at the same instant the trusty servant entered.
“Well, have you seen him?”
“Is he at home?”
“No, sirs, he's no at hame, that's clear. When I asked for him, they told me he was in bed, asleep, for that he was just arrived after a long journey; and so I waited a bit, and gaed out for a walk into the shrubberies, where I could have a look at his chamber windows, and sure enough they were a' closed. I waited a while longer, but he was still sleeping, and they dared na wake him; and so it came to nigh five o'clock, and then I was fain to send up the bit letter by the flunkie, and ask for the answer; but none came.”
“Did you say that the letter was from me?” said the Knight, hastily.
“Na, sir; but I tauld them what most people mind as well, that Mister Bagenal Daly sent me. It's a name few folk are fond to trifle wi'.”