“A great mistake with such men as these,” said Heffernan, oracularly; “the guests should have been the cream of your Lordship's noble acquaintance. I 'd have had an Earl and a Marquis at either side of each of them; I 'd have turned their heads with noble names, and pelted them with the Peerage the whole time of dinner; when he had taken wine with a chamberlain and some lords-in-waiting, if your Lordship would only address him, in a voice loud enough to be heard, as 'O'Reilly,' referring to him on a point of sporting etiquette or country gentleman's life, I think you might spare the baronetage the honor of his alliance. Do you think, on a proper representation, and with due securities against the repetition of the offence, the chancellor would let himself be called 'Clare'? only for once, remember,—because I 'm satisfied, if this could be arranged, O'Reilly is yours.”
“I 'd rather depute you to ask the question,” said Lord Castlereagh, laughing; “assuredly I 'll not do so myself. But when do these people come to town?—to-morrow or next day, I suppose.”
“On Friday next they will all be here. Old Hickman comes up to receive something like two hundred and twenty thousand pounds,—for Darcy has raised the money to pay off the incumbrances,—the son is coming for the debate, and the grandson is to be balloted for at Daly's.”
“You have made yourself master of all their arrangements, Heffernan: may I ask if they afford you any clew to assisting us in our object?”
“When can you give a dinner, my Lord?” said the other.
“Any day after Wednesday,—nay, Wednesday itself; I might easily get off Brooke's dinner for that day.”
“The sooner the better; time is of great consequence now. Shall we say Wednesday?”
“Be it so; now for the party.”
“A small one: selectness is the type of cordiality. The invitation must be verbal, done in your own admirable way: 'Don't be late, gentlemen, for Beerhaven and Drogheda are to meet you, and you know they scold if the soup suffers,'—something in that style. Now let us see who are our men.”
“Begin with Beerhaven and Drogheda, they are sure cards.”