“Well, then, will you give me your hand, and promise to serve faithfully, if I tell you all I know about the matter?”
“By the blessed Saint Nicholas, I do!” replied Dimitri; “you may trust me.”
“Well, then, it’s my opinion that my master’s over head and ears in love with her, and has come here for no other purpose.”
“Well, I’m glad you told me that; it will satisfy the police.”
“The police; why murder and Irish! you’re not going to inform the police, you villain?”
“Not with whom he is in love, most certainly, but that he has come here on that account; it will satisfy them, for they have no fear of a man that’s in love, and he will not be watched. Depend upon it, I cannot do a better thing to serve our master.”
“Well, then, perhaps you are right. I don’t like this champagne—get a bottle of Burgundy, Dimitri. Don’t look so hard—it’s all right. The captain dines out every day, and has ordered me to drink for the honour of the house.”
“He’s a capital master,” replied Dimitri, who had begun to feel the effects of the former bottles.
As soon as the third bottle was tapped, McShane continued—
“Now, Dimitri, I’ve given my opinion, and I can tell you, if my master has, as I suspect, come here about this young lady, and succeeds in obtaining her, it will be a blessed thing for you and me; for he’s as generous as the day, and has plenty of money. Do you know who she is?”