Pat’s tail kept hinting to his mistress that a change would afford him satisfaction. After a time she withdrew her wistful gaze from him, and listened entirely to Ferdinand: and it struck her that he spoke particularly well to-day, though she did not see so much in his eyes as in Pat’s. The subject concerned his departure, and he asked Rose if she should be sorry. Rose, to make him sure of it, threw a music into her voice dangerous to friends. For she had given heart and soul to Evan, and had a sense, therefore, of being irredeemably in debt to her old associates, and wished to be doubly kind to them.
Pat took advantage of the diversion to stand up quietly and have a shake. He then began to kiss his mistress’s hand, to show that all was right on both sides; and followed this with a playful pretence at a bite, that there might be no subsequent misunderstanding, and then a bark and a whine. As no attention was paid to this amount of plain-speaking, Pat made a bolt. He got no farther than the length of the whip, and all he gained was to bring on himself the terrible word of drill once more. But Pat had tasted liberty. Irish rebellion against constituted authority was exhibited. Pat would not: his ears tossed over his head, and he jumped to right and left, and looked the raggedest rapparee that ever his ancestry trotted after. Rose laughed at his fruitless efforts to get free; but Ferdinand meditatively appeared to catch a sentiment in them.
“Down-charge, Sir, will you? Ah, Pat! Pat! You’ll have to obey me, my boy. Now, down-charge!”
While Rose addressed the language of reason to Pat, Ferdinand slipped in a soft word or two. Presently she saw him on one knee.
“Pat won’t, and I will,” said he.
“But Pat shall, and you had better not,” said she. “Besides, my dear Ferdinand,” she added, laughing, “you don’t know how to do it.”
“Do you want me to prostrate on all fours, Rose?”
“No. I hope not. Do get up, Ferdinand. You’ll be seen from the windows.”
Instead of quitting his posture, he caught her hand, and scared her with a declaration.
“Of all men, you to be on your knees! and to me, Ferdinand!” she cried, in discomfort.