'Give up the agency! How so?—you must not,' cried Lord Colambre, and, for the moment, he forgot himself; but Mr. Burke took this only for an expression of good-will.
'I must, I am afraid,' continued he. 'My employer, Lord Clonbrony, is displeased with me—continual calls for money come upon me from England, and complaints of my slow remittances.'
'Perhaps Lord Clonbrony is in embarrassed circumstances said Lord Colambre.
'I never speak of my employer's affairs, sir,' replied Mr. Burke; now for the first time assuming an air of reserve.
'I beg pardon, sir—I seem to have asked an indiscreet question.' Mrs. Burke was silent.
'Lest my reserve should give you a false impression, I will add, sir,' resumed Mr. Burke, 'that I really am not acquainted with the state of his lordship's affairs in general. I know only what belongs to the estate under my own management. The principal part of his lordship's property, the Clonbrony estate, is under another agent, Mr. Garraghty.'
'Garraghty!' repeated Lord Colambre; 'what sort of a person is he? But I may take it for granted, that it cannot fall to the lot of one and the same absentee to have two such agents as Mr. Burke.'
Mr. Burke bowed, and seemed pleased by the compliment, which he knew he deserved—but not a word did he say of Mr. Garraghty; and Lord Colambre, afraid of betraying himself by some other indiscreet question, changed the conversation.
That very night the post brought a letter to Mr. Burke, from Lord Clonbrony, which Mr. Burke gave to his wife as soon as he had read it, saying—
'See the reward of all my services!'