The next painting which they approached was the famous painting of Europa carried off by Jupiter in the shape of a bull, from the distinguished pencil of the celebrated Claude Lorraine.
"The painter who has produced that truly ennobled specimen of his divine art," said Sir Patricius, with great pomp and emphasis, save when he was interrupted by a constitutional cough, "the painter, hem, hem, hem, was, Sir Captain, let me tell to you, inimitable! He deeply studied nature, and hence he acquired that elevated gùsto, which has justly stamped a superlative value upon all his masterly works; his truly lovely landscapes, glowing with Italian suns, and with Italian verdure, Italia diis sacra, hem, hem, hem! Yes, bold Sir, upon these he acted, and on the noble inspirations of nature! verifying on glowing canvass the most apposite and veritable saying of the great and learned Archimedes,
'DOSS MOI, TANE STIGMEN!'
'That, brave Sir, means—'Give me a point to stand upon;' and Sir, aye Sir, I shall move 'the great globe itself; yea, and all that it inhabit!'—That, Sir, is a Claude!"
"Heaven and earth!—clawed! What do I hear," said the astonished Captain, in a most lachrymal tone; "clawed!—what a thousand pities! irreparable—hopelessly irreparable! Indeed I always knew too well that cats were most destructive, malicious animals. But say what inducing cause—what motive? here was depicted no lively representation of rat, rabbit, pigeon—no, nor mouse! wonderful! 'Fore Jove I swear, that all the confounded pestilential breed of cats in the county should swing before I should endure to have such a noble painting as that clawed by any cat o' the mountain in the province!"
Here Sir Patricius Placebo raised his intelligent eyes in dumb despair, very nearly indeed allied to positive contempt. But after a short momentary gaze of astonishment, and a slight expression of contempt, his muscles relaxed into a cheering smile; and seeing from the window, as he looked out, some of the guests to arrive, he gaily said—"I see clearly, Captain Heaviside, that you prefer living faces to their mute representation on canvass, so let us adjourn, si vous voulez, and attend the ladies; and egad I think I can show you some fine girls; there, Captain, you see are some fair specimens, the six Misses O'Carrol, and all dressed so gay in pink, blue, and crimson, smiling and blooming like a bed of budding pæonies in June!"
"Vastly koind, good Sir Patricius; vastly koind, j'irai la sans failler, eh?—Yes I do admire pretty girls exceedingly; and I must say, by Jove, that I prefer them to all your Hebes, Cupids, and Ganymedes, on copper, canvass, or panel!"
The chimes of the bells of the ducal chapel now gave warning note that the baptismal ceremony was nigh at hand, and all the guests consequently approached the sacred edifice. And at the high altar, gorgeously decorated, from a golden ewer the ceremony of ablution was performed. When the lovely Adelaide received the sprinkling she smiled most sweetly; and as her nurse, Mrs. Judith Braingwain, (whom we shall hear more of anon,) afterwards very appropriately told it: "Heaven bless the dear bonnie babe, how sweetly it was she smiled bekase she was made a Christian cratur!"
The ceremony concluded upon the return of the noble party to the castle. Cake, caudle, and wine, and various confectionary, were dealt out with no sparing hand. Many of the company sat down to different card-tables, and played, as was then the fashion, at ombre, cribbage, loo, jusqué a dìner, when they were entertained at a most princely and magnificent banquet.
The Duke of Tyrconnel received all his guests with frank and due welcome and courtesy. His Grace was attired in the following costume:—a large well powdered peruke, which freely flowed over the splendid mantle and robes of the order of the garter. His Grace also wore the magnificent collar and gem, and resplendent star, of the illustrious order. His stockings were of light blue coloured silk, and drawn up in a fashion similar to those of Sir Patricius Placebo; and around the left leg, beneath the knee, was buckled the embroidered and mottoed garter, which pertains to, and from which this distinguished order receives its appellation. The stockings were adorned "with quirks and clokes about the ancles" of gold withal, and curiously and richly wrought.