"Your—your lordship," I stammered, "I thought perhaps in London—in London perhaps—I might get a—I would try to get a tutor."
CHAPTER XIII
o that is the way of it, is it?" said the Earl, grinning. "And why did you not take it to some clerk?"
"My lord," said I with dignity, "the papers were with me in trust for you. A man may be a gentleman and yet not know how to read and write."
"'Tis quite true," answered he.
"And when I spoke of the tutor in London I did not mean to say that I would use what knowledge he imparted to read your papers. I was merely blushing for the defects in my education, although Father Donovan often said that I knew half as much as he did, poor man, and him a holy father. If you care to so direct me, I can go even now to my chamber and make shift to read the papers."
"The Irish possess a keen sense of honour," said he admiringly.