I expressed due sympathy for her losses, and regretted that her health, bodily and spiritual, was so indifferent.
"I have no good news for you, Terence," continued Mrs. O'Finn. "Your brother Arthur is following your poor father's example, and ruining himself with hounds and horses. He's a weak and wilful man, and nothing can save him, I fear. Though he never treated me with proper respect, I strove to patch up match between him and Miss MacTeggart. Five thousand down upon the nail, and three hundred a year, failing her mother. I asked her here on a visit, and, though he had ridden past without calling on me, wrote him my plan, and invited him to meet her. What do you think, Terence, was his reply? Why, that Miss MacTeggart might go to Bath, for he would have no call to my swivel-eyed customers. There was a return for my kindness! as if a woman with five thousand down, and three hundred a year in expectation, was required to look straight. Ah! Terence, I wish you had been here. She went to Dublin, and was picked up in a fortnight."
Egad! here was an excellent opportunity to broach my own success. There could be no harm in making the commander's widow a confidante; and, after all, she had a claim upon me as my early protectress.
"My dear aunt, I cannot be surprised at your indignation. Arthur was a fool, and lost an opportunity that never may occur again. In fact, my dear madam, I intended to have given you an agreeable surprise. I—I—I am on—the very brink of matrimony!"
"Holy Bridget!" exclaimed Mrs. O'Finn, as she crossed herself devoutly.
"Yes, ma'am. I am engaged to a lady with two thousand pounds."
"Is it ready, Terence?" said my aunt.—"Down on the table, before the priest puts on his vestment."
"Arrah—my blessing attend ye, Terence. I knew you would come to good. Is she young?"—"Just twenty."
"Is she good-looking?"—"More than that; extremely pretty, innocent, and artless."
"Arrah—give me another kiss, for I'm proud of ye;" and Captain O'Finn's representative clasped me in her arms.