“I do, and I did,” replied Bryan; “but at that time I had never spoken upon the subject of love or marriage to Kathleen Cavanagh, and I had no authority nor right to take any one to task on her account, but, at the same time, I couldn't even then either like or respect, much less lend money to, any man that could humbug her, or treat such a girl with disrespect—and in that letther you can't deny that you did both.”
“I grant,” said Hycy, “that it was a piece of humbug certainly, but not intended to offend her.”
“I'm afraid there was more in it, Hycy,” observed Bryan; “an' that if she had been foolish or inexperienced enough to meet you or listen to your discourse, it might a' been worse for herself. You were mistaken there though.”
“She is not a girl to be humbugged, I grant, Bryan—very far from it, indeed; and now that you and she understand each other I will go farther for both your sakes, and say, that I regret having written such a letter to such an admirable young woman as she is. To tell you the truth, Bryan, I shall half envy you the possession of such a wife.”
“As to that,” replied the other, smiling, “we'll keep never minding—but you have spoken fairly and honestly on the subject of the letther, an' I'm thankful to you; still, Hycy, you haven't answered my first question—have you any ill feeling against me, or any intention to injure me?”
“Neither one nor the other. I pledge you my honor and word I have no ill feeling against you, nor any design to injure you.”
“That's enough, Hycy,” replied his companion; “I think I'm bound to believe your words.”
“You are, Bryan; but will you allow me to ask if any one ever told you that I had—and if so, who was the person?”
“It's enough for you to know,” said Bryan, “that whoever told it to me I don't believe it.”
“I certainly have a right to know,” returned Hycy; “but as the matter is false, and every way unfounded, I'll not press you upon it—all I can say to satisfy you is, what I have said already—that I entertain no ill will or unfriendly feeling towards you, and, consequently, can have no earthly intention of doing you an injury even if I could, although at the present moment I don't see how, even if I was willing.”