I wouldn't like it to be thought in the counthry, I'd taken her at a disadvantage. It's thrue enough in one way, I'm marrying her for the money; that is, in course, I wouldn't marry her without it. And I tould her, out open, before her face, and before the girls, that, av' she'd ten times as much, I wouldn't marry her unless I was to be masther, as long as I lived, of everything in my own house, like another man; and I think she liked me the betther for it. But, for all that, I wouldn't like to catch her up without having something fair done by the property."
"The lawyers, Martin, can manage that, afterwards. When she's once Mrs Kelly, you can do what you like about the fortune."
"That's thrue, my lord. But I wouldn't like the bad name I'd get through the counthry av' I whisked her off without letting her settle anything. They'd be saying I robbed her, whether I did or no: and when a thing's once said, it's difficult to unsay it. The like of me, my lord, can't do things like you noblemen and gentry. Besides, mother'd never forgive me. They think, down there, that poor Anty's simple like; tho' she's cute enough, av' they knew her. I wouldn't, for all the money, wish it should be said that Martin Kelly ran off with a fool, and robbed her. Barry 'd be making her out a dale more simple than she is; and, altogether, my lord, I wouldn't like it."
"Well, Martin, perhaps you're right. At any rate you're on the right side. What is it then you think of doing?"
"Why, I was thinking, my lord, av' I could get some lawyer here to draw up a deed, just settling all Anty's property on herself when I die, and on her children, av' she has any,—so that I couldn't spend it you know; she could sign it, and so could I, before we started; and then I'd feel she'd been traited as well as tho' she'd all the friends in Connaught to her back."
"And a great deal better, probably. Well, Martin, I'm no lawyer, but I should think there'd not be much difficulty about that. Any attorney could do it."
"But I'd look so quare, my lord, walking into a sthranger's room and explaining what I wanted—all about the running away and everything. To be sure there's my brother John's people; they're attorneys; but it's about robberies, and hanging, and such things they're most engaged; and I was thinking, av' your lordship wouldn't think it too much throuble to give me a line to your own people; or, may-be, you'd say a word to them explaining what I want. It'd be the greatest favour in life."
"I'll tell you what I'll do, Kelly. I'll go with you, to-morrow, to Mr Blake's lawyers—that's my friend that was sitting here—and I've no doubt we'll get the matter settled. The Guinnesses, you know, do all my business, and they're not lawyers."
"Long life to your lordship, and that's just like yourself! I knew you'd stick by me. And shall I call on you to-morrow, my lord? and at what time?"
"Wait! here's Mr Blake. I'll ask him, and you might as well meet me there. Grey and Forrest's the name; it's in Clare Street, I think." Here Mr Blake again entered the room.
"What!" said he; "isn't your business over yet, Ballindine? I suppose I'm de trop then. Only mind, dinner's ordered for half past six, and it's that now, and you're not dressed yet!"
"You're not de trop, and I was just wanting you. We're all friends here, Kelly, you know; and you needn't mind my telling Mr Blake. Here's this fellow going to elope with an heiress from Connaught, and he wants a decently honest lawyer first."
"I should have thought," said Blake, "that an indecently dishonest clergyman would have suited him better under those circumstances."
"May-be he'll want that, too, and I've no doubt you can recommend one. But at present he wants a lawyer; and, as I have none of my own, I think Forrest would serve his turn."
"I've always found Mr Forrest ready to do anything in the way of his profession—for money."
"No, but—he'd draw up a deed, wouldn't he, Blake? It's a sort of a marriage settlement."
"Oh, he's quite at home at that work! He drew up five, for my five sisters, and thereby ruined my father's property, and my prospects."
"Well, he'd see me to-morrow, wouldn't he?" said Lord Ballindine.
"Of course he would. But mind, we're to be off early. We ought to be at the Curragh, by three."
"I suppose I could see him at ten?" said his lordship.
It was then settled that Blake should write a line to the lawyer, informing him that Lord Ballindine wished to see him, at his office, at ten o'clock the next morning; it was also agreed that Martin should meet him there at that hour; and Kelly took his leave, much relieved on the subject nearest his heart.
"Well, Frank," said Blake, as soon as the door was closed, "and have you got the money you wanted?"
"Indeed I've not, then."
"And why not? If your protégé is going to elope with an heiress, he ought to have money at command."
"And so he will, and it'll be a great temptation to me to know where I can get it so easily. But he was telling me all about this woman before I thought of my own concerns—and I didn't like to be talking to him of what I wanted myself, when he'd been asking a favour of me. It would be too much like looking for payment."
"There, you're wrong; fair barter is the truest and honestest system, all the world over.—'Ca me, ca thee,' as the Scotch call it, is the best system to go by. I never do, or ask, a favour; that is, for whatever I do, I expect a return; and for whatever I get, I intend to make one."
"I'll get the money from Guinness. After all, that'll be the best, and as you say, the cheapest."
"There you're right. His business is to lend money, and he'll lend it you as long as you've means to repay it; and I'm sure no Connaught man will do more—that is, if I know them."
"I suppose he will, but heaven only knows how long that'll be!" and the young lord threw himself back on the sofa, as if he thought a little meditation would do him good. However, very little seemed to do for him, for he soon roused himself, and said, "I wonder how the devil, Dot, you do without borrowing? My income's larger than yours, bad as it is; I've only three horses in training, and you've, I suppose, above a dozen; and, take the year through, I don't entertain half the fellows at Kelly's Court that you do at Handicap Lodge; and yet, I never hear of your borrowing money."
"There's many reasons for that. In the first place, I haven't an estate; in the second, I haven't a mother; in the third, I haven't a pack of hounds; in the fourth, I haven't a title; and, in the fifth, no one would lend me money, if I asked it."
"As for the estate, it's devilish little I spend on it; as for my mother, she has her own jointure; as for the hounds, they eat my own potatoes; and as for the title, I don't support it. But I haven't your luck, Dot. You'd never want for money, though the mint broke."
"Very likely I mayn't when it does; but I'm likely to be poor enough till that happy accident occurs. But, as far as luck goes, you've had more than me; you won nearly as much, in stakes, as I did, last autumn, and your stable expenses weren't much above a quarter what mine were. But, the truth is, I manage better; I know where my money goes to, and you don't; I work hard, and you don't; I spend my money on what's necessary to my style of living, you spend yours on what's not necessary. What the deuce have the fellows in Mayo and Roscommon done for you, that you should mount two or three rascals, twice a-week, to show them sport, when you're not there yourself two months in the season? I suppose you don't keep the horses and men for nothing, if you do the dogs; and I much doubt whether they're not the dearest part
