gradually more confused and intricate, and as frequent references were made by the lady to some previous statement, Calvert was more than once rebuked for forgetfulness and inattention, where, in reality, nothing less than shorthand could have borne him through.
“‘Was it in ninety-three I said that Sir Harry left me at Tuam?’
“‘Upon my life, madam, I am afraid to aver; but it strikes me’
“‘Gracious powers! and this is he whom I fondly trusted to make the depositary of my woes—cruel, cruel man!’—Here she sobbed considerably for several minutes, and spoke not.
“A loud cheer of ‘Butler for ever!’ from the mob without now burst upon their hearing, and recalled poor Calvert at once to the thought that the hours were speeding fast, and no prospect of the everlasting tale coming to an end.
“‘I am deeply, most deeply grieved, my dear madam,’ said the little man, sitting up in a pyramid of blankets, ‘but hours, minutes, are most precious to me this morning. I am about to be proposed as Member for Kilkenny.’
“At these words the lady straightened her figure out, threw her arms at either side, and burst into a fit of laughter, which poor Calvert knew at once to be hysterics. Here was a pretty situation: the bell-rope lay against the opposite wall, and, even if it did not, would he be exactly warranted in pulling it?
“‘May the devil and all his angels take Sir Harry Boyle and his whole connection to the fifth generation!’ was his sincere prayer, as he sat like a Chinese juggler under his canopy.
“At length the violence of the paroxysm seemed to subside, the sobs became loss frequent, the kicking less forcible, and the lady’s eyes closed, and she appeared to have fallen asleep. ‘Now is the moment,’ said Billy: ’if I could only get as far as my dressing-gown.’ So saying he worked himself down noiselessly to the foot of his bed, looked fixedly at the fallen lids of the sleeping lady, and essayed one leg from the blankets. ‘Now or never,’ said he, pushing aside the curtain and preparing for a spring—one more look he east at his companion, and then leaped forth; but just as he lit upon the floor, she again roused herself, screaming with horror. Billy fell upon the bed, and, rolling himself in the bedclothes, vowed never to rise again till she was out of the visible horizon, ‘What is all this; what do you mean, sir?’ said the lady, reddening with indignation.
“‘Nothing, upon my soul, madam: it was only my dressing gown!’
“‘Your dressing-gown!’ said she, with an emphasis worthy of Siddons; ‘a likely story for Sir Harry to believe, sir! fie, fie, sir!’
“This last allusion seemed a settler; for the luckless Calvert heaved a profound sigh, and sunk down as if all hope had left him, ‘Butler for ever!’ roared the mob; ‘Calvert for ever!’ cried a boy’s voice from without; ‘Three groans for the runaway!’ answered this announcement; and every tender inquiry of ‘Where is he?’ was raised by some hundred mouths,
“‘Madam,’ said the almost frantic listener—‘madam, I must get up; I must dress, I beg of you to permit me.’
