“You remind me of O'Kelly,--Colonel O'Kelly,--O'Reilly; strange enough, too, each of you should be of that same old Celtic blood. But, perhaps, it is just that very element that gives you the peculiar social fascination I was alluding to. You are not old enough, Twining, to remember that small house with the bay-windows opening on the Birdcage Walk; it was like a country parsonage dropped down in the midst of London, with honeysuckles over the porch, and peacocks on the lawn in front of it. O'Kelly and Payne lived there together,--the two pleasantest bachelors that ever joined in partnership. The Prince dined with them by agreement every Friday. The charm of the thing was no state, no parade, whatever. It was just as if O'Reilly here were to take this villa, and say, 'Now, Lackington, I am rich enough to enjoy myself; I don't want the worry and fatigue of hunting out the pleasant people of the world; but you know them all, you understand them,--their ways, their wants, and their requirements; just tell me, frankly, could n't we manage to make this their rallying-spot throughout Europe? Settled down here in the midst of the most lovely scenery in the world, with a good cook and a good cellar, might not this place become a perfect Paradise?'” “If I only knew that your Lordship, just yourself alone, and, of course, the present company,” added O'Reilly, with a bow round the table, “would vouchsafe me the honor of a visit, I'd be proud to be the owner of this place to-morrow. Indeed, I don't see why we would n't be as well here as traipsing over the world in dust and heat. If, then, the girls see no objection--” “I should like it of all things, papa,” broke in Miss O'Reilly. “I am charmed with the very thought of it,” cried Molly. “Capital thought--romantic notion--save any amount of money, and no taxes,” muttered Twining. “There's no approach by land whatever,” said Spicer, who foresaw that all his horse capabilities would receive no development here. “All the better,” broke in Twining; “no interlopers--no fellows cantering down to luncheon, or driving over to dine--must come by boat, and be seen an hour beforehand.” “If I know anything of my friend here,” said the Viscount, “his taste will rather lie in the fashion of a warm welcome than a polite denial to a visitor. You must talk to Lanfranchi about the place to-morrow, O'Reilly. He 's a shrewd fellow, and knows how to go about these things.” “Faith, my Lord, I see everything in sunshine so long as I sit in such company. It's the very genial kind of thing I like. A few friends--if I 'm not taking too great a liberty--” “No, by no means, O'Reilly. The esteem I feel for you, and that Twining feels for you “--here his Lordship looked over at Spicer and slightly nodded, as though to say, “There is another there who requires no formal mention in the deed “--“are not passing sentiments, and we sincerely desire they may be accepted as true friendship.”