“The whole country are after him,” cried Gerald MacAllain, enthusiastically: “it’s a rage, a fashion.” “It’s a phrenzy,” returned the Doctor,—“a pestilence which has fallen on the land, and all, it’s my belief, because the stripling has not one christian principle, or habit in him: he’s a heathen.” “If it is the young Glenarvon,” said Gondimar, approaching the irritated Doctor, “he is my friend.” “Don’t bring any of your knock me down arguments to me, Sir. His being your friend, only gives a blacker shade to his character, in my opinion.” “Sir, I hate personal attacks.” “A blow that hits, Count, and a cap that fits, are sure to make a sufferer look foolish, excessively foolish: not but what you did so before. I never believed in baseness and malignity till I knew the Count Gondimar.” “Nor I in arrogance and stupidity, till I knew Sir Everard.” “Count, you are the object of my astonishment.” “And you, Sir, of my derision.” “Italian, I despise you,” “I should only feel mortified, if Sir Everard did otherwise.” “The contempt, Sir, of the meanest, cannot be a matter of triumph.” “It is a mark of wisdom, to be proud of the scorn of fools.” “Passion makes me mad.” “Sir, you were that before.” “I shall forget myself.” “I wish you would permit me to do so.” “A truce to these quarrels, good doctor,” said the Duke, who had entered the room during the latter part of the discussion. “I have been reading some papers of a very serious nature; and I am sorry to say it appears from them that Sir Everard has very great cause for his present irritation of mind: he is an aggrieved man. This Lord Glenarvon or whatever the young gentleman styles himself, has acted in a manner not only unjustifiable, but such as I am afraid will ultimately lead to his entire ruin. Count Gondimar, I have often heard you speak of this unfortunate young man, with more than common interest. Could not you make use of your friendship and intimacy with him, to warn him of the danger of his present conduct, and lead him from the society of his worthless associates. He seems to be acting under the influence of a mad infatuation.” Gondimar assured the Duke, that he had no sort of influence with the young Lord. “Read these papers, at your leisure,” said the Duke: “they are statements, you will find, of a number of outrages committed by himself and his followers, on people highly respectable and utterly defenceless. For the common follies of youth, there is much excuse; but nothing can palliate repeated acts of licentious wickedness and unprovoked cruelty. I am inclined to believe these accounts are much exaggerated; but the list of grievances is large; and the petitioners for redress are many of them my most worthy and long-tried servants, at the head of whom O’Flarney’s name is to be found.”