"'T is a strange affair," said he, "and our side of the country is all alive about it. A gentleman who was expected from Dublin last night at Neck-or-Nothing Hall, arrived, as it is ascertained, at the village, and thence took a post-chaise, since which time he has not been heard of; and as a post-chaise was discovered this morning sunk in the river, close by Ballysloughgutthery bridge, it is suspected the gentleman has been drowned either by accident or design. The postilion is in confinement on suspicion, and O'Grady has written to the Castle about it to-day, for the gentleman was a government agent." "Why, sir," said Furlong, "that must be me!" "_You_, sir!" said Mr. Bermingham, whose turn it was to be surprised now. "Yes, sir," said Furlong, "I took a post-chaise at the village last night, and I'm an agent of the gove'ment." "But you're not drowned, sir--and he was," said Bermingham. "To be su'e I'm not dwowned; but I'm the pe'son." "Quite impossible, sir," said Mr. Bermingham. "You can't be the person." "Why, sir, do you expect to pe'suade me out of my own identity!" "Oh," said Murphy, "there will be no occasion to prove identity till the body is found, and the coroner's inquest sits; that's the law, sir--at least, in Ireland." Furlong's bewildered look at the unblushing impudence of Murphy was worth anything. While he was dumb from astonishment, Mr. Bermingham, with marked politeness, said, "Allow me, sir, for a moment to explain to you. You see, it could not be you, for the gentleman was going to Mr. O'Grady's." "Well, sir," said Furlong, "and here I am." The wide stare of the two men as they looked at each other was killing; and while Furlong's face was turned towards Mr. Bermingham, Fanny caught the clergy-man's eye, tapped her forehead with the fore-finger of her right hand, shook her head, and turned up her eyes with an expression of pity, to indicate that Furlong was not quite right in his mind. "Oh, I beg pardon, sir," said Mr. Bermingham. "I see it's a mistake of mine." "There certainly is a vewy gweat mistake somewhere," said Furlong, who was now bent on a very direct question. "Pway, Miste' O'Gwady," said he, addressing Egan, "that is, if you _are_ Miste' O'Gwady, will you tell me, _are_ you Miste' O'Gwady?" "Sir," said the Squire, "you have chosen to call me O'Grady ever since you came here, but my name is Egan." "What!--the member for the county?" cried Furlong, horrified. "Yes," said the Squire, laughing; "do you want a frank?" "'T will save your friends postage," said Dick, "when you write to them to say you're safe." "Miste' Wegan," said Furlong, with an attempt at offended dignity, "I conside' myself vewy ill used." "You're the first man I ever heard of being ill used at Merryvale House," said Murphy. "Sir, it's a gwievous w'ong!" "What _is_ all this about?" asked Mr. Bermingham.