‘In this way. I started a few minutes after twelve from the inn--I on foot, the car to overtake me.’ And he went on to give a narrative of his wanderings over the bog, imitating, as well as he could, the driver’s conversations with him, and the reproaches he vented on his inattention to the road. Kate enjoyed the story with all the humoristic fun of one who knew thoroughly how the peasant had been playing with the gentleman, just for the indulgence of that strange, sarcastic temper that underlies the Irish nature; and she could fancy how much more droll it would have been to have heard the narrative as told by the driver of the car. ‘And don’t you like his song, Mr. Walpole!’ ‘What, “The Wearing of the Green”? It was the dreariest dirge I ever listened to.’ ‘Come, you shall not say so. When we go into the drawing-room, Nina shall sing it for you, and I’ll wager you recant your opinion.’ ‘And do you sing rebel canticles, Mademoiselle Kostalergi?’ ‘Yes, I do all my cousin bids me. I wear a red cloak. How is it called?’ ‘Connemara?’ Nina nodded. ‘That’s the name, but I’m not going to say it; and when we go abroad--that is, on the bog there, for a walk--we dress in green petticoats and wear very thick shoes.’ ‘And, in a word, are very generally barbarous.’ ‘Well, if you be really barbarians,’ said Walpole, filling his glass, ‘I wonder what I would not give to be allowed to join the tribe.’ ‘Oh, you’d want to be a sachem, or a chief, or a mystery-man at least; and we couldn’t permit that,’ cried Kate. ‘No; I crave admission as the humblest of your followers.’ ‘Shall we put him to the test, Nina?’ ‘How do you mean?’ cried the other. ‘Make him take a Ribbon oath, or the pledge of a United Irishman. I’ve copies of both in papa’s study.’ ‘I should like to see these immensely,’ said Walpole. ‘I’ll see if I can’t find them,’ cried Kate, rising and hastening away. For some seconds after she left the room there was perfect silence. Walpole tried to catch Nina’s eye before he spoke, but she continued steadily to look down, and did not once raise her lids. ‘Is she not very nice--is she not very beautiful?’ asked she, in a low voice. ‘It is of _you_ I want to speak.’ And he drew his chair closer to her, and tried to take her hand, but she withdrew it quickly, and moved slightly away. ‘If you knew the delight it is to me to see you again, Nina--well, Mademoiselle Kostalergi. Must it be Mademoiselle?’ ‘I don’t remember it was ever “Nina,”’ said she coldly. ‘Perhaps only in my thoughts. To my heart, I can swear, you were Nina. But tell me how you came here, and when, and for how long, for I want to know all. Speak to me, I beseech you. She’ll be back in a moment, and when shall I have another instant alone with you like this? Tell me how you came amongst them, and are they really all rebels?’ Kate entered at the instant, saying, ‘I can’t find it, but I’ll have a good search to-morrow, for I know it’s there.’