to such a degree that when Sewell entered the room the old man's face was flushed, his eye flashing, and his lip quivering with passion. “I was not aware of your absence, sir!” said he, sternly; “and a mere accident informed me that you were going away again.” “A sudden call required my presence at Killaloe, my Lord; and I found when I had got there I had left some papers behind here.” “The explanation would be unexceptionable, sir, if this house were an inn to which a man comes and returns as he pleases; but if I err not, you are my guest here, and I hope if a host has duties he has rights.” “My Lord, I attached so very little importance to my presence that I never flattered myself by thinking I should be missed.” “I seldom flatter, sir, and I never do so where I intend to censure!” Sewell bowed submissively, but the effort to control his temper cost him a sharp pang and a terrible struggle. “Enough of this, at least for the present; though I may mention, passingly, that we must take an early opportunity of placing our relations towards each other on some basis that may be easily understood by each of us. The law of contracts will guide us to the right course. My object in sending for you now is to ask a service at your hands, if your other engagements will leave you at liberty to render it.” “I am entirely at your Lordship's orders.” “Well, sir, I will be very brief. I must needs be so, for I have fatigued myself by much talking already. The papers will have informed you that I am not to sit on this Commission. The Ministers who cannot persuade me by their blandishments are endeavoring to disgust me by insult. They have read the fable of the sun and the wind backwards, and inverted the moral. It had been whispered abroad that if I tried these men there would have been no convictions. They raked up some early speeches of mine--youthful triumphs they were--in defence of Wolfe Tone, and Jackson, and others; and they argued--no, I am wrong--they did not argue, they imagined, that the enthusiasm of the advocate might have twined itself around the wisdom of the Judge. They have quoted, too, in capital letters,--it is there on the table,--the peroration of my speech in Neilson's case, where I implored the jury to be cautious and circumspect, for so deeply had the Crown advisers compromised themselves in the pursuit of rebellion, it needed the most careful sifting not to include the law-officers of the Castle, and to avoid placing the Attorney-General side by side with his victim.” “How sarcastic! how cutting!” muttered Sewell, in praise. “It was more than sarcastic, sir. It stung the Orange jury to the quick; and though they convicted my client, they trembled at the daring of his defender.