Sir John, naturally of a warm temper, proceeded, however, with prudence. The Scotch officer admired his sagacity in detecting this adventurer. Sir John waited at his hotel for Queasy, who had promised to call to let him know when the ladies f would go to Tunbridge. Queasy came. Nothing could equal his astonishment and dismay when he was told the news. “No such place as the Rascàlly estate! Then I’m an undone man! an undone man!” cried poor Queasy, bursting into tears: “but I’m certain it’s impossible; and you’ll find, Sir John, you’ve been misinformed. I would stake my life upon it, Miss Sharperson’s a rich heiress, and has a rich grandmother. Why, she’s five hundred pounds in my debt, and I know of her being thousands and thousands in the books of as good men as myself, to whom I’ve recommended her, which I wouldn’t have done for my life if I had not known her to be solid. You’ll find she’ll prove a rich heiress, Sir John.” Sir John hoped so, but the proofs were not yet satisfactory. Queasy determined to inquire about her payments to certain creditors at Blackheath, and promised to give a decisive answer in the morning. O’Mooney saw that this man was too great a fool to be a knave; his perturbation was evidently the perturbation of a dupe, not of an accomplice: Queasy was made to “be an anvil, not a hammer.” In the midst of his own disappointment, our good-natured Hibernian really pitied this poor currier. The next morning Sir John went early to Blackheath. All was confusion at Miss Sharperson’s house; the steps covered with grates and furniture of all sorts; porters carrying out looking-glasses, Egyptian tables, and candelabras; the noise of workmen was heard in every apartment; and louder than all the rest, O’Mooney heard the curses that were denounced against his rich heiress--curses such as are bestowed on a swindler in the moment of detection by the tradesmen whom she has ruined. Our hero, who was of a most happy temper, congratulated himself upon having, by his own wit and prudence, escaped making the practical bull of marrying a female swindler. Now that Phelim’s immediate hopes of marrying a rich heiress were over, his bet with his brother appeared to him of more consequence, and he rejoiced in the reflection that this was the third day he had spent in England, and that he had but once been detected.--The ides of March were come, but not passed! “My lads,” said he to the workmen, who were busy in carrying out the furniture from Miss Sharperson’s house, “all hands are at work, I see, in saving what they can from the wreck of _the Sharperson_. She was as well-fitted out a vessel, and in as gallant trim, as any ship upon the face of the earth.” “Ship upon the face of the _yearth_.’” repeated an English porter with a sneer; “ship upon the face of the water, you should say, master; but I take it you be’s an Irishman.”