“On Friday next they will all be here. Old Hickman comes up to receive something like two hundred and twenty thousand pounds,--for Darcy has raised the money to pay off the incumbrances,--the son is coming for the debate, and the grandson is to be balloted for at Daly's.” “You have made yourself master of all their arrangements, Heffernan: may I ask if they afford you any clew to assisting us in our object?” “When can you give a dinner, my Lord?” said the other. “Any day after Wednesday,--nay, Wednesday itself; I might easily get off Brooke's dinner for that day.” “The sooner the better; time is of great consequence now. Shall we say Wednesday?” “Be it so; now for the party.” “A small one: selectness is the type of cordiality. The invitation must be verbal, done in your own admirable way: 'Don't be late, gentlemen, for Beerhaven and Drogheda are to meet you, and you know they scold if the soup suffers,'--something in that style. Now let us see who are our men.” “Begin with Beerhaven and Drogheda, they are sure cards.” “Well, then, Massey Hamilton,--but he's only a commoner,--to be sure his uncle's a Duke, but, confound him, he never talks of him! I might draw him out about the Highlands and deer-stalking, and the Christmas revels at Clanchattagan; he 's three--Kilgoff four; he 's first-rate, and will discuss his noble descent till his carriage is announced. Loughdooner, five--” “He's another bore, Heffernan.” “I know he is, my Lord; but he has seven daughters, and will consequently make up to young Beecham, who is a great prize in the wheel matrimonial. We shall want a Bishop to say grace; I think Dunmore is the man: he is the last of your Lordship's making, and can't refuse a short invitation.” “Six, and the three Hickmans nine, and ourselves eleven; now for the twelfth--” “Darcy, of course,” said Heffernan; “he must be asked, and, if possible, induced to come; Hickman O'Reilly will be far more easily managed if we make him suppose that we have already secured Darcy ourselves.” “He'll decline, Heffernan; depend upon it, he'll not come.” “You think he saw through my _ruse_ in the House,--not a bit of it; he is the least suspecting man in Ireland, and I 'll make that very circumstance the reason of his coming. Hint to him that rumor says he is coquetting with the Government, and he 'll go any lengths to brave public opinion by confronting it,--that's Darcy, or I 'm much mistaken in my man; and, to say truth, my Lord, it's an error I rarely fall into.” A smile of self-satisfaction lit up Heffernan's features as he spoke; for, like many cunning people, his weak point was vanity. “You may call me as a witness to character whenever you please,” said Lord Castlereagh, who, in indulging the self-glorification of the other, was now taking his own revenge; “you certainly knew Upton better than I did.”