“'Begad!' said the captain, 'his Grace sent me to thank you for the delicious wine you supplied him with, but it's nothing to this,---not to be compared to it.' “'I 've better again,' said my grandfather. 'I 've wine that would bring the tears into your eyes when you saw the decanter getting low.' “The captain stared at him, and maybe it was that the speech was too much for his nerves, but he drank off two glasses one after the other as quick as he could fill them out. “'Dempsey,' said he, looking round cautiously, 'are we alone?' “'We are,' said my grandfather. “'Tell me, then,' said M'Claverty, 'how could his Grace get a taste of this real sherry--for himself alone, I mean? Of course, I never thought of his giving it to the Judges, and old Lord Dunboyne, and such like.' “'Does he ever take a little sup in his own room, of an evening?' “'I am afraid not, but I 'll tell you how I think it might be managed. You 're a snug fellow, Dempsey, you 've plenty of money muddling away in the bank at three-and-a-half per cent; could n't you contrive, some way or other, to get into his Excellency's confidence, and lend him ten or fifteen thousand or so?' “'Ay, or twenty,' said my grandfather,--'or twenty, if he likes it' “'I doubt if he would accept such a sum,' said the captain, shaking his head; 'he has bags of money rolling in upon him every week or fortnight; sometimes we don't know where to put them.' “'Oh, of course,' said my grandfather; 'I meant no offence, I only said twenty, because, if his Grace would condescend, it is n't twenty, but a fifty thousand I could give him, and on the nail too.' “'You're a fine fellow, Dempsey, a devilish fine fellow; you 're the very kind of fellow the Duke likes,--open-handed, frank, and generous.' “'Do you really think he'd like me?' said my grandfather; and he rocked on the high stool, so that it nearly came down. “'Like you! I'll tell you what it is,' said he, laying his hand on my grandfather's knee, 'before one week was over, he could n't do without you. You 'd be there morning, noon, and night; your knife and fork always ready for you, just like one of the family.' “'Blood alive!' said my grandfather, 'do you tell me so?' “'I 'll bet you a hundred pounds on it, sir.' “'Done,' said my grandfather, 'and you must hold the stakes;' and with that he opened his black pocket-book, and put a note for the amount into the captain's hand. “'This is the 31st of March,' said the captain, taking out his pencil and tablets. 'I 'll just book the bet.' “And, indeed,” added Mr. Dempsey, “for that matter, if it was a day later it would have been only more suitable.