"Stick it in its scabbard," said I, "and I'll do the same with mine." Then I put out my hand, "Good morning to your lordship," I said. "It seems to me I've been waiting here forty days and forty nights. Will you have a sup of wine?" "I would be very much obliged to you for it, Mr. O'Ruddy." With that I called the nearest guard and bade him let nobody up the stair without my knowing it. "I suppose, my lord, you are better acquainted with this house than I am; but I know a spot where there's a drop of good drink." "You have discovered the old gentleman's cellar, then?" "Indeed, Lord Strepp, I have not. I possess a cellar of my own. It's you that's my guest, and not me that's yours on this occasion." I poured him out a flagon, and then one for myself, and as we stood by the table I lifted it high and said: "Here's to our better acquaintance." His lordship drank, and said with a wry face, as he put down the mug: "Our acquaintance seems to be a somewhat tempestuous one; but I confess, Mr. O'Ruddy, that I have as great a respect for your generalship as I have for your swordsmanship. The wine is good and revivifying. I've been in that accursed pit all night, and I came to this end of it with greater reluctance than I expected to when I entered the other. We tried to clear away the stones; but they must have piled all the rocks in Sussex on top of us. Are your men toiling there yet?" "Yes, they're there, and I gave them instructions to work till daylight." "Well, Mr. O'Ruddy, my poor fellows are all half dead with fright, and they fancy themselves choking; but although the place was foul enough when we entered it, I didn't see much difference at the end. However, I did see one thing, and that was that I had to come and make terms. I want you to let the poor devils go, Mr. O'Ruddy, and I'll be parole that they won't attack you again." "And who will give his parole that Lord Strepp will not attack me again?" "Well, O'Ruddy,"--I took great comfort from the fact that he dropped the Mr.,--"Well, O'Ruddy, you see we cannot possibly give up this estate. You are not legally entitled to it. It is ours and always has been." "I'm not fighting for any estate, Lord Strepp." "Then, in Heaven's name, what are you fighting for?" "For the consent of the Earl and Countess of Westport to my marriage with Lady Mary, your sister." Lord Strepp gave a long whistle; then he laughed and sat down in the nearest chair. "But what does Mary say about it?" he asked at last. "The conceit of an Irishman, my lord, leads me to suspect that I can ultimately overcome any objections she may put forward." "Oho! that is how the land lies, is it? I'm a thick-headed clod, or I would have suspected something of that sort when Mary pulled me down so sharply as I was cursing you at the front door." Then, with a slight touch of patronage in his tone, he said: "There is some difference in the relative positions of our families, Mr. O'Ruddy."