“A little what? Is it love that has made you so learned, Whitecraft, or so unintelligible, which? Why, man, if your passion increases, in another week there won't be three men out of Trinity College able to understand you. You will become a perfect oracle. But, in the meantime, let us see how the arrangement stands. _Imprimus_, you are to hang or transport Keilly; and, until then, I am not to annoy my daughter with any allusions to this marriage: but, above all things, not to compare you and Reilly with one another in her presence, lest it might strengthen her prejudices against you.” “I beg your pardon, Mr. Folliard. I did not say so; I fear no comparison with the fellow.” “No matter, Sir Robert, if you did not knock it down you staggered it. Omitting the comparison, however, I suppose that so far I am right.” “I think so, sir,” replied the other, conscious, “after all, that he had got a touch of 'Roland for his Oliver'.” Then he proceeded: “I'm to watch her closely, only she's not to know it. Now, I'll tell you what, Sir Robert, I know you carry a long noddle, with more hard words in it than I ever gave you credit for--but with regard to what you expect from me now--” “I don't mean that you should watch her personally yourself, Mr. Folliard.” “I suppose you don't; I didn't think you did; but I'll tell you what--place the twelve labors of Hercules before me, and I'll undertake to perform them, if you wish, but to watch a woman, Sir Robert--and that woman keen and sharp upon the cause of such vigilance--without her knowing it in one half hour's time--that is a task that never was, can, or will be accomplished. In the meantime, we must only come as near its accomplishment as we can.” “Just so, sir; we can do no more. Remember, then, that you perform your part of this arrangement, and, with the blessing of God, I shall leave nothing undone to perform mine.” Thus closed this rather extraordinary conversation, after which Sir Robert betook himself home, to reflect upon the best means of performing his part of it, with what quickness and dispatch, and with what success, our readers already know. The old squire was one of those characters who never are so easily persuaded as when they do not fully comprehend the argument used to convince them. Whenever the squire found himself a little at fault, or confounded by either a difficult word or a hard sentence, he always took it for granted that there was something unusually profound and clever in the matter laid before him. Sir Robert knew this, and on that account played him off to a certain extent. He was too cunning, however, to darken any part of the main argument so far as to prevent its drift from being fully understood, and thereby defeating his own purpose. CHAPTER VIII.--A Conflagration--An Escape--And an Adventure