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And every one's going another way,
And it seems a sort of unfinished day!

And people eat sippets all dry from a tray,
And simper o'er sherry, and try to be gay,
And wish the Queen had been rather more fair,
And stopp'd a few minutes at Bread-street to say
That she liked our ample laurel display,

And our ten purple lamps for the night array;
And we raked the Aldermen, all in mild play,
That they didn't fall off with equestrian care.
And we praised and wondered, felt chill and bare,
And my aunt (all aside) begg'd leave to pay.

We went home in daylight and drizzle to sup,
And scarce saw a lamp of the lighting up!

DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND.

"AWAKE, master dear, and hearken to the bad news I'll be telling you," were the first sounds that broke on the slumber of Gerald O'Donnel, one bleak November morning, as he lay on his somewhat circumscribed couch, in a small apartment of the Caserne at St. Germains.

"Who's that?" cried the young soldier, starting up, and shaking off the stout arm which had been applied to his shoulder.

"Who is it but meself, your own Lanty M'Carthy, that has made so bould as to rouse you, that you may get out of this, with speed."

"Mille diables! what fool's errand are you come on now ?"

"Whisht! master darlint, or they'll hear us colloguing, and enter without sans ceremonie."

"Folly! the Grand Monarque, Louis the Superb, or my own King James, could not break in on the privacy of an officer of the Irish Brigade."

"Much them devils below cares if you were the commander of his Holiness the Pope's army, they'd walk in, and make you walk out, and away wid you to that sweet place they call the Consurgery. I wonder which of the bla'gards that you dealt wid in Paris,--and sartainly we left in such a hurry I hadn't time to go and settle wid 'em, even if you'd had the means, so the fault was in the suddent order we got, and not yours; -I wonder which of them has demaned himself by sending civil officers to take the body of one of the Body-guards ?"

"M'Carthy, we must manage to avoid them to-day, at all hazards, it is my tour of duty at the palace, and to be absent from my post would cost me my commission."

"Och, then good look to them chaps, serjeants as they call themselves, you're safe, my jewel, for the next four-and-twenty hours, any way; they can't take you whilst on King's guard, so I'll lead them off the scent,

whilst you get drest, and make the best of your way to the parade. Onct there, and I'd like to see the murthering villian of a catch-pole that would dar put the tip of his ill-lookin little finger on the fringe of your epaulette!"

Away hurried the faithful Lanty to mislead the myrmidons of the law, and as he belonged to a nation celebrated, in a thousand stories, for bothering bailiffs, his master was enabled to reach the parade ground without interruption.

O'Donnel was a cadet of one of the oldest families in Ireland. Their adherence to the cause of James had deprived them of their paternal acres; the head of the house, Sir Theophilus, after witnessing the fall of two of his sons on the memorable battle-field near Boyne Water, had followed his exiled master to France, and unable to support his youngest boy, had gladly accepted for him a commission in the Irish Brigade, and shortly after sought a refuge from worldly cares in the monastery of St. Denis. Better would it have been had he watched over his highspirited son, who, with all the impetuosity of youth, soon involved himself in debt in "the good city of Paris," his handsome person and gaiety of manner easily obtaining credit from divers tailors, cutlers, hatters, plumassiers, glovers, &c. Little did he dream, or little did he heed, that these obliging Messieurs, who protested that "they were only too much honoured in receiving the commands of such a beau garçon as the O'Donnel," would ever become inexorable duns, and so attached to their gallant cavalier, as to desire to have him in safe custody, that they might occasionally gratify their eyes by peeping at the fine bird, in their fine feathers, through the bars of his stone cage.

There was an air of triumph in his look and step, as O'Donnel marched his men to the corps de garde, that attracted the notice of many of the spectators, who had assembled, as was usual, at the parade hour. None knew the cause of this excitement, or guessed that this proud look could be humbled at the same hour, on the following morning, by a scurvy huissier.

Left to himself he struggled to shake off the painful thoughts attendant on his situation, and gladly caught at any object likely to divert him from contemplating the degrading fate his past imprudence threatened. The arrival of a cumberous calèche, which drew up at a small door near the grand entrance of the palace, could not fail, in his present mood, to attract his attention, but when he beheld descend from the carriage a lovely girl, whom he had seen at a ball given by Louis XIV. in honour of James's birth-day, he hastened towards the spot, to gaze upon that beauteous face, which had so often appeared to him in his dreams.

An old man, muffled in a roquelaure, observing the advance of O'Donnel, drew the arm of his fair charge through his own, and hurried toward the postern, but ere they disappeared, a glance from a pair of brilliant eyes, went to the heart of the young Irishman, and left him transfixed to the spot, gazing after this conquering fair, as though his looks could pierce the solid carve work of the oaken door; how long he would have retained this statue-like position it is impossible to tell; fortunately the cry of " Aux armes !" roused him from his trance, and he hastened to tender military honours to the exiled King, who, attended by one gentleman only, left the palace on foot.

For many an hour the fair form O'Donnel had gazed on, banished from his thoughts the dreaded morrow; so absorbed, indeed, was he in delicious reveries, as to be scarcely conscious of the entrance of Lanty, and the various preparations he made for "the master's dinner."

"Shure and I thought I'd never get shut of them devils incarnate, but lave me alone in the long run."

"Oh, those eyes!" sighed O'Donnel.

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By me soul you may say that! I'll engage they'll not be able to see out of them till day's dawn to-morrow, for I've sewed 'em up." "And what a form-!"

"They're both lying on the same form, at the caberay where I gave them the treat."

"And such a foot!"

"By Jagurs, but I got the length of it, any way," continued Lanty; "there now, I'll engage there's as pretty a guard-room dinner as heart can desire. A nice tureen of potage dever, solfrit, and a rotee, but whither it's made of beef or pig, meself don't know, but I'll engage it smells elegant!"

"Charmante fillette !" sighed O'Donnel.

"After

"Is it a fillet of vale ?" asked Lanty. "Ah now, sit down and try." "I've no appetite," languidly answered the stricken deer. such a feast!"

"Och then, the devil a mouthful you've tasted this blissed day, for to my sartain knowledge we hadn't the vally of a tas dee caffey, or a petty pang in the house; but here, the dinner's purvided by the noble Louis: he ought to have been born in ould Ireland for that same ginerous notion. Musha, what ails you, master dear? take your nourishment;" and he poured out a bumper of Hermitage: "that's a fine glass of wine, I'll be bail, and will cheer your heart; pitch sorrow to ould Scratch, and don't think of them two.”

"I can think of nothing else—one of them at least."

"Your mighty particular, any way!-och, I see, sure you mane the principal, and don't care for the follower; but your soup's cooling."

With a sigh deep enough to make a furnace ashamed of itself, the unhappy O'Donnel took his seat, and for a man over head and ears in debt, and steeped from crown to sole in love, contrived to make a very tolerable dinner, Lanty plying him with the generous wine, and saying with a look of delight,

"Two bottles is the riglar allowance, but I persuaded the mayter dotel to let me have an extra one, that I may make you a cup of spiced drink the last thing at night, to prevint your draiming about those you don't want to think on; so Master Gerald dear, tho' I'll clear away and lave you, don't be in Oh dissyspwar while you're vissy vee by yourself, but drink your wine, whilst I go look after them sleeping beauties, the curse o' Crummell on their carkishes."

The shades of evening fell on the palace of St. Germains, O'Donnel had drawn his chair close to the rude hearth, watching the crackling logs, and thinking on those bright eyes whose fire had proved so dangerous to his peace, when Lanty re-appeared with a face of bewilderment and mystery, whispering to his master,

Dec.-VOL. LI. NO CCIV.

2 N

"There's one without that has call to spake to your honour, says it's on pressing business, and only to yourself."

"Is it man or woman ?" demanded O'Donnel, with some undefined hope springing to his heart.

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Why then, it's nayther the one nor the other, for by the same token it's a friar."

"Maybe a message from my father, or perhaps some half-starved monk craving charity-Lanty, admit the poor devil."

"The holy father is anything but starved, an plase your honour, by the size of his girdle, but you shall judge for yourself." Lanty opened the door, continuing, "Step this way, your riv'rence, the master will have speech wid you."

A tall and burley figure, clothed in the habit of the Franciscan order, advanced towards O'Donnel, and throwing back his cowl, exhibited a face redolent of good humour and good living; there was no trace of fast or penance upon its round oily surface; a tint of crimson spread over his capacious cheeks and hanging jowl, whilst the deeper hue of the mulberry invaded a nose somewhat resembling, in shape, the fruit from which the colour seemed derived.

"Benedicite, my son !" said the fat churchman, "I crave a short audience with you."

O'Donnel signed for Lanty to retire.

"Is it meself, such a night as this, to lave you widout something to drink? Shure the holy father would like the least taste in life, to keep the could from the heart of him, whilst he's discoorsing wid you."

Speedily he placed on table the cheering beverage, saying, "Shure didn't I tould you, the extrey bottle would be convanient?" and left his master to learn the tidings the priest had to communicate.

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"My son," said the friar, with an air of mock solemnity, as he filled his glass, you are blest in a servant-a religious turn of mind can never be better evinced than by a consideration for the comforts of the clergy." After taking a lengthened draught, he continued, "I am but a few days from our dear island, and have made this visit at the express desire of the jovial, open-hearted, hospitable lady Honoria, now with the saints."

"Dear old aunt Norah dead!" said Gerald, smiling through tears at her pleasant image. "Then my father and myself are all now left upon this earth of the once powerful house of O'Donnel."

"Cheer up, my son, in you that house will revive, for you look, to say the least, a marrying man; but listen; your aunt intrusted me to deliver to you these two packets; the one contains a small bequest in gold: good soul! 'twas all she could save or spare after her donations to holy church; and the other, the only vestige left of the former glories of your race, the large diamond ring, which has for centuries been the ornament of the O'Donnel family, and which she, with much risk, secured about her own person, when the house of her fathers was given up to pillage, to those children of Sathan, the followers of Orange William. Tell Gerald,' were her parting words,' to guard this ring in memory of days gone by.' "Her injunction shall be obeyed," said the young soldier, placing his hand affectionately on the casket, containing this unexpected treasure.

My son," said the friar, "I now go to seek his sacred Majesty, with news from Ireland that will joy his heart. William of Nassau will not long usurp the seat of the anointed James Stuart. My mission to you is fulfilled, but my glass is not.”

Replenishing his goblet, the friar drained it with a parting blessing on his countryman, and took his leave.

66

Surely never did money arrive more apropos: my debts in Paris do not exceed a hundred and seventy louis-d'or, and my poor aunt's supply amounts to a couple of hundred; and then this ring; it is indeed magnificent, and doubtless of great value. I'll wear it the moment I've paid those harpies. I'll wear it under her window to-morrow; they say there is an attraction in diamonds that ladies seldom resist."

Such were the cogitations of O'Donnel, whose heart was lightened of a load of care.

Lanty was half frantic when he learned his master's unexpected good fortune, called on all the saints in the calendar to bless the Lady Honoria; and before the turret clock struck eight on the following morning, he had set off to Paris, in company with his troublesome friends of yesterday, empowered by his master to arrange the various claims. existing against him.

O'Donnel, relieved from his duty, devoted more than usual attention to his toilet, and spite of the absence of his valet de chambre, sallied forth for a promenade in his best suit, his newest plume, and his easiest gauntlets; these he preferred, as he could not resist the pleasure of occasionally pulling off the left hand glove, to contemplate the sparkling ornament that adorned his little finger. Defying the sharp air, and unwilling to conceal his finely formed figure in a cloak, O'Donnel paced up and down in front of the apartment he imagined to be occupied by the enslaver of his heart; but not a glimpse of her could he obtain. Still he persevered in confining his walk to this portion of the terrace, and was somewhat annoyed at having his solitary promenade broken upon by a party of his brother officers, who joined him. After exchanging the courteous salutations, without which, in those days, friends could not meet, the new comers expressed their surprise at finding him so near the guard-room, after having been condemned to pass the last fourand-twenty hours within its walls. He did not deign to comment on their various conjectures at his selection of so dull a quartier, but with a natural and pardonable vanity accepted a proffered prise de tabac for the express purpose of dazzling the eyes of his comrades. No sooner did the pure water of this splendid bague glisten in the wintry sunbeams, than various exclamations of astonishment burst from the lips of his brother soldiers.

"Superbe!" "Magnifique!" "Lucky fellow!" "Won at play ?" "A woman's cadeau ?" "Plunder?" were the interjections and interrogations that beset him.

Ni l'une ni l'autre," said O'Donnel, with an air of nonchalance; part of my family jewels;" and walked away.

"He'd better pay that poor devil Monsieur Dechet, the marchand des gands, in the Rue St. Martin," said one of the group, "than strut about with his family jewels.'

"Or get a decent chair or two, and a spare table, put into his quar

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