OConors of Castle Conor, County Mayo | Page 8

them with his eye; and after this he
pronounced his opinion.
"Yer honer couldn't wear a morsel of leather belonging to ere a one of
'em, young or ould. There niver was a foot like that yet among the
O'Conors."
"But are there no strangers staying here?"
"There's three or four on 'em come in to dinner; but they'll be wanting
their own boots I'm thinking. And there's young Misther Dillon; he's
come to stay. But Lord love you--" and he again looked at the
enormous extent which lay between the heel and the toe of the shooting
apparatus which he still held in his hand. "I niver see such a foot as that
in the whole barony," he said, "barring my own."
Now Larry was a large man, much larger altogether than myself, and as
he said this I looked down involuntarily at his feet; or rather at his foot,
for as he stood I could only see one. And then a sudden hope filled my
heart. On that foot there glittered a shoe--not indeed such as were my
own which were now resting ingloriously at Ballyglass while they were
so sorely needed at Castle Conor; but one which I could wear before
ladies, without shame--and in my present frame of mind with infinite
contentment.
"Let me look at that one of your own," said I to the man, as though it
were merely a subject for experimental inquiry. Larry, accustomed to
obedience, took off the shoe and handed it to me.
My own foot was immediately in it, and I found that it fitted me like a
glove.
"And now the other," said I--not smiling, for a smile would have put
him on his guard; but somewhat sternly, so that that habit of obedience
should not desert him at this perilous moment. And then I stretched out
my hand.
"But yer honer can't keep 'em, you know," said he. "I haven't the ghost
of another shoe to my feet." But I only looked more sternly than before,
and still held out my hand. Custom prevailed. Larry stooped down
slowly, looking at me the while, and pulling off the other slipper
handed it to me with much hesitation. Alas! as I put it to my foot I
found that it was old, and worn, and irredeemably down at heel;--that it

was in fact no counterpart at all to that other one which was to do duty
as its fellow. But nevertheless I put my foot into it, and felt that a
descent to the drawing-room was now possible.
"But yer honer will give 'em back to a poor man?" said Larry almost
crying. "The masther's mad this minute becase the dinner's not up.
Glory to God, only listhen to that!" And as he spoke a tremendous peal
rang out from some bell down stairs that had evidently been shaken by
an angry hand.
"Larry," said I--and I endeavoured to assume a look of very grave
importance as I spoke--"I look to you to assist me in this matter."
"Och--wirra sthrue then, and will you let me go? just listhen to that,"
and another angry peal rang out, loud and repeated.
"If you do as I ask you," I continued, "you shall be well rewarded.
Look here; look at these boots," and I held up the shooting-shoes new
from Burlington Arcade. "They cost thirty shillings--thirty shillings!
and I will give them to you for the loan of this pair of slippers."
"They'd be no use at all to me, yer honer; not the laist use in life."
"You could do with them very well for to-night, and then you could sell
them. And here are ten shillings besides," and I held out half a
sovereign which the poor fellow took into his hand.
I waited no further parley but immediately walked out of the room.
With one foot I was sufficiently pleased. As regarded that I felt that I
had overcome my difficulty. But the other was not so satisfactory.
Whenever I attempted to lift it from the ground the horrid slipper would
fall off, or only just hang by the toe. As for dancing, that would be out
of the question.
"Och, murther, murther," sang out Larry, as he heard me going down
stairs. "What will I do at all? Tare and 'ounds; there, he's at it agin, as
mad as blazes." This last exclamation had reference to another peal
which was evidently the work of the master's hand.
I confess I was not quite comfortable as I walked down stairs. In the
first place I was nearly half an hour late, and I knew from the vigour of
the peals that had sounded that my slowness had already been made the
subject of strong remarks. And then my left