Tales and Novels, vol 6 | Page 5

fighting sheriffs, bribing subs, managing cants, tricking custodees, in language so strange, and with a countenance and gestures so full of enjoyment of the jest, that, whilst Mordicai stood for a moment aghast with astonishment, Lord Colambre could not help laughing, partly at, and partly with, his countryman. All the yard were in a roar of laughter, though they did not understand half of what they heard; but their risible muscles were acted upon mechanically, or maliciously, merely by the sound of the Irish brogue.
Mordicai, waiting till the laugh was over, dryly observed, that "the law is executed in another guess sort of way in England from what it is in Ireland;" therefore, for his part, he desired nothing better than to set his wits fairly against such _sharks_--that there was a pleasure in doing up a debtor, which none but a creditor could know.
"In a moment, sir; if you'll have a moment's patience, sir, if you please," said the slow foreman to Lord Colambre; "I must go down the pounds once more, and then I'll let you have it."
"I'll tell you what, Smithfield," continued Mr. Mordicai, coming close beside his foreman, and speaking very low, but with a voice trembling with anger, for he was piqued by his foreman's doubts of his capacity to cope with Sir Terence O'Fay; "I'll tell you what, Smithfield, I'll be cursed if I don't get every inch of them into my power--you know how."
"You are the best judge, sir," replied the foreman; "but I would not undertake Sir Terence; and the question is, whether the estate will answer the tote of the debts, and whether you know them all for certain--"
"I do, sir, I tell you: there's Green--there's Blancham--there's Gray--there's Soho"--naming several more--"and, to my knowledge, Lord Clonbrony--"
"Stop, sir," cried Lord Colambre, in a voice which made Mordicai and every body present start;--"I am his son--"
"The devil!" said Mordicai.
"God bless every bone in his body, then, he's an Irishman!" cried Paddy; "and there was the _ra_son my heart warmed to him from the first minute he come into the yard, though I did not know it till now."
"What, sir! are you my Lord Colambre?" said Mr. Mordicai, recovering, but not clearly recovering, his intellects: "I beg pardon, but I did not know you was Lord Colambre--I thought you told me you was the friend of Mr. Berryl."
"I do not see the incompatibility of the assertion, sir," replied Lord Colambre, taking from the bewildered foreman's unresisting hand the account which he had been so long furnishing.
"Give me leave, my lord," said Mordicai--"I beg your pardon, my lord; perhaps we can compromise that business for your friend Mr. Berryl; since he is your lordship's friend, perhaps we can contrive to compromise and split the difference."
To compromise, and split the difference, Mordicai thought were favourite phrases, and approved Hibernian modes of doing business, which would conciliate this young Irish nobleman, and dissipate the proud tempest, which had gathered, and now swelled in his breast.
"No, sir, no!" cried Lord Colambre, holding firm the paper: "I want no favour from you. I will accept of none for my friend or for myself."
"Favour! No, my lord, I should not presume to offer--But I should wish, if you'll allow me, to do your friend justice."
Lord Colambre, recollecting that he had no right, in his pride, to fling away his friend's money, let Mr. Mordicai look at the account; and his impetuous temper in a few moments recovered by good sense, he considered, that, as his person was utterly unknown to Mr. Mordicai, no offence could have been intended to him, and that, perhaps, in what had been said of his father's debts and distress, there might be more truth than he was aware of. Prudently, therefore, controlling his feelings, and commanding himself, he suffered Mr. Mordicai to show him into a parlour to settle his friend's business. In a few minutes the account was reduced to a reasonable form, and, in consideration of the partner's having made the bargain, by which Mr. Mordicai felt himself influenced in honour, though not bound in law, he undertook to have the curricle made better than new again, for Mr. Berryl, for twenty guineas. Then came awkward apologies to Lord Colambre, which he ill endured. "Between ourselves, my lord," continued Mordicai--
But the familiarity of the phrase. "Between ourselves"--this implication of equality--Lord Colambre could not admit: he moved hastily towards the door, and departed.

CHAPTER II.
Full of what he had heard, and impatient to obtain farther information respecting the state of his father's affairs, Lord Colambre hastened home; but his father was out, and his mother was engaged with Mr. Soho, directing, or rather being directed, how her apartments should be fitted up for her gala. As Lord Colambre entered the room, he saw his mother,