He addressed the persons present with an air of easy
condescension, and went over immediately and shook hands, in a very
cordial manner, with Gerald Cavanagh and his wife, after which he turned
round and bowed to the daughters. He then addressed Bryan, beside whom
Kathleen was sitting.
"Bryan," said he, "there will be mistakes in the best of families. I
hate enmity. How, do you do?"
Bryan nodded, and replied, "Pretty well, Hycy--how are you?"
Cavanagh and his wife were evidently quite delighted to see him; the
good man rose and made him take his own seat, and Mrs. Cavanagh paid him
every conceivable mark of attention.
"Mrs. Cavanagh," said he, after some chat, "may I be permitted to
indulge in the felicity of a dance with Miss Cavanagh?"
"Which of them?" asked the mother, and then added, without waiting for a
reply--"to be sure you may."
"The felicity of a dance! that was well expressed, Mr. Hycy; but it
was not for nothing that you broke grammatical ground under Patricius
Finigan--ah, no; the early indoctrinations will tell;--that is clear."
"I mean Miss Kathleen," replied Hycy, without paying any attention to
Finigan's observations.
"Why not?" exclaimed both; "of course you will--go over and bring her
out."
Hycy, approaching her, said, in his blandest and most persuasive manner,
"Miss Cavanagh, will you allow me the gratification of dancing a reel
with you?"
"I'm obliged to you, Mr.
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