And
now it is time for us to be starting for the dance at the Regans'. I
am sorry you can't go with us, Desmond, as you are on duty."
"I shall be very glad to take your duty, Desmond," Ralph said eagerly.
"I told you so this morning, and I thought you agreed."
"As your commanding officer," O'Connor said gravely, "I cannot permit
the exchange to be made, Mr. Conway. You have your duty to perform to
the regiment as well as Mr. Desmond, and your duty clearly is to go
out and make yourself agreeable. I am surprised after what I have just
been saying that you should think of staying at home."
"Well, of course, if you want me to go I will go," Ralph said
reluctantly. "But I don't know the Regans, and don't want to."
"That is very ungracious, Conway. Mr. Regan is a retired pork merchant
of Cork. He has given up his business and bought an estate here, and
settled down as a country gentleman. They say his father was a
pig-driver in Waterford. That's why he has bought a place on this side
of the county. But people have been rather shy of them; because,
though he could buy three-fourths of them up, his money smells of
pork. Still, as the election is coming on, they have relaxed a bit.
He's got the militia band, and there will be lashings of everything;
and his girls are nice girls, whether their father sold pork or not.
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