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aret； and he and the other gentlemen set…to to a drinking…bout。
CHAPTER II。
I now come to the time in which I myself was mixed up with the people that I have been writing about。 And to make you understand how I became connected with them； I must give you some little account of myself。 My father was the younger son of a Devonshire gentleman of moderate property； my eldest uncle succeeded to the estate of his forefathers； my second became an eminent attorney in London； and my father took orders。 Like most poor clergymen； he had a large family； and I have no doubt was glad enough when my London uncle； who was a bachelor； offered to take charge of me； and bring me up to be his successor in business。
In this way I came to live in London； in my uncle's house； not far from Gray's Inn； and to be treated and esteemed as his son； and to labour with him in his office。 I was very fond of the old gentleman。 He was the confidential agent of many country squires； and had attained to his present position as much by knowledge of human nature as by knowledge of law； though he was learned enough in the latter。 He used to say his business was law； his pleasure heraldry。 From his intimate acquaintance with family history； and all the tragic courses of life therein involved； to hear him talk； at leisure times； about any coat of arms that came across his path was as good as a play or a romance。 Many cases of disputed property； dependent on a love of genealogy； were brought to him； as to a great authority on such points。 If the lawyer who came to consult him was young； he would take no fee； only give him a long lecture on the importance of attending to heraldry； if the lawyer was of mature age and good standing； he would mulct him pretty well； and abuse him to me afterwards as negligent of one great branch of the profession。 His house was in a stately new street called Ormond Street； and in it he had a handsome library； but all the books treated of things that were past； none of them planned or looked forward into the future。 I worked awaypartly for the sake of my family at home； partly because my uncle had really taught me to enjoy the kind of practice in which he himself took such delight。 I suspect I worked too hard； at any rate； in seventeen hundred and eighteen I was far from well； and my good uncle was disturbed by my ill looks。
One day； he rang the bell twice into the clerk's room at the dingy office in Grey's Inn Lane。 It was the summons for me； and I went into his private room just as a gentlemanwhom I knew well enough by sight as an Irish lawyer of more reputation than he deservedwas leaving。
My uncle was slowly rubbing his hands together and considering。 I was there two or three minutes before he spoke。 Then he told me that I must pack up my portmanteau that very afternoon； and start that night by post…horse for West Chester。 I should get there； if all went well； at the end of five days' time； and must then wait for a packet to cross over to Dublin； from thence I must proceed to a certain town named Kildoon； and in that neighbourhood I was to remain； making certain inquiries as to the existence of any descendants of the younger branch of a family to whom some valuable estates had descended in the female line。 The Irish lawyer whom I had seen was weary of the case； and would willingly have given up the property； without further ado； to a man who appeared to claim them； but on laying his tables and trees before my uncle； the latter had foreseen so many possible prior claimants； that the lawyer had begged him to undertake the management of the whole business。 In his youth； my uncle would have liked nothing better than going over to Ireland himself； and ferreting out every scrap of paper or parchment； and every word of tradition respecting the family。 As it was； old and gouty； he deputed me。
Accordingly； I went to Kildoon。 I suspect I had something of my uncle's delight in following up a genealogical scent； for I very soon found out； when on the spot； that Mr。 Rooney； the Irish lawyer； would have got both himself and the first claimant into a terrible scrape； if he had pronounced his opinion that the estates ought to be given up to him。 There were three poor Irish fellows； each nearer of kin to the last possessor； but； a generation before； there was a still nearer relation； who had never been accounted for； nor his existence ever discovered by the lawyers； I venture to think； till I routed him out from the memory of some of the old dependants of the family。 What had become of him？ I travelled backwards and forwards； I crossed over to France； and came back again with a slight clue； which ended in my discovering that； wild and dissipated himself； he had left one child； a son； of yet worse character than his father； that this same Hugh Fitzgerald had married a very beautiful serving…woman of the Byrnesa person below him in hereditary rank； but above him in character； that he had died soon after his marriage； leaving one child； whether a boy or a girl I could not learn； and that the mother had returned to live in the family of the Byrnes。 Now； the chief of this latter family was serving in the Duke of Berwick's regiment； and it was long before I could hear from him； it was more than a year before I got a short； haughty letterI fancy he had a soldier's contempt for a civilian； an Irishman's hatred for an Englishman； an exiled Jacobite's jealousy of one who prospered and lived tranquilly under the government he looked upon as an usurpation。 〃Bridget Fitzgerald；〃 he said； 〃had been faithful to the fortunes of his sisterhad followed her abroad； and to England when Mrs。 Starkey had thought fit to return。 Both his sister and her husband were dead； he knew nothing of Bridget Fitzgerald at the present time： probably Sir Philip Tempest； his nephew's guardian； might be able to give me some information。〃 I have not given the little contemptuous terms； the way in which faithful service was meant to imply more than it said all that has nothing to do with my story。 Sir Philip； when applied to； told me that he paid an annuity regularly to an old woman named Fitzgerald； living at Coldholme （the village near Starkey Manor… house）。 Whether she had any descendants he could not say。
One bleak March evening； I came in sight of the places described at the beginning of my story。 I could hardly understand the rude dialect in which the direction to old Bridget's house was given。
〃Yo' see yon furleets；〃 all run together； gave me no idea that I was to guide myself by the distant lights that shone in the windows of the Hall； occupied for the time by a farmer who held the post of steward； while the Squire； now four or five and twenty； was making the grand tour。 However； at last； I reached Bridget's cottagea low； moss…grown place： the palings that had once surrounded it were broken and gone； and the underwood of the forest came up to the walls； and must have darkened the windows。 It was about seven o'clocknot late to my London notionsbut； after knocking for some time at the door and receiving no reply； I was driven to conjecture that the occupant of the house was gone to bed。 So I betook myself to the nearest church I had seen； three miles back on the road I had come； sure that close to that I should find an inn of some kind； and early the next morning I set off back to Coldholme； by a field…path which my host assured me I should find a shorter cut than the road I had taken the night before。 It was a cold； sharp morning； my feet left prints in the sprinkling of hoar…frost that covered the ground； nevertheless； I saw an old woman； whom I instinctively suspected to be the object of my search； in a sheltered covert on one side of my path。 I lingered and watched her。 She must have been considerably above the middle size in her prime； for when she raised herself from the stooping position in which I first saw her； there was something fine and commanding in the erectness of her figure。 She drooped again in a minute or two； and seemed looking for something on the ground； as； with bent head； she turned off from the spot where I
gazed upon her； and was lost to my sight。 I fancy I missed my way； and made a round in spite of the landlord's directions； for by the time I had reached Bridget's cottage she was there； with no semblance of hurried walk or discomposure of any kind。 The door was slightly ajar。 I knocked； and the majestic figure stood before me； silently awaiting the explanation of my errand。 Her teeth were all gone； so the nose and chin were brought near together； the gray eyebrows were straight； and almost hung over her deep； cavernous eyes； and the thick white hair lay in silvery masses over the low； wide； wrinkled forehead。 For a moment； I stood uncertain how to shape my answer to the solemn questioning of her silence。
〃Your name is Bridget Fitzgerald； I believe？〃
She bowed her head in assent。
〃I have something to say to you。 May I come in？ I am unwilling to keep you standing。〃
〃You cannot tire me；〃 she said； and at first she seemed inclined to deny me the shelter of her roof。 But the next momentshe had searched the very soul in me with her eyes during that instantshe led me in； and dropped the sha