away from all dwelling-house, or thatch, or yards, to take fire; so no danger in life or objection.  And such another blaze!  I wished you’d seed it—­and all the men, women, and children in the town and country, far and near, gathered round it, shouting and dancing like mad!—­and it was light as day quite across the bog, as far as Bartley Finnigan’s house.  And I heard after, they seen it from all parts of the three counties, and they thought it was St. John’s Eve in a mistake—­or couldn’t make out what it was; but all took it in good part, for a good sign, and were in great joy.  As for St. Dennis and ould Nick, an attorney had his foot upon em, with an habere a latitat, and three executions hanging over ’em; and there’s the end of rogues! and a great example in the country.  And—­no more about it; for I can’t be wasting more ink upon them that don’t desarve it at my hands, when I want it for them that do, you shall see.  So some weeks past, and there was great cleaning at Clonbrony Castle, and in the town of Clonbrony; and the new agent’s smart and clever; and he had the glaziers, and the painters, and the slaters up and down in the town wherever wanted; and you wouldn’t know it again.  Thinks I, this is no bad sign!  Now, cock up your ears, Pat! for the great news is coming, and the good.  The master’s come home—­long life to him!—­and family come home yesterday, all entirely!  The ould lord and the young lord (ay, there’s the man, Paddy!), and my lady, and Miss Nugent.  And I driv Miss Nugent’s maid, that maid that was, and another; so I had the luck to be in it along WID ’em, and see all, from first to last.  And first, I must tell you, my young Lord Colambre remembered and noticed me the minute he lit at our inn, and condescended to beckon at me out of the yard to him, and axed me—­’Friend Larry,’ says he, ’did you keep your promise?’—­’My oath again’ the whisky, is it?’ says I.  ‘My lord, I surely did,’ said I; which was true, as all the country knows I never tasted a drop since.  ’And I’m proud to see your honour, my lord, as good as your word too, and back again among us.  So then there was a call for the horses; and no more at that time passed betwix’ my young lord and me, but that he pointed me out to the ould one, as I went off.  I noticed and thanked him for it in my heart, though I did not know all the good was to come of it.  Well, no more of myself, for the present.

Ogh, it’s I driv ’em well; and we all got to the great gate of the park before sunset, and as fine an evening as ever you see; with the sun shining on the tops of the trees, as the ladies noticed; the leaves changed, but not dropped, though so late in the season.  I believe the leaves knew what they were about, and kept on, on purpose to welcome them; and the birds were singing, and I stopped whistling, that they might hear them; but sorrow bit could they hear when they got to the park gate, for there was such a crowd, and such a shout, as you never see—­and