"The very man. You may have met him here as Darcy's guest?"
"What makes the affair worse is that the relationship with Castlereagh will be taken up as a party matter by O'Halloran's friends in the press; they will see a Castle plot, where, in reality, there is nothing to blame save the rash folly of a hot-headed boy."
"What is to be done?" said O'Reilly, putting his hand to his forehead, in his embarrassment to think of some escape from the difficulty.
"I see but one safe issue,--always enough to any question, if men have resolution to adopt it."
"Let me hear what you counsel," said O'Reilly, as he cast a searching glance at his astute companion.
"O'Halloran! You mistake him, Mr. Heffernan; he'll prosecute the business to the end."
"I'm speaking of Forester," said Heffernan, dryly; "it is _his_ absence is the important matter at this moment."
"I confess I am myself unable to appreciate your view of the case," said O'Reilly, with a cunning smile; "the policy is a new one to me which teaches that a magistrate should favor the escape of a prisoner who has just insulted one of his own friends."
"I may be able to explain my meaning to your satisfaction," said Heffernan, as, taking O'Reilly's arm, he spoke for some time in a low but earnest manner. "Yes," said he, aloud, "your son Beecham was the object of this young man's vengeance; chance alone turned his anger on the Counsellor. His sole purpose in 'the West' was to provoke your son to a duel, and I know well what the result of your proceedings to-morrow would effect. Forester would not accept of his liberty on bail, nor would he enter into a security on his part to keep the peace. You will be forced, actually forced, to commit a young man of family and high position to a gaol; and what will the world say? That in seeking satisfaction for a very gross outrage on the character of his friend, a young Englishman of high family was sent to prison! In Ireland, the tale will tell badly; _we_ always have more sympathy than censure for such offenders. In England, how many will know of his friends and connections, who never heard of your respectable bench of magistrates,--will it be very wonderful if they side with their countryman against the stranger?"