Lord Kilgobbin   By: Charles James Lever (1806-1872)

LORD KILGOBBIN

by

Charles Lever

TO THE MEMORY OF ONE WHOSE COMPANIONSHIP MADE THE HAPPINESS OF A LONG LIFE, AND WHOSE LOSS HAS LEFT ME HELPLESS, I DEDICATE THIS WORK, WRITTEN IN BREAKING HEALTH AND BROKEN SPIRITS. THE TASK, THAT ONCE WAS MY JOY AND MY PRIDE, I HAVE LIVED TO FIND ASSOCIATED WITH MY SORROW: IT IS NOT, THEN, WITHOUT A CAUSE I SAY, I HOPE THIS EFFORT MAY BE MY LAST.

CHARLES LEVER.

TRIESTE, January 20, 1872 .

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

'Lord Kilgobbin' appeared originally as a serial, (illustrated by Luke Fildes) in 'The Cornhill Magazine,' commencing in the issue for October 1870, and ending in the issue for March 1872. It was first published in book form in three volumes in 1872, with the following title page:

LORD KILGOBBIN A TALE OF IRELAND IN OUR OWN TIME BY CHARLES LEVER, LL.D. AUTHOR OF 'THE BRAMLEIGHS OF BISHOP'S FOLLY,' 'THAT BOY OF NORCOTT'S,' ETC., ETC. IN THREE VOLUMES [VOL. I.] LONDON SMITH, ELDER, AND CO., 15 WATERLOO PLACE 1872. [THE RIGHT OF TRANSLATION IS RESERVED.]

CONTENTS

CHAP. I. KILGOBBIN CASTLE II. THE PRINCE KOSTALERGI III. THE CHUMS IV. AT 'TRINITY' V. HOME LIFE AT THE CASTLE VI. THE 'BLUE COAT' VII. THE COUSINS VIII. SHOWING HOW FRIENDS MAY DIFFER IX. A DRIVE THROUGH A BOG X. THE SEARCH FOR ARMS XI. WHAT THE PAPERS SAID OF IT XII. THE JOURNEY TO THE COUNTRY XIII. A SICK ROOM XIV. AT DINNER XV. IN THE GARDEN AT DUSK XVI. THE TWO 'KEARNEYS' XVII. DICK'S REVERIE XVIII. MATHEW KEARNEY'S 'STUDY' XIX. AN UNWELCOME VISIT XX. A DOMESTIC DISCUSSION XXI. A SMALL DINNER PARTY XXII. A CONFIDENTIAL TALK XXIII. A HAPHAZARD VICEROY XXIV. TWO FRIENDS AT BREAKFAST XXV. ATLEE'S EMBARRASSMENTS XXVI. DICK KEARNEY'S CHAMBERS XXVII. A CRAFTY COUNSELLOR XXVIII. 'ON THE LEADS' XXIX. ON A VISIT AT KILGOBBIN XXX. THE MOATE STATION XXXI. HOW THE 'GOATS' REVOLTED XXXII. AN UNLOOKED FOR PLEASURE XXXIII. PLMNUDDM CASTLE, NORTH WALES XXXIV. AT TEA TIME XXXV. A DRIVE AT SUNRISE XXXVI. THE EXCURSION XXXVII. THE RETURN XXXVIII. O'SHEA'S BARN XXXIX. AN EARLY GALLOP XL. OLD MEMORIES XLI. TWO FAMILIAR EPISTLES XLII. AN EVENING IN THE DRAWING ROOM XLIII. SOME NIGHT THOUGHTS XLIV. THE HEAD CONSTABLE XLV. SOME IRISHRIES XLVI. SAGE ADVICE XLVII. REPROOF XLVIII. HOW MEN IN OFFICE MAKE LOVE XLIX. A CUP OF TEA L. CROSS PURPOSES LI. AWAKENINGS LII. A CHANCE AGREEMENT LIII. A SCRAPE LIV. HOW IT BEFELL LV. TWO J.P.'S LVI. BEFORE THE DOOR LVII. A DOCTOR LVIII. IN TURKEY LIX. A LETTER BAG LX. A DEFEAT LXI. A CHANGE OF FRONT LXII. WITH A PASHA LXIII. ATLEE ON HIS TRAVELS LXIV. GREEK MEETS GREEK LXV. IN TOWN LXVI. ATLEB'S MESSAGE LXVII. WALPOLE ALONE LXVIII. THOUGHTS ON MARRIAGE LXIX. AT KILGOBBIN CASTLE LXX. ATLEE'S RETURN LXXI. THE DRIVE LXXII. THE SAUNTER IN TOWN LXXIII. A DARKENED ROOM LXXIV. AN ANGRY COLLOQUY LXXV. MATHEW KEARNEY'S REFLECTIONS LXXVI. VERY CONFIDENTIAL CONVERSATION LXXVII. TWO YOUNG LADIES ON MATRIMONY LXXVIII. A MISERABLE MORNING LXXIX. PLEASANT CONGRATULATIONS LXXX. A NEW ARRIVAL LXXXI. AN UNLOOKED FOR CORRESPONDENT LXXXII. THE BREAKFAST ROOM LXXXIII. THE GARDEN BY MOONLIGHT LXXXIV. NEXT MORNING LXXXV. THE END

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

SHE SUFFERED HER HAND TO REMAIN

'WHAT LARK HAVE YOU BEEN ON, MASTER JOE?'

'ONE MORE SITTING I MUST HAVE, SIR, FOR THE HAIR'

'HOW THAT SONG MAKES ME WISH WE WERE BACK AGAIN WHERE I HEARD IT FIRST'

HE ENTERED, AND NINA AROSE AS HE CAME FORWARD

'YOU ARE RIGHT, I SEE IT ALL,' AND NOW HE SEIZED HER HAND AND KISSED IT

KATE, STILL DRESSED, HAD THROWN HERSELF ON THE BED, AND WAS SOUND ASLEEP

'IS NOT THAT AS FINE AS YOUR BOASTED CAMPAGNA?'

'YOU WEAR A RING OF GREAT BEAUTY MAY I LOOK AT IT?'

'TRUE, THERE IS NO TENDER LIGHT THERE,' MUTTERED HE, GAZING AT HER EYES

HE KNELT DOWN ON ONE KNEE BEFORE HER

NINA CAME FORWARD AT THAT MOMENT

NINA KOSTALERGI WAS BUSILY ENGAGED IN PINNING UP THE SKIRT OF HER DRESS

THE BALCONY CREAKED AND TREMBLED, AND AT LAST GAVE WAY

'JUST LOOK AT THE CROWD THAT IS WATCHING US ALREADY'

'I SHOULD LIKE TO HAVE BACK MY LETTERS'

WALPOLE LOOKED KEENLY AT THE OTHER'S FACE AS HE READ THE PAPER

'I DECLARE YOU HAVE LEFT A TEAR UPON MY CHEEK,' SAID KATE

CHAPTER I

KILGOBBIN CASTLE