PIPECLAY.--I beg your pardon one minute, Lovell. I wish to convince Oldham that there is some advantage in knowing how to assert your own rights.
O'SHEEVO.--I deny that _in toto_. The Ballyswig estate would have been in the O'Sheevo family to this day, if my great-aunt hadn't wished to assert her right to a haycock, which brought the title in question, and caused us to lose the whole property.
PIPECLAY.--But if another had a just claim?
O'SHEEVO.--Just humbug! The opposite side retained Counsellor Curran, who'd have persuaded a jury out of their Sunday waistcoats, with a five-shilling piece in the pocket of each.
OLDHAM.--Well, well. Now, look here, Lovell. This, as I said, is Cherbourg--this Portsmouth. Ellis, of the staff corps, used always to illustrate this way; did you ever meet him?
LOVELL.--What! the owner of May-Bee, who won the military steeple-chase, two years ago? To be sure, I did: devilish sharp fellow he was too.
PIPECLAY.--I don't know that: he broke down in some charges he preferred against Sergeant O'Flinn of the Royal County Down, who was acquitted by a general court-martial. A fellow who does that, may be a very good fellow, but can't have much head-piece.
LOVELL.--May-Bee was a pretty piece of goods though. I saw the poor thing break her back last spring, under Jack Fisher of the carabineers: Jack nearly went out at the same time. Devilish sharply contested thing, till poor May-Bee's accident. Jack was picked up,--dreadful fall, as the papers said--gallant captain--small hopes of recovery--be universally regretted through the regiment--popular qualities--and that sort of thing; but somehow he marched to Nottingham at the head of his troop, a fortnight after, worth fifty dead men.
PIPECLAY.--What do you value a dead man at, Lovell?
O'SHEEVO.--If a thing's worth what it'll _fetch_, a dead man's value wouldn't burst the Exchequer.
LOVELL.--Thank you, Major, for getting me out of that; the Adjutant was going to bring me up rather straitly.
O'SHEEVO.--He's the very boy to do that. A bigoted ram's horn under his hands, would be forced to relinquish its prejudices. Nobody stoops to conquer in his academy. Send for another jug, and we'll go on with our discussion. Smart letter that of the old Duke's.