That uncle of yours is a
great blackguard, every bit of him. I shall leave here in three days,
and you must join me at Plymouth. Make my compliments to your father,
and my regards to your sister, whom may all the saints preserve! God
bless her, for ever and ever. Amen.
"Yours ever,
"TERENCE O'BRIEN."
I put this letter into my father's hands when he came out of his room.
"This is a deep-laid plot," said he, "and I think we must immediately do
as O'Brien states--look after the nurse who was sent to India. Do you
know the regiment to which her husband belongs?"
"Yes, sir," replied I; "it is the 33rd, and she sailed for India about
three months back."
"The name, you say, I think, is O'Sullivan," said he, pulling out his
tablets. "Well, I will write immediately to Captain Fielding, and beg
him to make the minutest inquiries. I will also write to your sister
Lucy, for women are much keener than men in affairs of this sort. If the
regiment is ordered to Ceylon, all the better: if not, he must obtain
furlough to prosecute his inquiries. When that is done, I will go myself
to Ireland, and try if we cannot trace the other parties."
My father then left the room, and I retired with Ellen to make
preparations for joining my ship at Plymouth. A letter announcing my
appointment had come down, and I had written to request my commission to
be forwarded to the clerk of the cheque at Plymouth, that I might save a
useless journey to London. On the following day I parted with my father
and my dear sister, and, without any adventure, arrived at Plymouth
Dock, where I met with O'Brien.
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