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diff --git a/old/pclp210.txt b/old/pclp210.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e07c284 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/pclp210.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6230 @@ +**The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Purcell Papers, Volume 2** +#2 in our series by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. 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If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Association / Illinois + Benedictine College" within the 60 days following each + date you prepare (or were legally required to prepare) + your annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time, +scanning machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty +free copyright licenses, and every other sort of contribution +you can think of. Money should be paid to "Project Gutenberg +Association / Illinois Benedictine College". + +*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +Scanned by Charles Keller with +OmniPage Professional OCR software +donated by Caere Corporation, 1-800-535-7226. +Contact Mike Lough <Mikel@caere.com> + +THE +PURCELL PAPERS. + +BY THE LATE +JOSEPH SHERIDAN LE FANU, +AUTHOR OF 'UNCLE SILAS.' + +With a Memoir by +ALFRED PERCEVAL GRAVES + +IN THREE VOLUMES. +VOL. II. + + +CONTENTS OF VOL. II. +---- + +PASSAGE IN THE SECRET HISTORY OF AN IRISH COUNTESS +THE BRIDAL OF CARRIGVARAH +STRANGE EVENT IN THE LIFE OF SCHALKEN THE PAINTER +SCRAPS OF HIBERNIAN BALLADS + + + +THE PURCELL PAPERS. + +PASSAGE IN THE +SECRET HISTORY OF AN IRISH +COUNTESS. + +Being a Fifth Extract from the Legacy of the late Francis +Purcell, P.P. of Drumcoolagh. + +The following paper is written in a +female hand, and was no doubt +communicated to my much-regretted +friend by the lady whose early +history it serves to illustrate, the Countess +D----. She is no more--she long since +died, a childless and a widowed wife, and, +as her letter sadly predicts, none survive +to whom the publication of this narrative +can prove 'injurious, or even painful.' +Strange! two powerful and wealthy +families, that in which she was born, +and that into which she had married, +have ceased to be--they are utterly +extinct. + +To those who know anything of the +history of Irish families, as they were +less than a century ago, the facts which +immediately follow will at once suggest +THE NAMES of the principal actors; and to +others their publication would be useless-- +to us, possibly, if not probably, injurious. +I have, therefore, altered such of the +names as might, if stated, get us into +difficulty; others, belonging to minor +characters in the strange story, I have left +untouched. + + +My dear friend,--You have asked me to +furnish you with a detail of the strange +events which marked my early history, +and I have, without hesitation, applied +myself to the task, knowing that, while I +live, a kind consideration for my feelings +will prevent your giving publicity to the +statement; and conscious that, when I am +no more, there will not survive one to +whom the narrative can prove injurious, or +even painful. + +My mother died when I was quite an +infant, and of her I have no recollection, +even the faintest. By her death, my +education and habits were left solely to +the guidance of my surviving parent; and, +as far as a stern attention to my religious +instruction, and an active anxiety evinced +by his procuring for me the best masters +to perfect me in those accomplishments +which my station and wealth might seem +to require, could avail, he amply discharged +the task. + +My father was what is called an oddity, +and his treatment of me, though uniformly +kind, flowed less from affection and +tenderness than from a sense of obligation +and duty. Indeed, I seldom even spoke +to him except at meal-times, and then his +manner was silent and abrupt; his +leisure hours, which were many, were +passed either in his study or in solitary +walks; in short, he seemed to take no +further interest in my happiness or +improvement than a conscientious regard to +the discharge of his own duty would seem +to claim. + +Shortly before my birth a circumstance +had occurred which had contributed much +to form and to confirm my father's +secluded habits--it was the fact that a +suspicion of MURDER had fallen upon his +younger brother, though not sufficiently +definite to lead to an indictment, yet +strong enough to ruin him in public +opinion. + +This disgraceful and dreadful doubt cast +upon the family name, my father felt +deeply and bitterly, and not the less so +that he himself was thoroughly convinced +of his brother's innocence. The sincerity +and strength of this impression he shortly +afterwards proved in a manner which +produced the dark events which follow. +Before, however, I enter upon the +statement of them, I ought to relate the +circumstances which had awakened the +suspicion; inasmuch as they are in themselves +somewhat curious, and, in their +effects, most intimately connected with my +after-history. + +My uncle, Sir Arthur T----n, was a gay +and extravagant man, and, among other +vices, was ruinously addicted to gaming; +this unfortunate propensity, even after his +fortune had suffered so severely as to +render inevitable a reduction in his +expenses by no means inconsiderable, +nevertheless continued to actuate him, nearly +to the exclusion of all other pursuits; he +was, however, a proud, or rather a vain +man, and could not bear to make the +diminution of his income a matter of +gratulation and triumph to those with +whom he had hitherto competed, and the +consequence was, that he frequented no +longer the expensive haunts of dissipation, +and retired from the gay world, leaving +his coterie to discover his reasons as best +they might. + +He did not, however, forego his +favourite vice, for, though he could not +worship his great divinity in the costly +temples where it was formerly his wont to +take his stand, yet he found it very +possible to bring about him a sufficient +number of the votaries of chance to +answer all his ends. The consequence +was, that Carrickleigh, which was the +name of my uncle's residence, was never +without one or more of such visitors as I +have described. + +It happened that upon one occasion he +was visited by one Hugh Tisdall, a gentleman +of loose habits, but of considerable +wealth, and who had, in early youth, +travelled with my uncle upon the Con- +tinent; the period of his visit was winter, +and, consequently, the house was nearly +deserted excepting by its regular inmates; +it was therefore highly acceptable, +particularly as my uncle was aware that his +visitor's tastes accorded exactly with his +own. + +Both parties seemed determined to +avail themselves of their suitability during +the brief stay which Mr. Tisdall had +promised; the consequence was, that they +shut themselves up in Sir Arthur's private +room for nearly all the day and the +greater part of the night, during the +space of nearly a week, at the end of +which the servant having one morning, +as usual, knocked at Mr. Tisdall's bed- +room door repeatedly, received no answer, +and, upon attempting to enter, found that +it was locked; this appeared suspicious, +and, the inmates of the house having been +alarmed, the door was forced open, and, +on proceeding to the bed, they found the +body of its occupant perfectly lifeless, and +hanging half-way out, the head downwards, +and near the floor. One deep +wound had been inflicted upon the temple, +apparently with some blunt instrument +which had penetrated the brain; and +another blow, less effective, probably the +first aimed, had grazed the head, removing +some of the scalp, but leaving the skull +untouched. The door had been double- +locked upon the INSIDE, in evidence of which +the key still lay where it had been placed +in the lock. + +The window, though not secured on the +interior, was closed--a circumstance not a +little puzzling, as it afforded the only other +mode of escape from the room; it looked +out, too, upon a kind of courtyard, round +which the old buildings stood, formerly +accessible by a narrow doorway and passage +lying in the oldest side of the quadrangle, +but which had since been built up, +so as to preclude all ingress or egress; the +room was also upon the second story, and +the height of the window considerable. +Near the bed were found a pair of razors +belonging to the murdered man, one of +them upon the ground, and both of them +open. The weapon which had inflicted +the mortal wound was not to be found in +the room, nor were any footsteps or other +traces of the murderer discoverable. + +At the suggestion of Sir Arthur +himself, a coroner was instantly summoned to +attend, and an inquest was held; nothing, +however, in any degree conclusive was +elicited; the walls, ceiling, and floor of the +room were carefully examined, in order to +ascertain whether they contained a trap- +door or other concealed mode of entrance +--but no such thing appeared. + +Such was the minuteness of investigation +employed, that, although the grate +had contained a large fire during the night, +they proceeded to examine even the very +chimney, in order to discover whether +escape by it were possible; but this +attempt, too, was fruitless, for the chimney, +built in the old fashion, rose in a perfectly +perpendicular line from the hearth to a +height of nearly fourteen feet above the +roof, affording in its interior scarcely the +possibility of ascent, the flue being +smoothly plastered, and sloping towards +the top like an inverted funnel, promising, +too, even if the summit were attained, +owing to its great height, but a precarious +descent upon the sharp and steep-ridged +roof; the ashes, too, which lay in the +grate, and the soot, as far as it could be +seen, were undisturbed, a circumstance +almost conclusive of the question. + +Sir Arthur was of course examined; his +evidence was given with clearness and +unreserve, which seemed calculated to silence +all suspicion. He stated that, up to the +day and night immediately preceding the +catastrophe, he had lost to a heavy +amount, but that, at their last sitting, he +had not only won back his original loss, +but upwards of four thousand pounds in +addition; in evidence of which he produced +an acknowledgment of debt to that +amount in the handwriting of the deceased, +and bearing the date of the fatal night. +He had mentioned the circumstance to his +lady, and in presence of some of the +domestics; which statement was +supported by THEIR respective evidence. + +One of the jury shrewdly observed, that +the circumstance of Mr. Tisdall's having +sustained so heavy a loss might have +suggested to some ill-minded persons +accidentally hearing it, the plan of robbing +him, after having murdered him in such a +manner as might make it appear that he +had committed suicide; a supposition +which was strongly supported by the +razors having been found thus displaced, +and removed from their case. Two persons +had probably been engaged in the +attempt, one watching by the sleeping +man, and ready to strike him in case of +his awakening suddenly, while the other +was procuring the razors and employed in +inflicting the fatal gash, so as to make it +appear to have been the act of the +murdered man himself. It was said that +while the juror was making this suggestion +Sir Arthur changed colour. + +Nothing, however, like legal evidence +appeared against him, and the consequence +was that the verdict was found against a +person or persons unknown; and for some +time the matter was suffered to rest, until, +after about five months, my father +received a letter from a person signing +himself Andrew Collis, and representing +himself to be the cousin of the deceased. This +letter stated that Sir Arthur was likely to +incur not merely suspicion, but personal +risk, unless he could account for certain +circumstances connected with the recent +murder, and contained a copy of a letter +written by the deceased, and bearing date, +the day of the week, and of the month, +upon the night of which the deed of blood +had been perpetrated. Tisdall's note ran +as follows: + + 'DEAR COLLIS, + 'I have had sharp work with Sir +Arthur; he tried some of his stale tricks, +but soon found that _I_ was Yorkshire too: +it would not do--you understand me. We +went to the work like good ones, head, +heart and soul; and, in fact, since I came +here, I have lost no time. I am rather +fagged, but I am sure to be well paid for +my hardship; I never want sleep so long +as I can have the music of a dice-box, and +wherewithal to pay the piper. As I told +you, he tried some of his queer turns, but +I foiled him like a man, and, in return, +gave him more than he could relish of the +genuine DEAD KNOWLEDGE. + +'In short, I have plucked the old +baronet as never baronet was plucked before; +I have scarce left him the stump of +a quill; I have got promissory notes in his +hand to the amount of--if you like round +numbers, say, thirty thousand pounds, +safely deposited in my portable strong- +box, alias double-clasped pocket-book. I +leave this ruinous old rat-hole early on to- +morrow, for two reasons--first, I do not +want to play with Sir Arthur deeper than +I think his security, that is, his money, or +his money's worth, would warrant; and, +secondly, because I am safer a hundred +miles from Sir Arthur than in the house +with him. Look you, my worthy, I tell +you this between ourselves--I may be +wrong, but, by G--, I am as sure as that I +am now living, that Sir A---- attempted +to poison me last night; so much for old +friendship on both sides. + +'When I won the last stake, a heavy one +enough, my friend leant his forehead upon +his hands, and you'll laugh when I tell +you that his head literally smoked like a +hot dumpling. I do not know whether his +agitation was produced by the plan which +he had against me, or by his having lost so +heavily--though it must be allowed that he +had reason to be a little funked, whichever +way his thoughts went; but he pulled the +bell, and ordered two bottles of +champagne. While the fellow was bringing +them he drew out a promissory note to the +full amount, which he signed, and, as the +man came in with the bottles and glasses, +he desired him to be off; he filled out a +glass for me, and, while he thought my +eyes were off, for I was putting up his note +at the time, he dropped something slyly +into it, no doubt to sweeten it; but I saw +it all, and, when he handed it to me, I +said, with an emphasis which he might or +might not understand: + +' "There is some sediment in this; I'll +not drink it." + +' "Is there?" said he, and at the same +time snatched it from my hand and threw +it into the fire. What do you think of +that? have I not a tender chicken to +manage? Win or lose, I will not play +beyond five thousand to-night, and to- +morrow sees me safe out of the reach of +Sir Arthur's champagne. So, all things +considered, I think you must allow that +you are not the last who have found a +knowing boy in + 'Yours to command, + 'HUGH TISDALL.' + + +Of the authenticity of this document I +never heard my father express a doubt; +and I am satisfied that, owing to his +strong conviction in favour of his brother, +he would not have admitted it without +sufficient inquiry, inasmuch as it tended to +confirm the suspicions which already +existed to his prejudice. + +Now, the only point in this letter which +made strongly against my uncle, was the +mention of the 'double-clasped pocket- +book' as the receptacle of the papers +likely to involve him, for this pocket-book +was not forthcoming, nor anywhere to be +found, nor had any papers referring to his +gaming transactions been found upon the +dead man. However, whatever might have +been the original intention of this Collis, +neither my uncle nor my father ever heard +more of him; but he published the letter +in Faulkner's newspaper, which was shortly +afterwards made the vehicle of a much +more mysterious attack. The passage in +that periodical to which I allude, occurred +about four years afterwards, and while the +fatal occurrence was still fresh in public +recollection. It commenced by a rambling +preface, stating that 'a CERTAIN PERSON +whom CERTAIN persons thought to be dead, +was not so, but living, and in full possession +of his memory, and moreover ready +and able to make GREAT delinquents +tremble.' It then went on to describe the +murder, without, however, mentioning +names; and in doing so, it entered into +minute and circumstantial particulars of +which none but an EYE-WITNESS could have +been possessed, and by implications almost +too unequivocal to be regarded in the light +of insinuation, to involve the 'TITLED +GAMBLER' in the guilt of the transaction. + +My father at once urged Sir Arthur to +proceed against the paper in an action of +libel; but he would not hear of it, nor +consent to my father's taking any legal +steps whatever in the matter. My father, +however, wrote in a threatening tone to +Faulkner, demanding a surrender of the +author of the obnoxious article. The +answer to this application is still in my +possession, and is penned in an apologetic +tone: it states that the manuscript had +been handed in, paid for, and inserted as +an advertisement, without sufficient +inquiry, or any knowledge as to whom it +referred. + +No step, however, was taken to clear +my uncle's character in the judgment of +the public; and as he immediately sold a +small property, the application of the +proceeds of which was known to none, he +was said to have disposed of it to enable +himself to buy off the threatened information. +However the truth might have been, +it is certain that no charges respecting the +mysterious murder were afterwards publicly +made against my uncle, and, as far as +external disturbances were concerned, he +enjoyed henceforward perfect security and +quiet. + +A deep and lasting impression, however, +had been made upon the public mind, and +Sir Arthur T----n was no longer visited +or noticed by the gentry and aristocracy of +the county, whose attention and courtesies +he had hitherto received. He accordingly +affected to despise these enjoyments which +he could not procure, and shunned even +that society which he might have commanded. + +This is all that I need recapitulate of my +uncle's history, and I now recur to my own. +Although my father had never, within my +recollection, visited, or been visited by, my +uncle, each being of sedentary, procrastinating, +and secluded habits, and their respective +residences being very far apart-- +the one lying in the county of Galway, the +other in that of Cork--he was strongly +attached to his brother, and evinced his +affection by an active correspondence, and +by deeply and proudly resenting that +neglect which had marked Sir Arthur as +unfit to mix in society. + +When I was about eighteen years of +age, my father, whose health had been +gradually declining, died, leaving me in +heart wretched and desolate, and, owing to +his previous seclusion, with few acquaintances, +and almost no friends. + +The provisions of his will were curious, +and when I had sufficiently come to myself +to listen to or comprehend them, +surprised me not a little: all his vast property +was left to me, and to the heirs of my +body, for ever; and, in default of such +heirs, it was to go after my death to my +uncle, Sir Arthur, without any entail. + +At the same time, the will appointed +him my guardian, desiring that I might be +received within his house, and reside with +his family, and under his care, during the +term of my minority; and in consideration +of the increased expense consequent upon +such an arrangement, a handsome annuity +was allotted to him during the term of my +proposed residence. + +The object of this last provision I at +once understood: my father desired, by +making it the direct, apparent interest of +Sir Arthur that I should die without +issue, while at the same time he placed me +wholly in his power, to prove to the world +how great and unshaken was his +confidence in his brother's innocence and +honour, and also to afford him an +opportunity of showing that this mark of +confidence was not unworthily bestowed. + +It was a strange, perhaps an idle +scheme; but as I had been always brought +up in the habit of considering my uncle as +a deeply-injured man, and had been taught, +almost as a part of my religion, to regard +him as the very soul of honour, I felt no +further uneasiness respecting the arrangement +than that likely to result to a timid +girl, of secluded habits, from the immediate +prospect of taking up her abode for the +first time in her life among total strangers. +Previous to leaving my home, which I felt +I should do with a heavy heart, I re- +ceived a most tender and affectionate letter +from my uncle, calculated, if anything +could do so, to remove the bitterness of +parting from scenes familiar and dear from +my earliest childhood, and in some degree +to reconcile me to the measure. + +It was during a fine autumn that I +approached the old domain of Carrickleigh. +I shall not soon forget the impression of +sadness and of gloom which all that I saw +produced upon my mind; the sunbeams +were falling with a rich and melancholy +tint upon the fine old trees, which stood in +lordly groups, casting their long, sweeping +shadows over rock and sward. There was +an air of neglect and decay about the spot, +which amounted almost to desolation; the +symptoms of this increased in number as +we approached the building itself, near +which the ground had been originally more +artificially and carefully cultivated than +elsewhere, and whose neglect consequently +more immediately and strikingly betrayed +itself. + +As we proceeded, the road wound near +the beds of what had been formally two +fish-ponds, which were now nothing more +than stagnant swamps, overgrown with +rank weeds, and here and there encroached +upon by the straggling underwood; the +avenue itself was much broken, and in +many places the stones were almost +concealed by grass and nettles; the loose +stone walls which had here and there +intersected the broad park were, in many +places, broken down, so as no longer to +answer their original purpose as fences; +piers were now and then to be seen, but +the gates were gone; and, to add to the +general air of dilapidation, some huge +trunks were lying scattered through the +venerable old trees, either the work of the +winter storms, or perhaps the victims of +some extensive but desultory scheme of +denudation, which the projector had not +capital or perseverance to carry into full +effect. + +After the carriage had travelled a mile +of this avenue, we reached the summit of +rather an abrupt eminence, one of the +many which added to the picturesqueness, +if not to the convenience of this rude +passage. From the top of this ridge the +grey walls of Carrickleigh were visible, +rising at a small distance in front, and +darkened by the hoary wood which +crowded around them. It was a quadrangular +building of considerable extent, +and the front which lay towards us, and +in which the great entrance was placed, +bore unequivocal marks of antiquity; the +time-worn, solemn aspect of the old building, +the ruinous and deserted appearance +of the whole place, and the associations +which connected it with a dark page in the +history of my family, combined to depress +spirits already predisposed for the reception +of sombre and dejecting impressions. + +When the carriage drew up in the grass- +grown court yard before the hall-door, two +lazy-looking men, whose appearance well +accorded with that of the place which they +tenanted, alarmed by the obstreperous +barking of a great chained dog, ran out +from some half-ruinous out-houses, and +took charge of the horses; the hall-door +stood open, and I entered a gloomy and +imperfectly lighted apartment, and found +no one within. However, I had not long +to wait in this awkward predicament, for +before my luggage had been deposited in +the house, indeed, before I had well +removed my cloak and other wraps, so as +to enable me to look around, a young girl +ran lightly into the hall, and kissing me +heartily, and somewhat boisterously, +exclaimed: + +'My dear cousin, my dear Margaret-- +I am so delighted--so out of breath. We +did not expect you till ten o'clock; my +father is somewhere about the place, he +must be close at hand. James--Corney +--run out and tell your master--my +brother is seldom at home, at least at any +reasonable hour--you must be so tired--so +fatigued--let me show you to your room-- +see that Lady Margaret's luggage is all +brought up--you must lie down and rest +yourself--Deborah, bring some coffee--up +these stairs; we are so delighted to see +you--you cannot think how lonely I have +been--how steep these stairs are, are not +they? I am so glad you are come--I +could hardly bring myself to believe that +you were really coming--how good of you, +dear Lady Margaret.' + +There was real good-nature and delight +in my cousin's greeting, and a kind of +constitutional confidence of manner which +placed me at once at ease, and made me +feel immediately upon terms of intimacy +with her. The room into which she +ushered me, although partaking in the +general air of decay which pervaded the +mansion and all about it, had nevertheless +been fitted up with evident attention to +comfort, and even with some dingy attempt +at luxury; but what pleased me most was +that it opened, by a second door, upon a +lobby which communicated with my fair +cousin's apartment; a circumstance which +divested the room, in my eyes, of the air +of solitude and sadness which would otherwise +have characterised it, to a degree +almost painful to one so dejected in spirits +as I was. + +After such arrangements as I found +necessary were completed, we both went +down to the parlour, a large wainscoted +room, hung round with grim old portraits, +and, as I was not sorry to see, containing +in its ample grate a large and cheerful +fire. Here my cousin had leisure to talk +more at her ease; and from her I learned +something of the manners and the habits +of the two remaining members of her +family, whom I had not yet seen. + +On my arrival I had known nothing of +the family among whom I was come to +reside, except that it consisted of three +individuals, my uncle, and his son and +daughter, Lady T----n having been long +dead. In addition to this very scanty stock +of information, I shortly learned from my +communicative companion that my uncle +was, as I had suspected, completely retired +in his habits, and besides that, having been +so far back as she could well recollect, +always rather strict, as reformed rakes +frequently become, he had latterly been +growing more gloomily and sternly +religious than heretofore. + +Her account of her brother was far less +favourable, though she did not say anything +directly to his disadvantage. From all +that I could gather from her, I was led to +suppose that he was a specimen of the idle, +coarse-mannered, profligate, low-minded +'squirearchy'--a result which might +naturally have flowed from the circum- +stance of his being, as it were, outlawed +from society, and driven for companionship +to grades below his own--enjoying, +too, the dangerous prerogative of spending +much money. + +However, you may easily suppose that +I found nothing in my cousin's communication +fully to bear me out in so very +decided a conclusion. + +I awaited the arrival of my uncle, +which was every moment to be expected, +with feelings half of alarm, half of +curiosity--a sensation which I have often +since experienced, though to a less degree, +when upon the point of standing for the +first time in the presence of one of whom +I have long been in the habit of hearing +or thinking with interest. + +It was, therefore, with some little +perturbation that I heard, first a slight +bustle at the outer door, then a slow step +traverse the hall, and finally witnessed the +door open, and my uncle enter the room. +He was a striking-looking man; from +peculiarities both of person and of garb, the +whole effect of his appearance amounted +to extreme singularity. He was tall, and +when young his figure must have been +strikingly elegant; as it was, however, its +effect was marred by a very decided stoop. +His dress was of a sober colour, and in +fashion anterior to anything which I could +remember. It was, however, handsome, +and by no means carelessly put on; but +what completed the singularity of his +appearance was his uncut, white hair, +which hung in long, but not at all +neglected curls, even so far as his shoulders, +and which combined with his regularly +classic features, and fine dark eyes, to +bestow upon him an air of venerable +dignity and pride, which I have never seen +equalled elsewhere. I rose as he entered, +and met him about the middle of the +room; he kissed my cheek and both my +hands, saying: + +'You are most welcome, dear child, as +welcome as the command of this poor +place and all that it contains can make +you. I am most rejoiced to see you-- +truly rejoiced. I trust that you are not +much fatigued--pray be seated again.' +He led me to my chair, and continued: 'I +am glad to perceive you have made +acquaintance with Emily already; I see, +in your being thus brought together, the +foundation of a lasting friendship. You +are both innocent, and both young. God +bless you--God bless you, and make you +all that I could wish.' + + +He raised his eyes, and remained for a +few moments silent, as if in secret prayer. +I felt that it was impossible that this man, +with feelings so quick, so warm, so tender, +could be the wretch that public opinion +had represented him to be. I was more +than ever convinced of his innocence. + +His manner was, or appeared to me, +most fascinating; there was a mingled +kindness and courtesy in it which seemed +to speak benevolence itself. It was a +manner which I felt cold art could never +have taught; it owed most of its charm to +its appearing to emanate directly from the +heart; it must be a genuine index of the +owner's mind. So I thought. + +My uncle having given me fully to +understand that I was most welcome, and +might command whatever was his own, +pressed me to take some refreshment; and +on my refusing, he observed that previously +to bidding me good-night, he had one duty +further to perform, one in whose observance +he was convinced I would cheerfully +acquiesce. + +He then proceeded to read a chapter +from the Bible; after which he took his +leave with the same affectionate kindness +with which he had greeted me, having +repeated his desire that I should consider +everything in his house as altogether at +my disposal. It is needless to say that I +was much pleased with my uncle--it was +impossible to avoid being so; and I could +not help saying to myself, if such a man +as this is not safe from the assaults of +slander, who is? I felt much happier than +I had done since my father's death, and +enjoyed that night the first refreshing +sleep which had visited me since that event. + +My curiosity respecting my male cousin +did not long remain unsatisfied--he +appeared the next day at dinner. His +manners, though not so coarse as I had +expected, were exceedingly disagreeable; +there was an assurance and a forwardness +for which I was not prepared; there +was less of the vulgarity of manner, and +almost more of that of the mind, than I +had anticipated. I felt quite uncomfortable +in his presence; there was just that +confidence in his look and tone which +would read encouragement even in mere +toleration; and I felt more disgusted and +annoyed at the coarse and extravagant +compliments which he was pleased from +time to time to pay me, than perhaps the +extent of the atrocity might fully have +warranted. It was, however, one consolation +that he did not often appear, being +much engrossed by pursuits about which I +neither knew nor cared anything; but +when he did appear, his attentions, either +with a view to his amusement or to some +more serious advantage, were so obviously +and perseveringly directed to me, that +young and inexperienced as I was, even _I_ +could not be ignorant of his preference. I +felt more provoked by this odious persecution +than I can express, and discouraged +him with so much vigour, that I employed +even rudeness to convince him that his +assiduities were unwelcome; but all in +vain. + +This had gone on for nearly a twelve- +month, to my infinite annoyance, when one +day as I was sitting at some needle-work +with my companion Emily, as was my +habit, in the parlour, the door opened, +and my cousin Edward entered the room. +There was something, I thought, odd in +his manner--a kind of struggle between +shame and impudence--a kind of flurry +and ambiguity which made him appear, +if possible, more than ordinarily disagreeable. + +'Your servant, ladies,' he said, seating +himself at the same time; 'sorry to spoil +your tete-a-tete, but never mind, I'll only +take Emily's place for a minute or two; +and then we part for a while, fair cousin. +Emily, my father wants you in the corner +turret. No shilly-shally; he's in a hurry.' +She hesitated. 'Be off--tramp, march!' +he exclaimed, in a tone which the poor girl +dared not disobey. + +She left the room, and Edward followed +her to the door. He stood there for a +minute or two, as if reflecting what he +should say, perhaps satisfying himself +that no one was within hearing in the +hall. + +At length he turned about, having closed +the door, as if carelessly, with his foot; and +advancing slowly, as if in deep thought, he +took his seat at the side of the table +opposite to mine. + +There was a brief interval of silence, +after which he said: + +'I imagine that you have a shrewd +suspicion of the object of my early visit; but +I suppose I must go into particulars. +Must I?' + +'I have no conception,' I replied, 'what +your object may be.' + +'Well, well,' said he, becoming more at +his ease as he proceeded, 'it may be told in +a few words. You know that it is totally +impossible--quite out of the question-- +that an offhand young fellow like me, and +a good-looking girl like yourself, could +meet continually, as you and I have done, +without an attachment--a liking growing +up on one side or other; in short, I think +I have let you know as plain as if I spoke +it, that I have been in love with you +almost from the first time I saw +you.' + +He paused; but I was too much horrified +to speak. He interpreted my silence +favourably. + +'I can tell you,' he continued, 'I'm +reckoned rather hard to please, and very +hard to HIT. I can't say when I was taken +with a girl before; so you see fortune +reserved me----' + +Here the odious wretch wound his arm +round my waist. The action at once +restored me to utterance, and with the most +indignant vehemence I released myself +from his hold, and at the same time +said: + +'I have not been insensible, sir, of your +most disagreeable attentions--they have +long been a source of much annoyance to +me; and you must be aware that I have +marked my disapprobation--my disgust-- +as unequivocally as I possibly could, without +actual indelicacy.' + +I paused, almost out of breath from the +rapidity with which I had spoken; and +without giving him time to renew the +conversation, I hastily quitted the room, +leaving him in a paroxysm of rage and +mortification. As I ascended the stairs, +I heard him open the parlour-door with +violence, and take two or three rapid strides +in the direction in which I was moving. I +was now much frightened, and ran the +whole way until I reached my room; and +having locked the door, I listened breathlessly, +but heard no sound. This relieved +me for the present; but so much had I +been overcome by the agitation and annoyance +attendant upon the scene which I had +just gone through, that when my cousin +Emily knocked at my door, I was weeping +in strong hysterics. + +You will readily conceive my distress, +when you reflect upon my strong dislike to +my cousin Edward, combined with my +youth and extreme inexperience. Any +proposal of such a nature must have +agitated me; but that it should have come +from the man whom of all others I most +loathed and abhorred, and to whom I had, +as clearly as manner could do it, expressed +the state of my feelings, was almost too +overwhelming to be borne. It was a calamity, +too, in which I could not claim the sym- +pathy of my cousin Emily, which had +always been extended to me in my minor +grievances. Still I hoped that it might +not be unattended with good; for I +thought that one inevitable and most +welcome consequence would result from +this painful eclaircissment, in the +discontinuance of my cousin's odious +persecution. + +When I arose next morning, it was with +the fervent hope that I might never again +behold the face, or even hear the name, of +my cousin Edward; but such a consummation, +though devoutly to be wished, was +hardly likely to occur. The painful +impressions of yesterday were too vivid to +be at once erased; and I could not help +feeling some dim foreboding of coming +annoyance and evil. + +To expect on my cousin's part anything +like delicacy or consideration for me, was +out of the question. I saw that he had +set his heart upon my property, and that +he was not likely easily to forego such an +acquisition--possessing what might have +been considered opportunities and facilities +almost to compel my compliance. + +I now keenly felt the unreasonableness +of my father's conduct in placing me to +reside with a family of all whose members, +with one exception, he was wholly +ignorant, and I bitterly felt the helplessness +of my situation. I determined, however, +in case of my cousin's persevering in +his addresses, to lay all the particulars +before my uncle, although he had never in +kindness or intimacy gone a step beyond +our first interview, and to throw myself +upon his hospitality and his sense of honour +for protection against a repetition of such +scenes. + +My cousin's conduct may appear to have +been an inadequate cause for such serious +uneasiness; but my alarm was caused +neither by his acts nor words, but entirely +by his manner, which was strange and even +intimidating to excess. At the beginning +of the yesterday's interview there was a +sort of bullying swagger in his air, which +towards the end gave place to the brutal +vehemence of an undisguised ruffian--a +transition which had tempted me into a belief +that he might seek even forcibly to extort +from me a consent to his wishes, or by +means still more horrible, of which I +scarcely dared to trust myself to think, +to possess himself of my property. + +I was early next day summoned to attend +my uncle in his private room, which lay in +a corner turret of the old building; and +thither I accordingly went, wondering all +the way what this unusual measure might +prelude. When I entered the room, he +did not rise in his usual courteous way to +greet me, but simply pointed to a chair +opposite to his own. This boded nothing +agreeable. I sat down, however, silently +waiting until he should open the conversation. + +'Lady Margaret,' at length he said, in a +tone of greater sternness than I thought +him capable of using, 'I have hitherto +spoken to you as a friend, but I have not +forgotten that I am also your guardian, +and that my authority as such gives me a +right to control your conduct. I shall +put a question to you, and I expect and +will demand a plain, direct answer. Have +I rightly been informed that you have con- +temptuously rejected the suit and hand of +my son Edward?' + +I stammered forth with a good deal of +trepidation: + +'I believe--that is, I have, sir, rejected +my cousin's proposals; and my coldness +and discouragement might have +convinced him that I had determined to +do so.' + +'Madam,' replied he, with suppressed, +but, as it appeared to me, intense anger, +'I have lived long enough to know that +COLDNESS and discouragement, and such +terms, form the common cant of a worthless +coquette. You know to the full, as +well as I, that COLDNESS AND DISCOURAGEMENT +may be so exhibited as to convince +their object that he is neither distasteful +or indifferent to the person who wears this +manner. You know, too, none better, that +an affected neglect, when skilfully managed, +is amongst the most formidable of the +engines which artful beauty can employ. +I tell you, madam, that having, without +one word spoken in discouragement, +permitted my son's most marked attentions +for a twelvemonth or more, you have no +right to dismiss him with no further +explanation than demurely telling him that +you had always looked coldly upon him; +and neither your wealth nor your LADYSHIP' +(there was an emphasis of scorn on the +word, which would have become Sir +Giles Overreach himself) 'can warrant you +in treating with contempt the affectionate +regard of an honest heart.' + +I was too much shocked at this undisguised +attempt to bully me into an acquiescence +in the interested and unprincipled +plan for their own aggrandisement, which +I now perceived my uncle and his son to +have deliberately entered into, at once to +find strength or collectedness to frame an +answer to what he had said. At length I +replied, with some firmness: + +'In all that you have just now said, sir, +you have grossly misstated my conduct and +motives. Your information must have been +most incorrect as far as it regards my +conduct towards my cousin; my manner +towards him could have conveyed nothing +but dislike; and if anything could have +added to the strong aversion which I +have long felt towards him, it would be +his attempting thus to trick and frighten +me into a marriage which he knows to be +revolting to me, and which is sought by +him only as a means for securing to +himself whatever property is mine.' + +As I said this, I fixed my eyes upon +those of my uncle, but he was too old in +the world's ways to falter beneath the +gaze of more searching eyes than mine; he +simply said: + +'Are you acquainted with the provisions +of your father's will?' + +I answered in the affirmative; and he +continued: + +'Then you must be aware that if my +son Edward were--which God forbid--the +unprincipled, reckless man you pretend to +think him'--(here he spoke very slowly, +as if he intended that every word which +escaped him should be registered in my +memory, while at the same time the +expression of his countenance underwent a +gradual but horrible change, and the eyes +which he fixed upon me became so darkly +vivid, that I almost lost sight of everything +else)--'if he were what you have +described him, think you, girl, he could +find no briefer means than wedding +contracts to gain his ends? 'twas but to gripe +your slender neck until the breath had +stopped, and lands, and lakes, and all were +his.' + +I stood staring at him for many minutes +after he had ceased to speak, fascinated +by the terrible serpent-like gaze, until he +continued with a welcome change of countenance: + +'I will not speak again to you upon this +--topic until one month has passed. You +shall have time to consider the relative +advantages of the two courses which are +open to you. I should be sorry to hurry +you to a decision. I am satisfied with +having stated my feelings upon the subject, +and pointed out to you the path of duty. +Remember this day month--not one word +sooner.' + +He then rose, and I left the room, much +agitated and exhausted. + +This interview, all the circumstances +attending it, but most particularly the +formidable expression of my uncle's +countenance while he talked, though hypothetically, +of murder, combined to arouse all +my worst suspicions of him. I dreaded to +look upon the face that had so recently +worn the appalling livery of guilt and +malignity. I regarded it with the +mingled fear and loathing with which one +looks upon an object which has tortured +them in a nightmare. + +In a few days after the interview, the +particulars of which I have just related, I +found a note upon my toilet-table, and on +opening it I read as follows: + + + 'MY DEAR LADY MARGARET, + 'You will be perhaps surprised to +see a strange face in your room to-day. I +have dismissed your Irish maid, and +secured a French one to wait upon you--a +step rendered necessary by my proposing +shortly to visit the Continent, with all my +family. + 'Your faithful guardian, + 'ARTHUR T----N.' + + +On inquiry, I found that my faithful +attendant was actually gone, and far on +her way to the town of Galway; and in +her stead there appeared a tall, raw-boned, +ill-looking, elderly Frenchwoman, whose +sullen and presuming manners seemed to +imply that her vocation had never before +been that of a lady's-maid. I could not +help regarding her as a creature of my +uncle's, and therefore to be dreaded, +even had she been in no other way suspicious. + +Days and weeks passed away without +any, even a momentary doubt upon my +part, as to the course to be pursued by me. +The allotted period had at length elapsed; +the day arrived on which I was to +communicate my decision to my uncle. +Although my resolution had never for a +moment wavered, I could not shake of +the dread of the approaching colloquy; +and my heart sunk within me as I heard +the expected summons. + +I had not seen my cousin Edward since +the occurrence of the grand eclaircissment; +he must have studiously avoided +me--I suppose from policy, it could not +have been from delicacy. I was prepared +for a terrific burst of fury from my uncle, +as soon as I should make known my +determination; and I not unreasonably +feared that some act of violence or of +intimidation would next be resorted to. + +Filled with these dreary forebodings, I +fearfully opened the study door, and the +next minute I stood in my uncle's +presence. He received me with a politeness +which I dreaded, as arguing a favourable +anticipation respecting the answer +which I was to give; and after some slight +delay, he began by saying: + +'It will be a relief to both of us, I +believe, to bring this conversation as soon +as possible to an issue. You will excuse +me, then, my dear niece, for speaking with +an abruptness which, under other +circumstances, would be unpardonable. You +have, I am certain, given the subject of +our last interview fair and serious con- +sideration; and I trust that you are now +prepared with candour to lay your answer +before me. A few words will suffice--we +perfectly understand one another.' + +He paused, and I, though feeling that I +stood upon a mine which might in an +instant explode, nevertheless answered with +perfect composure: + +'I must now, sir, make the same reply +which I did upon the last occasion, and I +reiterate the declaration which I then +made, that I never can nor will, while life +and reason remain, consent to a union with +my cousin Edward.' + +This announcement wrought no apparent +change in Sir Arthur, except that he +became deadly, almost lividly pale. He +seemed lost in dark thought for a minute, +and then with a slight effort said: + +'You have answered me honestly and +directly; and you say your resolution is +unchangeable. Well, would it had been +otherwise--would it had been otherwise-- +but be it as it is--I am satisfied.' + +He gave me his hand--it was cold and +damp as death; under an assumed calmness, +it was evident that he was fearfully +agitated. He continued to hold my hand +with an almost painful pressure, while, as +if unconsciously, seeming to forget my +presence, he muttered: + +'Strange, strange, strange, indeed! +fatuity, helpless fatuity!' there was here a +long pause. 'Madness INDEED to strain a +cable that is rotten to the very heart--it +must break--and then--all goes.' + +There was again a pause of some +minutes, after which, suddenly changing +his voice and manner to one of wakeful +alacrity, he exclaimed: + +'Margaret, my son Edward shall plague +you no more. He leaves this country on +to-morrow for France--he shall speak no +more upon this subject--never, never +more--whatever events depended upon +your answer must now take their own +course; but, as for this fruitless proposal, it +has been tried enough; it can be repeated +no more.' + +At these words he coldly suffered my +hand to drop, as if to express his total +abandonment of all his projected schemes +of alliance; and certainly the action, with +the accompanying words, produced upon +my mind a more solemn and depressing +effect than I believed possible to have +been caused by the course which I had +determined to pursue; it struck upon my +heart with an awe and heaviness which +WILL accompany the accomplishment of an +important and irrevocable act, even though +no doubt or scruple remains to make it +possible that the agent should wish it undone. + +'Well,' said my uncle, after a little time, +'we now cease to speak upon this topic, +never to resume it again. Remember you +shall have no farther uneasiness from +Edward; he leaves Ireland for France on +to-morrow; this will be a relief to you. +May I depend upon your HONOUR that no +word touching the subject of this interview +shall ever escape you?' + +I gave him the desired assurance; he +said: + +'It is well--I am satisfied--we have +nothing more, I believe, to say upon +either side, and my presence must be a +restraint upon you, I shall therefore bid +you farewell.' + +I then left the apartment, scarcely +knowing what to think of the strange +interview which had just taken place. + +On the next day my uncle took occasion +to tell me that Edward had actually +sailed, if his intention had not been +interfered with by adverse circumstances; and +two days subsequently he actually produced +a letter from his son, written, as it +said, ON BOARD, and despatched while the +ship was getting under weigh. This was +a great satisfaction to me, and as being +likely to prove so, it was no doubt +communicated to me by Sir Arthur. + +During all this trying period, I had +found infinite consolation in the society +and sympathy of my dear cousin Emily. +I never in after-life formed a friendship so +close, so fervent, and upon which, in all its +progress, I could look back with feelings +of such unalloyed pleasure, upon whose +termination I must ever dwell with so +deep, yet so unembittered regret. In +cheerful converse with her I soon +recovered my spirits considerably, and +passed my time agreeably enough, +although still in the strictest seclusion. + +Matters went on sufficiently smooth, +although I could not help sometimes +feeling a momentary, but horrible +uncertainty respecting my uncle's character; +which was not altogether unwarranted by +the circumstances of the two trying +interviews whose particulars I have just +detailed. The unpleasant impression which +these conferences were calculated to leave +upon my mind, was fast wearing away, +when there occurred a circumstance, slight +indeed in itself, but calculated irresistibly +to awaken all my worst suspicions, and to +overwhelm me again with anxiety and +terror. + +I had one day left the house with my +cousin Emily, in order to take a ramble of +considerable length, for the purpose of +sketching some favourite views, and we +had walked about half a mile when I +perceived that we had forgotten our drawing +materials, the absence of which would have +defeated the object of our walk. Laughing +at our own thoughtlessness, we returned +to the house, and leaving Emily without, I +ran upstairs to procure the drawing-books +and pencils, which lay in my bedroom. + +As I ran up the stairs I was met by the +tall, ill-looking Frenchwoman, evidently +a good deal flurried. + +'Que veut, madame?' said she, with a +more decided effort to be polite than I had +ever known her make before. + + +'No, no--no matter,' said I, hastily +running by her in the direction of my +room. + +'Madame,' cried she, in a high key, +'restez ici, s'il vous plait; votre chambre +n'est pas faite--your room is not ready +for your reception yet.' + +I continued to move on without heeding +her. She was some way behind me, and +feeling that she could not otherwise prevent +my entrance, for I was now upon the +very lobby, she made a desperate attempt +to seize hold of my person: she succeeded +in grasping the end of my shawl, which +she drew from my shoulders; but slipping at +the same time upon the polished oak floor, +she fell at full length upon the boards. + +A little frightened as well as angry at +the rudeness of this strange woman, I +hastily pushed open the door of my room, +at which I now stood, in order to escape +from her; but great was my amazement +on entering to find the apartment preoccupied. + +The window was open, and beside it +stood two male figures; they appeared to +be examining the fastenings of the casement, +and their backs were turned towards +the door. One of them was my uncle; +they both turned on my entrance, as if +startled. The stranger was booted and +cloaked, and wore a heavy broad-leafed hat +over his brows. He turned but for a moment, +and averted his face; but I had seen +enough to convince me that he was no +other than my cousin Edward. My uncle +had some iron instrument in his hand, +which he hastily concealed behind his back; +and coming towards me, said something as +if in an explanatory tone; but I was too +much shocked and confounded to understand +what it might be. He said something +about 'REPAIRS--window--frames-- +cold, and safety.' + +I did not wait, however, to ask or to +receive explanations, but hastily left the +room. As I went down the stairs I +thought I heard the voice of the Frenchwoman +in all the shrill volubility of excuse, +which was met, however, by suppressed +but vehement imprecations, or what +seemed to me to be such, in which the +voice of my cousin Edward distinctly +mingled. + +I joined my cousin Emily quite out of +breath. I need not say that my head was +too full of other things to think much of +drawing for that day. I imparted to her +frankly the cause of my alarms, but at the +same time as gently as I could; and with +tears she promised vigilance, and devotion, +and love. I never had reason for a +moment to repent the unreserved confidence +which I then reposed in her. She was no +less surprised than I at the unexpected +appearance of Edward, whose departure +for France neither of us had for a moment +doubted, but which was now proved by his +actual presence to be nothing more than +an imposture, practised, I feared, for no +good end. + +The situation in which I had found my +uncle had removed completely all my +doubts as to his designs. I magnified +suspicions into certainties, and dreaded night +after night that I should be murdered in +my bed. The nervousness produced by +sleepless nights and days of anxious fears +increased the horrors of my situation to +such a degree, that I at length wrote a +letter to a Mr. Jefferies, an old and faithful +friend of my father's, and perfectly +acquainted with all his affairs, praying him, +for God's sake, to relieve me from my +present terrible situation, and communicating +without reserve the nature and +grounds of my suspicions. + +This letter I kept sealed and directed +for two or three days always about my +person, for discovery would have been +ruinous, in expectation of an opportunity +which might be safely trusted, whereby to +have it placed in the post-office. As neither +Emily nor I were permitted to pass beyond +the precincts of the demesne itself, +which was surrounded by high walls +formed of dry stone, the difficulty of +procuring such an opportunity was greatly +enhanced. + +At this time Emily had a short conver- +sation with her father, which she reported +to me instantly. + +After some indifferent matter, he had +asked her whether she and I were upon +good terms, and whether I was unreserved +in my disposition. She answered in the +affirmative; and he then inquired whether +I had been much surprised to find him in +my chamber on the other day. She +answered that I had been both surprised and +amused. + +'And what did she think of George +Wilson's appearance?' + +'Who?' inquired she. + +'Oh, the architect,' he answered, 'who +is to contract for the repairs of the house; +he is accounted a handsome fellow.' + +'She could not see his face,' said Emily, +'and she was in such a hurry to escape +that she scarcely noticed him.' + +Sir Arthur appeared satisfied, and the +conversation ended. + +This slight conversation, repeated +accurately to me by Emily, had the effect of +confirming, if indeed anything was required +to do so, all that I had before believed as +to Edward's actual presence; and I naturally +became, if possible, more anxious +than ever to despatch the letter to Mr. +Jefferies. An opportunity at length occurred. + +As Emily and I were walking one day +near the gate of the demesne, a lad from +the village happened to be passing down +the avenue from the house; the spot was +secluded, and as this person was not +connected by service with those whose +observation I dreaded, I committed the letter +to his keeping, with strict injunctions that +he should put it without delay into the +receiver of the town post-office; at the +same time I added a suitable gratuity, and +the man having made many protestations +of punctuality, was soon out of sight. + +He was hardly gone when I began to +doubt my discretion in having trusted this +person; but I had no better or safer means +of despatching the letter, and I was not +warranted in suspecting him of such +wanton dishonesty as an inclination to +tamper with it; but I could not be quite +satisfied of its safety until I had received +an answer, which could not arrive for a +few days. Before I did, however, an event +occurred which a little surprised me. + +I was sitting in my bedroom early in the +day, reading by myself, when I heard a +knock at the door. + +'Come in,' said I; and my uncle entered +the room. + +'Will you excuse me?' said he. 'I +sought you in the parlour, and thence I +have come here. I desired to say a word +with you. I trust that you have hitherto +found my conduct to you such as that of a +guardian towards his ward should be.' + +I dared not withhold my consent. + +'And,' he continued, 'I trust that you +have not found me harsh or unjust, and +that you have perceived, my dear niece, +that I have sought to make this poor place +as agreeable to you as may be.' + +I assented again; and he put his hand +in his pocket, whence he drew a folded +paper, and dashing it upon the table with +startling emphasis, he said: + +'Did you write that letter?' + +The sudden and tearful alteration of his +voice, manner, and face, but, more than all, +the unexpected production of my letter to +Mr. Jefferies, which I at once recognised, +so confounded and terrified me, that I felt +almost choking. + +I could not utter a word. + +'Did you write that letter?' he repeated +with slow and intense emphasis.' You +did, liar and hypocrite! You dared to +write this foul and infamous libel; but it +shall be your last. Men will universally +believe you mad, if I choose to call for an +inquiry. I can make you appear so. The +suspicions expressed in this letter are the +hallucinations and alarms of moping lunacy. +I have defeated your first attempt, madam; +and by the holy God, if ever you make +another, chains, straw, darkness, and the +keeper's whip shall be your lasting portion!' + +With these astounding words he left the +room, leaving me almost fainting. + +I was now almost reduced to despair; +my last cast had failed; I had no course +left but that of eloping secretly from the +castle, and placing myself under the +protection of the nearest magistrate. I felt +if this were not done, and speedily, that I +should be MURDERED. + +No one, from mere description, can have +an idea of the unmitigated horror of my +situation--a helpless, weak, inexperienced +girl, placed under the power and wholly +at the mercy of evil men, and feeling that +she had it not in her power to escape for +a moment from the malignant influences +under which she was probably fated to fall; +and with a consciousness that if violence, +if murder were designed, her dying shriek +would be lost in void space; no human +being would be near to aid her, no human +interposition could deliver her. + +I had seen Edward but once during his +visit, and as I did not meet with him +again, I began to think that he must have +taken his departure--a conviction which +was to a certain degree satisfactory, as I +regarded his absence as indicating the +removal of immediate danger. + +Emily also arrived circuitously at the +same conclusion, and not without good +grounds, for she managed indirectly to +learn that Edward's black horse had actually +been for a day and part of a night in +the castle stables, just at the time of her +brother's supposed visit. The horse had +gone, and, as she argued, the rider must +have departed with it. + +This point being so far settled, I felt a +little less uncomfortable: when being one +day alone in my bedroom, I happened to +look out from the window, and, to my un- +utterable horror, I beheld, peering through +an opposite casement, my cousin Edward's +face. Had I seen the evil one himself in +bodily shape, I could not have experienced +a more sickening revulsion. + +I was too much appalled to move at +once from the window, but I did so soon +enough to avoid his eye. He was looking +fixedly into the narrow quadrangle upon +which the window opened. I shrank back +unperceived, to pass the rest of the day +in terror and despair. I went to my room +early that night, but I was too miserable +to sleep. + +At about twelve o'clock, feeling very +nervous, I determined to call my cousin +Emily, who slept, you will remember, in +the next room, which communicated with +mine by a second door. By this private +entrance I found my way into her chamber, +and without difficulty persuaded her to +return to my room and sleep with me. +We accordingly lay down together, she +undressed, and I with my clothes on, for I +was every moment walking up and down +the room, and felt too nervous and miserable +to think of rest or comfort. + +Emily was soon fast asleep, and I lay +awake, fervently longing for the first pale +gleam of morning, reckoning every stroke +of the old clock with an impatience which +made every hour appear like six. + +It must have been about one o'clock +when I thought I heard a slight noise at +the partition-door between Emily's room +and mine, as if caused by somebody's +turning the key in the lock. I held my +breath, and the same sound was repeated +at the second door of my room--that which +opened upon the lobby--the sound was +here distinctly caused by the revolution of +the bolt in the lock, and it was followed by +a slight pressure upon the door itself, as if +to ascertain the security of the lock. + +The person, whoever it might be, was +probably satisfied, for I heard the old +boards of the lobby creak and strain, as if +under the weight of somebody moving +cautiously over them. My sense of hearing +became unnaturally, almost painfully +acute. I suppose the imagination added +distinctness to sounds vague in themselves. +I thought that I could actually hear the +breathing of the person who was slowly +returning down the lobby. At the head of +the staircase there appeared to occur a +pause; and I could distinctly hear two or +three sentences hastily whispered; the +steps then descended the stairs with +apparently less caution. I now ventured to +walk quickly and lightly to the lobby-door, +and attempted to open it; it was indeed +fast locked upon the outside, as was also +the other. + +I now felt that the dreadful hour was +come; but one desperate expedient +remained--it was to awaken Emily, and by +our united strength to attempt to force +the partition-door, which was slighter than +the other, and through this to pass to the +lower part of the house, whence it might +be possible to escape to the grounds, and +forth to the village. + +I returned to the bedside and shook +Emily, but in vain. Nothing that I could +do availed to produce from her more than +a few incoherent words--it was a death- +like sleep. She had certainly drank of +some narcotic, as had I probably also, spite +of all the caution with which I had +examined everything presented to us to +eat or drink. + +I now attempted, with as little noise as +possible, to force first one door, then the +other--but all in vain. I believe no +strength could have effected my object, for +both doors opened inwards. I therefore +collected whatever movables I could carry +thither, and piled them against the doors, +so as to assist me in whatever attempts I +should make to resist the entrance of those +without. I then returned to the bed and +endeavoured again, but fruitlessly, to +awaken my cousin. It was not sleep, it +was torpor, lethargy, death. I knelt down +and prayed with an agony of earnestness; +and then seating myself upon the bed, I +awaited my fate with a kind of terrible +tranquillity. + +I heard a faint clanking sound from the +narrow court which I have already +mentioned, as if caused by the scraping of +some iron instrument against stones or +rubbish. I at first determined not to +disturb the calmness which I now felt, by +uselessly watching the proceedings of those +who sought my life; but as the sounds +continued, the horrible curiosity which I +felt overcame every other emotion, and I +determined, at all hazards, to gratify it. +I therefore crawled upon my knees to +the window, so as to let the smallest +portion of my head appear above the +sill. + +The moon was shining with an uncertain +radiance upon the antique grey buildings, +and obliquely upon the narrow court +beneath, one side of which was therefore +clearly illuminated, while the other was +lost in obscurity, the sharp outlines of the +old gables, with their nodding clusters of +ivy, being at first alone visible. + +Whoever or whatever occasioned the +noise which had excited my curiosity, was +concealed under the shadow of the dark +side of the quadrangle. I placed my hand +over my eyes to shade them from the +moonlight, which was so bright as to be +almost dazzling, and, peering into the +darkness, I first dimly, but afterwards gradually, +almost with full distinctness, beheld the +form of a man engaged in digging what +appeared to be a rude hole close under the +wall. Some implements, probably a shovel +and pickaxe, lay beside him, and to these +he every now and then applied himself as +the nature of the ground required. He +pursued his task rapidly, and with as little +noise as possible. + +'So,' thought I, as, shovelful after shovel- +ful, the dislodged rubbish mounted into a +heap, 'they are digging the grave in which, +before two hours pass, I must lie, a cold, +mangled corpse. I am THEIRS--I cannot +escape.' + +I felt as if my reason was leaving me. +I started to my feet, and in mere despair I +applied myself again to each of the two +doors alternately. I strained every nerve +and sinew, but I might as well have +attempted, with my single strength, to force +the building itself from its foundation. I +threw myself madly upon the ground, and +clasped my hands over my eyes as if to +shut out the horrible images which crowded +upon me. + +The paroxysm passed away. I prayed +once more, with the bitter, agonised fervour +of one who feels that the hour of death is +present and inevitable. When I arose, I +went once more to the window and looked +out, just in time to see a shadowy figure +glide stealthily along the wall. The task +was finished. The catastrophe of the +tragedy must soon be accomplished. + +I determined now to defend my life to +the last; and that I might be able to do +so with some effect, I searched the room +for something which might serve as a +weapon; but either through accident, or +from an anticipation of such a possibility, +everything which might have been made +available for such a purpose had been carefully +removed. I must then die tamely +and without an effort to defend myself. + +A thought suddenly struck me--might +it not be possible to escape through the +door, which the assassin must open in +order to enter the room? I resolved to +make the attempt. I felt assured that the +door through which ingress to the room +would be effected, was that which opened +upon the lobby. It was the more direct +way, besides being, for obvious reasons, +less liable to interruption than the other. +I resolved, then, to place myself behind a +projection of the wall, whose shadow would +serve fully to conceal me, and when the +door should be opened, and before they +should have discovered the identity of the +occupant of the bed, to creep noiselessly +from the room, and then to trust to +Providence for escape. + +In order to facilitate this scheme, I +removed all the lumber which I had heaped +against the door; and I had nearly completed +my arrangements, when I perceived +the room suddenly darkened by the close +approach of some shadowy object to the +window. On turning my eyes in that +direction, I observed at the top of the +casement, as if suspended from above, first +the feet, then the legs, then the body, and +at length the whole figure of a man present +himself. It was Edward T----n. + +He appeared to be guiding his descent +so as to bring his feet upon the centre of +the stone block which occupied the lower +part of the window; and, having secured +his footing upon this, he kneeled down and +began to gaze into the room. As the +moon was gleaming into the chamber, and +the bed-curtains were drawn, he was able +to distinguish the bed itself and its +contents. He appeared satisfied with his +scrutiny, for he looked up and made a sign +with his hand, upon which the rope by +which his descent had been effected was +slackened from above, and he proceeded to +disengage it from his waist; this accom- +plished, he applied his hands to the +window-frame, which must have been +ingeniously contrived for the purpose, for, +with apparently no resistance, the whole +frame, containing casement and all, slipped +from its position in the wall, and was by +him lowered into the room. + +The cold night wind waved the bed- +curtains, and he paused for a moment--all +was still again--and he stepped in upon +the floor of the room. He held in his +hand what appeared to be a steel instrument, +shaped something like a hammer, +but larger and sharper at the extremities. +This he held rather behind him, while, with +three long, tip-toe strides, he brought +himself to the bedside. + +I felt that the discovery must now be +made, and held my breath in momentary +expectation of the execration in which he +would vent his surprise and disappointment. +I closed my eyes--there was a +pause, but it was a short one. I heard +two dull blows, given in rapid succession: +a quivering sigh, and the long-drawn, +heavy breathing of the sleeper was for +ever suspended. I unclosed my eyes, and +saw the murderer fling the quilt across the +head of his victim: he then, with the +instrument of death still in his hand, +proceeded to the lobby-door, upon which he +tapped sharply twice or thrice. A quick +step was then heard approaching, and a +voice whispered something from without. +Edward answered, with a kind of chuckle, +'Her ladyship is past complaining; unlock +the door, in the devil's name, unless you're +afraid to come in, and help me to lift the +body out of the window.' + +The key was turned in the lock--the +door opened--and my uncle entered the +room. + +I have told you already that I had +placed myself under the shade of a +projection of the wall, close to the door. I had +instinctively shrunk down, cowering +towards the ground on the entrance of +Edward through the window. When my +uncle entered the room he and his son +both stood so very close to me that his +hand was every moment upon the point of +touching my face. I held my breath, and +remained motionless as death. + +'You had no interruption from the next +room?' said my uncle. + +'No,' was the brief reply. + +'Secure the jewels, Ned; the French +harpy must not lay her claws upon them. +You're a steady hand, by G----! not +much blood--eh?' + +'Not twenty drops,' replied his son, +'and those on the quilt.' + +'I'm glad it's over,' whispered my uncle +again. 'We must lift the--the THING +through the window, and lay the rubbish +over it.' + +They then turned to the bedside, and, +winding the bed-clothes round the body, +carried it between them slowly to the +window, and, exchanging a few brief words +with some one below, they shoved it over +the window-sill, and I heard it fall heavily +on the ground underneath. + +'I'll take the jewels,' said my uncle; +'there are two caskets in the lower +drawer.' + +He proceeded, with an accuracy which, +had I been more at ease, would have +furnished me with matter of astonishment, to +lay his hand upon the very spot where my +jewels lay; and having possessed himself +of them, he called to his son: + +'Is the rope made fast above?' + +'I'm not a fool--to be sure it is,' +replied he. + +They then lowered themselves from the +window. I now rose lightly and cautiously, +scarcely daring to breathe, from my place +of concealment, and was creeping towards +the door, when I heard my cousin's voice, +in a sharp whisper, exclaim: 'Scramble up +again! G--d d----n you, you've forgot to +lock the room-door!' and I perceived, by +the straining of the rope which hung from +above, that the mandate was instantly +obeyed. + +Not a second was to be lost. I passed +through the door, which was only closed, +and moved as rapidly as I could, consistently +with stillness, along the lobby. +Before I had gone many yards, I heard +the door through which I had just passed +double-locked on the inside. I glided +down the stairs in terror, lest, at every +corner, I should meet the murderer or one +of his accomplices. + +I reached the hall, and listened for a +moment to ascertain whether all was silent +around; no sound was audible. The parlour +windows opened on the park, and through +one of them I might, I thought, easily +effect my escape. Accordingly, I hastily +entered; but, to my consternation, a +candle was burning in the room, and by +its light I saw a figure seated at the +dinner-table, upon which lay glasses, +bottles, and the other accompaniments of +a drinking-party. Two or three chairs +were placed about the table irregularly, as +if hastily abandoned by their occupants. + +A single glance satisfied me that the +figure was that of my French attendant. +She was fast asleep, having probably +drank deeply. There was something +malignant and ghastly in the calmness of +this bad woman's features, dimly illuminated +as they were by the flickering blaze +of the candle. A knife lay upon the table, +and the terrible thought struck me-- +'Should I kill this sleeping accomplice in +the guilt of the murderer, and thus secure +my retreat?' + +Nothing could be easier--it was but to +draw the blade across her throat--the +work of a second. An instant's pause, +however, corrected me. 'No,' thought I, +'the God who has conducted me thus far +through the valley of the shadow of death, +will not abandon me now. I will fall into +their hands, or I will escape hence, but it +shall be free from the stain of blood. His +will be done.' + +I felt a confidence arising from this +reflection, an assurance of protection which +I cannot describe. There was no other +means of escape, so I advanced, with a +firm step and collected mind, to the +window. I noiselessly withdrew the bars +and unclosed the shutters--I pushed open +the casement, and, without waiting to look +behind me, I ran with my utmost speed, +scarcely feeling the ground under me, down +the avenue, taking care to keep upon the +grass which bordered it. + +I did not for a moment slack my speed, +and I had now gained the centre point +between the park-gate and the mansion- +house. Here the avenue made a wider +circuit, and in order to avoid delay, I +directed my way across the smooth sward +round which the pathway wound, intending, +at the opposite side of the flat, at a +point which I distinguished by a group of +old birch-trees, to enter again upon the +beaten track, which was from thence +tolerably direct to the gate. + +I had, with my utmost speed, got about +half way across this broad flat, when the +rapid treading of a horse's hoofs struck +upon my ear. My heart swelled in my +bosom as though I would smother. The +clattering of galloping hoofs approached-- +I was pursued--they were now upon the +sward on which I was running--there was +not a bush or a bramble to shelter me-- +and, as if to render escape altogether +desperate, the moon, which had hitherto +been obscured, at this moment shone forth +with a broad clear light, which made every +object distinctly visible. + +The sounds were now close behind me. +I felt my knees bending under me, with +the sensation which torments one in +dreams. I reeled--I stumbled--I fell-- +and at the same instant the cause of my +alarm wheeled past me at full gallop. It +was one of the young fillies which +pastured loose about the park, whose +frolics had thus all but maddened me +with terror. I scrambled to my feet, and +rushed on with weak but rapid steps, my +sportive companion still galloping round +and round me with many a frisk and fling, +until, at length, more dead than alive, I +reached the avenue-gate and crossed the +stile, I scarce knew how. + +I ran through the village, in which all was +silent as the grave, until my progress was +arrested by the hoarse voice of a sentinel, +who cried: 'Who goes there?' I felt that +I was now safe. I turned in the direction +of the voice, and fell fainting at the +soldier's feet. When I came to myself; I +was sitting in a miserable hovel, +surrounded by strange faces, all bespeaking +curiosity and compassion. + +Many soldiers were in it also: indeed, +as I afterwards found, it was employed as +a guard-room by a detachment of troops +quartered for that night in the town. In +a few words I informed their officer of the +circumstances which had occurred, describing +also the appearance of the persons +engaged in the murder; and he, without +loss of time, proceeded to the mansion- +house of Carrickleigh, taking with him a +party of his men. But the villains had +discovered their mistake, and had effected +their escape before the arrival of the +military. + +The Frenchwoman was, however, +arrested in the neighbourhood upon the next +day. She was tried and condemned upon +the ensuing assizes; and previous to her +execution, confessed that 'SHE HAD A +HAND IN MAKING HUGH TISDAL'S BED.' She +had been a housekeeper in the castle at +the time, and a kind of chere amie of my +uncle's. She was, in reality, able to speak +English like a native, but had exclusively +used the French language, I suppose to +facilitate her disguise. She died the same +hardened wretch which she had lived, +confessing her crimes only, as she alleged, that +her doing so might involve Sir Arthur +T----n, the great author of her guilt and +misery, and whom she now regarded with +unmitigated detestation. + +With the particulars of Sir Arthur's and +his son's escape, as far as they are known, +you are acquainted. You are also in +possession of their after fate--the terrible, the +tremendous retribution which, after long +delays of many years, finally overtook and +crushed them. Wonderful and inscrutable +are the dealings of God with His creatures. + +Deep and fervent as must always be my +gratitude to heaven for my deliverance, +effected by a chain of providential +occurrences, the failing of a single link of which +must have ensured my destruction, I was +long before I could look back upon it with +other feelings than those of bitterness, +almost of agony. + +The only being that had ever really +loved me, my nearest and dearest friend, +ever ready to sympathise, to counsel, and +to assist--the gayest, the gentlest, the +warmest heart--the only creature on +earth that cared for me--HER life had been +the price of my deliverance; and I then +uttered the wish, which no event of my +long and sorrowful life has taught me to +recall, that she had been spared, and that, +in her stead, _I_ were mouldering in the +grave, forgotten and at rest. + + + +THE BRIDAL OF CARRIGVARAH. + +Being a Sixth Extract from the Legacy of the late Francis +Purcell, P. P. of Drumcoolagh. + +In a sequestered district of the +county of Limerick, there stood +my early life, some forty +years ago, one of those strong stone +buildings, half castle, half farm-house, +which are not unfrequent in the South of +Ireland, and whose solid masonry and +massive construction seem to prove at +once the insecurity and the caution of the +Cromwellite settlers who erected them. +At the time of which I speak, this +building was tenanted by an elderly man, +whose starch and puritanic mien and +manners might have become the morose +preaching parliamentarian captain, who +had raised the house and ruled the +household more than a hundred years +before; but this man, though Protestant +by descent as by name, was not so in +religion; he was a strict, and in outward +observances, an exemplary Catholic; his +father had returned in early youth to the +true faith, and died in the bosom of the +church. + +Martin Heathcote was, at the time of +which I speak, a widower, but his house- +keeping was not on that account altogether +solitary, for he had a daughter, whose age +was now sufficiently advanced to warrant +her father in imposing upon her the +grave duties of domestic superintendence. + +This little establishment was perfectly +isolated, and very little intruded upon by +acts of neighbourhood; for the rank of +its occupants was of that equivocal kind +which precludes all familiar association +with those of a decidedly inferior rank, +while it is not sufficient to entitle its +possessors to the society of established +gentility, among whom the nearest +residents were the O'Maras of Carrigvarah, +whose mansion-house, constructed +out of the ruins of an old abbey, whose +towers and cloisters had been levelled by +the shot of Cromwell's artillery, stood +not half a mile lower upon the river +banks. + +Colonel O'Mara, the possessor of the +estates, was then in a declining state of +health, and absent with his lady from the +country, leaving at the castle, his son +young O'Mara, and a kind of humble +companion, named Edward Dwyer, who, +if report belied him not, had done in his +early days some PECULIAR SERVICES for the +Colonel, who had been a gay man-- +perhaps worse--but enough of recapitulation. + +It was in the autumn of the year 17-- +that the events which led to the catastrophe +which I have to detail occurred. +I shall run through the said recital as +briefly as clearness will permit, and leave +you to moralise, if such be your mood, +upon the story of real life, which I even +now trace at this distant period not without +emotion. + +It was upon a beautiful autumn evening, +at that glad period of the season when +the harvest yields its abundance, that +two figures were seen sauntering along +the banks of the winding river, which I +described as bounding the farm occupied +by Heathcote; they had been, as the rods +and landing-nets which they listlessly +carried went to show, plying the gentle, +but in this case not altogether solitary +craft of the fisherman. One of those +persons was a tall and singularly handsome +young man, whose dark hair and +complexion might almost have belonged +to a Spaniard, as might also the proud but +melancholy expression which gave to his +countenance a character which contrasts +sadly, but not uninterestingly, with +extreme youth; his air, as he spoke with +his companion, was marked by that careless +familiarity which denotes a conscious +superiority of one kind or other, or which +may be construed into a species of +contempt; his comrade afforded to him in +every respect a striking contrast. He +was rather low in stature--a defect which +was enhanced by a broad and square-built +figure--his face was sallow, and his +features had that prominence and sharpness +which frequently accompany personal +deformity--a remarkably wide mouth, +with teeth white as the fangs of a wolf, +and a pair of quick, dark eyes, whose +effect was heightened by the shadow of a +heavy black brow, gave to his face a +power of expression, particularly when +sarcastic or malignant emotions were to +be exhibited, which features regularly +handsome could scarcely have possessed. + +'Well, sir,' said the latter personage, +'I have lived in hall and abbey, town +and country, here and abroad for forty +years and more, and should know a thing +or two, and as I am a living man, I +swear I think the girl loves you.' + +'You are a fool, Ned,' said the +younger. + +'I may be a fool,' replied the first +speaker, 'in matters where my own +advantage is staked, but my eye is keen +enough to see through the flimsy disguise +of a country damsel at a glance; and I +tell you, as surely as I hold this rod, the +girl loves you.' + +'Oh I this is downright headstrong +folly,' replied the young fisherman. +'Why, Ned, you try to persuade me +against my reason, that the event which +is most to be deprecated has actually +occurred. She is, no doubt, a pretty +girl--a beautiful girl--but I have not +lost my heart to her; and why should I +wish her to be in love with me? Tush, +man, the days of romance are gone, and +a young gentleman may talk, and walk, +and laugh with a pretty country maiden, +and never breathe aspirations, or vows, or +sighs about the matter; unequal matches +are much oftener read of than made, and +the man who could, even in thought, +conceive a wish against the honour of +an unsuspecting, artless girl, is a villain, +for whom hanging is too good.' + +This concluding sentence was uttered +with an animation and excitement, which +the mere announcement of an abstract +moral sentiment could hardly account +for. + +'You are, then, indifferent, honestly +and in sober earnest, indifferent to the +girl?' inquired Dwyer. + +'Altogether so,' was the reply. + +'Then I have a request to make,' +continued Dwyer, 'and I may as well urge +it now as at any other time. I have +been for nearly twenty years the faithful, +and by no means useless, servant of your +family; you know that I have rendered +your father critical and important +services----' he paused, and added hastily: +'you are not in the mood--I tire you, +sir.' + +'Nay,' cried O'Mara, 'I listen patiently +--proceed.' + +'For all these services, and they were +not, as I have said, few or valueless, I +have received little more reward than +liberal promises; you have told me often +that this should be mended--I'll make it +easily done--I'm not unreasonable--I +should be contented to hold Heathcote's +ground, along with this small farm on +which we stand, as full quittance of all +obligations and promises between us.' + +'But how the devil can I effect that +for you; this farm, it is true, I, or my +father, rather, may lease to you, but +Heathcote's title we cannot impugn; and +even if we could, you would not expect +us to ruin an honest man, in order to +make way for YOU, Ned.' + +'What I am,' replied Dwyer, with the +calmness of one who is so accustomed to +contemptuous insinuations as to receive +them with perfect indifference, 'is to be +attributed to my devotedness to your +honourable family--but that is neither +here nor there. I do not ask you to +displace Heathcote, in order to made +room for me. I know it is out of your +power to do so. Now hearken to me for +a moment; Heathcote's property, that +which he has set out to tenants, is worth, +say in rents, at most, one hundred +pounds: half of this yearly amount is +assigned to your father, until payment be +made of a bond for a thousand pounds, +with interest and soforth. Hear me +patiently for a moment and I have done. +Now go you to Heathcote, and tell him +your father will burn the bond, and cancel +the debt, upon one condition--that when +I am in possession of this farm, which you +can lease to me on what terms you think +suitable, he will convey over his property +to me, reserving what life-interest may +appear fair, I engaging at the same time +to marry his daughter, and make such +settlements upon her as shall be thought +fitting--he is not a fool--the man will +close with the offer.' + +O'Mara turned shortly upon Dwyer, +and gazed upon him for a moment with +an expression of almost unmixed resentment. + +'How,' said he at length, 'YOU contract +to marry Ellen Heathcote? the poor, +innocent, confiding, light-hearted girl. +No, no, Edward Dwyer, I know you too +well for that--your services, be they what +they will, must not, shall not go unrewarded-- +your avarice shall be appeased-- +but not with a human sacrifice! Dwyer, +I speak to you without disguise; you +know me to be acquainted with your +history, and what's more, with your +character. Now tell me frankly, were I +to do as you desire me, in cool blood, +should I not prove myself a more +uncompromising and unfeeling villain than +humanity even in its most monstrous +shapes has ever yet given birth +to?' + +Dwyer met this impetuous language +with the unmoved and impenetrable calmness +which always marked him when +excitement would have appeared in +others; he even smiled as he replied: +(and Dwyer's smile, for I have seen it, +was characteristically of that unfortunate +kind which implies, as regards the +emotions of others, not sympathy but +derision). + +'This eloquence goes to prove Ellen +Heathcote something nearer to your heart +than your great indifference would have +led me to suppose.' + +There was something in the tone, +perhaps in the truth of the insinuation, which +at once kindled the quick pride and the +anger of O'Mara, and he instantly replied: + +'Be silent, sir, this is insolent +folly.' + +Whether it was that Dwyer was more +keenly interested in the success of his suit, +or more deeply disappointed at its failure +than he cared to express, or that he was in +a less complacent mood than was his wont, +it is certain that his countenance expressed +more emotion at this direct insult than it +had ever exhibited before under similar +circumstances; for his eyes gleamed for an +instant with savage and undisguised ferocity +upon the young man, and a dark glow +crossed his brow, and for the moment he +looked about to spring at the throat of his +insolent patron; but the impulse whatever +it might be, was quickly suppressed, and +before O'Mara had time to detect the +scowl, it had vanished. + +'Nay, sir,' said Dwyer, 'I meant no +offence, and I will take none, at your +hands at least. I will confess I care not, +in love and soforth, a single bean for the +girl; she was the mere channel through +which her father's wealth, if such a pittance +deserves the name, was to have flowed into +my possession--'twas in respect of your +family finances the most economical +provision for myself which I could devise--a +matter in which you, not I, are interested. +As for women, they are all pretty much +alike to me. I am too old myself to make +nice distinctions, and too ugly to succeed by +Cupid's arts; and when a man despairs of +success, he soon ceases to care for it. So, +if you know me, as you profess to do, rest +satisfied "caeteris paribus;" the money part +of the transaction being equally advantageous, +I should regret the loss of Ellen +Heathcote just as little as I should the +escape of a minnow from my landing-net.' + +They walked on for a few minutes in +silence, which was not broken till Dwyer, +who had climbed a stile in order to pass a +low stone wall which lay in their way, +exclaimed: + +'By the rood, she's here--how like a +philosopher you look." + +The conscious blood mounted to O'Mara's +cheek; he crossed the stile, and, separated +from him only by a slight fence and a gate, +stood the subject of their recent and somewhat +angry discussion. + +'God save you, Miss Heathcote,' cried +Dwyer, approaching the gate. + +The salutation was cheerfully returned, +and before anything more could pass, +O'Mara had joined the party. + +My friend, that you may understand the +strength and depth of those impetuous +passions, that you may account for the +fatal infatuation which led to the catastrophe +which I have to relate, I must tell +you, that though I have seen the beauties +of cities and of courts, with all the splendour +of studied ornament about them to +enhance their graces, possessing charms +which had made them known almost +throughout the world, and worshipped with +the incense of a thousand votaries, yet +never, nowhere did I behold a being of +such exquisite and touching beauty, as +that possessed by the creature of whom I +have just spoken. At the moment of +which I write, she was standing near the +gate, close to which several brown-armed, +rosy-cheeked damsels were engaged in +milking the peaceful cows, who stood +picturesquely grouped together. She had +just thrown back the hood which is the +graceful characteristic of the Irish girl's +attire, so that her small and classic head was +quite uncovered, save only by the dark- +brown hair, which with graceful simplicity +was parted above her forehead. There +was nothing to shade the clearness of her +beautiful complexion; the delicately-formed +features, so exquisite when taken singly, so +indescribable when combined, so purely +artless, yet so meet for all expression. She +was a thing so very beautiful, you could +not look on her without feeling your heart +touched as by sweet music. Whose +lightest action was a grace--whose lightest +word a spell--no limner's art, though ne'er +so perfect, could shadow forth her beauty; +and do I dare with feeble words try to +make you see it?[1] Providence is indeed +no respecter of persons, its blessings and +its inflictions are apportioned with an +undistinguishing hand, and until the race is +over, and life be done, none can know +whether those perfections, which seemed +its goodliest gifts, many not prove its most +fatal; but enough of this. + + +[1] Father Purcell seems to have had an admiration +for the beauties of nature, particularly as developed in +the fair sex; a habit of mind which has been rather +improved upon than discontinued by his successors +from Maynooth.--ED, + + +Dwyer strolled carelessly onward by +the banks of the stream, leaving his +young companion leaning over the gate +in close and interesting parlance with +Ellen Heathcote; as he moved on, he +half thought, half uttered words to this +effect: + +'Insolent young spawn of ingratitude +and guilt, how long must I submit to be +trod upon thus; and yet why should I +murmur--his day is even now declining-- +and if I live a year, I shall see the +darkness cover him and his for ever. Scarce +half his broad estates shall save him--but +I must wait--I am but a pauper now--a +beggar's accusation is always a libel--they +must reward me soon--and were I +independent once, I'd make them feel my +power, and feel it SO, that I should die the +richest or the best avenged servant of a +great man that has ever been heard of-- +yes, I must wait--I must make sure of +something at least--I must be able to +stand by myself--and then--and then--' +He clutched his fingers together, as if in +the act of strangling the object of his +hatred. 'But one thing shall save him-- +but one thing only--he shall pay me my +own price--and if he acts liberally, as no +doubt he will do, upon compulsion, why +he saves his reputation--perhaps his neck +--the insolent young whelp yonder would +speak in an humbler key if he but knew +his father's jeopardy--but all in good +time.' + +He now stood upon the long, steep, +narrow bridge, which crossed the river +close to Carrigvarah, the family mansion +of the O'Maras; he looked back in the +direction in which he had left his +companion, and leaning upon the battlement, +he ruminated long and moodily. At +length he raised himself and said: + +'He loves the girl, and WILL love her +more--I have an opportunity of winning +favour, of doing service, which shall bind +him to me; yes, he shall have the girl, if +I have art to compass the matter. I must +think upon it.' + +He entered the avenue and was soon +lost in the distance. + +Days and weeks passed on, and young +O'Mara daily took his rod and net, and +rambled up the river; and scarce twelve +hours elapsed in which some of those +accidents, which invariably bring lovers +together, did not secure him a meeting of +longer or shorter duration, with the +beautiful girl whom he so fatally +loved. + +One evening, after a long interview with +her, in which he had been almost irresistibly +prompted to declare his love, and +had all but yielded himself up to the +passionate impulse, upon his arrival at +home he found a letter on the table +awaiting his return; it was from his +father to the following effect: + + + 'To Richard O'Mara. + 'September, 17--, L----m, England. + + 'MY DEAR SON,-- + 'I have just had a severe attack of +my old and almost forgotten enemy, the +gout. This I regard as a good sign; the +doctors telling me that it is the safest +development of peccant humours; and I +think my chest is less tormenting and +oppressed than I have known it for some +years. My chief reason for writing to +you now, as I do it not without difficulty, +is to let you know my pleasure in certain +matters, in which I suspect some shameful, +and, indeed, infatuated neglect on your +part, "quem perdere vult deus prius +dementat:" how comes it that you have +neglected to write to Lady Emily or any of +that family? the understood relation +subsisting between you is one of extreme +delicacy, and which calls for marked and +courteous, nay, devoted attention upon +your side. Lord ---- is already offended; +beware what you do; for as you will find, +if this match be lost by your fault or folly, +by ---- I will cut you off with a shilling. +I am not in the habit of using threats +when I do not mean to fulfil them, and +that you well know; however I do not +think you have much real cause for alarm +in this case. Lady Emily, who, by the +way, looks if possible more charming than +ever, is anything but hard-hearted, at +least when YOU solicit; but do as I desire, +and lose no time in making what excuse +you may, and let me hear from you when +you can fix a time to join me and your +mother here. + 'Your sincere well-wisher and father, + 'RICHARD O'MARA.' + + +In this letter was inclosed a smaller one, +directed to Dwyer, and containing a +cheque for twelve pounds, with the following +words: + + +'Make use of the enclosed, and let me +hear if Richard is upon any wild scheme +at present: I am uneasy about him, and +not without reason; report to me speedily +the result of your vigilance. + 'R. O'MARA.' + + +Dwyer just glanced through this brief, +but not unwelcome, epistle; and deposited +it and its contents in the secret recesses of +his breeches pocket, and then fixed his +eyes upon the face of his companion, who +sat opposite, utterly absorbed in the perusal +of his father's letter, which he read again +and again, pausing and muttering between +whiles, and apparently lost in no very +pleasing reflections. At length he very +abruptly exclaimed: + +'A delicate epistle, truly--and a politic +--would that my tongue had been burned +through before I assented to that doubly- +cursed contract. Why, I am not pledged +yet--I am not; there is neither writing, +nor troth, nor word of honour, passed +between us. My father has no right to +pledge me, even though I told him I liked +the girl, and would wish the match. 'Tis +not enough that my father offers her my +heart and hand; he has no right to do it; +a delicate woman would not accept professions +made by proxy. Lady Emily! Lady +Emily! with all the tawdry frippery, and +finery of dress and demeanour--compare +HER with---- Pshaw! Ridiculous! How +blind, how idiotic I have been.' + +He relapsed into moody reflections, +which Dwyer did not care to disturb, and +some ten minutes might have passed before +he spoke again. When he did, it was in +the calm tone of one who has irrevocably +resolved upon some decided and important +act. + +'Dwyer,' he said, rising and approaching +that person, 'whatever god or demon told +you, even before my own heart knew it, +that I loved Ellen Heathcote, spoke truth. +I love her madly--I never dreamed till +now how fervently, how irrevocably, I am +hers--how dead to me all other interests +are. Dwyer, I know something of your +disposition, and you no doubt think it +strange that I should tell to you, of all +persons, SUCH a secret; but whatever be +your faults, I think you are attached to +our family. I am satisfied you will not +betray me. I know----' + +'Pardon me,' said Dwyer, 'if I say that +great professions of confidence too +frequently mark distrust. I have no possible +motive to induce me to betray you; on the +contrary, I would gladly assist and direct +whatever plans you may have formed. +Command me as you please; I have said +enough.' + +'I will not doubt you, Dwyer,' said +O'Mara; ' I have taken my resolution--I +have, I think, firmness to act up to it. To +marry Ellen Heathcote, situated as I am, +were madness; to propose anything else +were worse, were villainy not to be named. +I will leave the country to-morrow, cost +what pain it may, for England. I will at +once break off the proposed alliance with +Lady Emily, and will wait until I am my +own master, to open my heart to Ellen. +My father may say and do what he likes; +but his passion will not last. He will +forgive me; and even were he to disinherit +me, as he threatens, there is some property +which must descend to me, which his will +cannot affect. He cannot ruin my +interests; he SHALL NOT ruin my happiness. +Dwyer, give me pen and ink; I will write +this moment.' + +This bold plan of proceeding for many +reasons appeared inexpedient to Dwyer, +and he determined not to consent to its +adoption without a struggle. + +'I commend your prudence,' said he, 'in +determining to remove yourself from the +fascinating influence which has so long +bound you here; but beware of offending +your father. Colonel O'Mara is not a man +to forgive an act of deliberate disobedience, +and surely you are not mad enough to +ruin yourself with him by offering an out- +rageous insult to Lady Emily and to her +family in her person; therefore you must +not break off the understood contract which +subsists between you by any formal act-- +hear me out patiently. You must let Lady +Emily perceive, as you easily may, without +rudeness or even coldness of manner, that +she is perfectly indifferent to you; and +when she understands this to be the case, +it she possesses either delicacy or spirit, +she will herself break off the engagement. +Make what delay it is possible to effect; +it is very possible that your father, who +cannot, in all probability, live many +months, may not live as many days if +harassed and excited by such scenes as +your breaking off your engagement must +produce.' + +'Dwyer,' said O'Mara, 'I will hear you +out--proceed.' + +'Besides, sir, remember,' he continued, +'the understanding which we have termed +an engagement was entered into without +any direct sanction upon your part; your +father has committed HIMSELF, not YOU, to +Lord ----. Before a real contract can +subsist, you must be an assenting party to +it. I know of no casuistry subtle enough +to involve you in any engagement whatever, +without such an ingredient. Tush! +you have an easy card to play.' + +'Well,' said the young man, 'I will +think on what you have said; in the +meantime, I will write to my father to +announce my immediate departure, in order +to join him.' + +'Excuse me,' said Dwyer, 'but I would +suggest that by hastening your departure +you but bring your dangers nearer. While +you are in this country a letter now and +then keeps everything quiet; but once +across the Channel and with the colonel, +you must either quarrel with him to your +own destruction, or you must dance attendance +upon Lady Emily with such assiduity +as to commit yourself as completely as if +you had been thrice called with her in the +parish church. No, no; keep to this side +of the Channel as long as you decently +can. Besides, your sudden departure must +appear suspicious, and will probably excite +inquiry. Every good end likely to be +accomplished by your absence will be +effected as well by your departure for +Dublin, where you may remain for three +weeks or a month without giving rise to +curiosity or doubt of an unpleasant kind; +I would therefore advise you strongly to +write immediately to the colonel, stating +that business has occurred to defer your +departure for a month, and you can then +leave this place, if you think fit, +immediately, that is, within a week or so.' + +Young O'Mara was not hard to be persuaded. +Perhaps it was that, unacknowledged +by himself, any argument which +recommended his staying, even for an +hour longer than his first decision had +announced, in the neighbourhood of Ellen +Heathcote, appeared peculiarly cogent and +convincing; however this may have been, +it is certain that he followed the counsel of +his cool-headed follower, who retired that +night to bed with the pleasing conviction +that he was likely soon to involve his +young patron in all the intricacies of +disguise and intrigue--a consummation which +would leave him totally at the mercy of +the favoured confidant who should possess +his secret. + + +Young O'Mara's reflections were more +agitating and less satisfactory than those +of his companion. He resolved upon +leaving the country before two days had +passed. He felt that he could not fairly +seek to involve Ellen Heathcote in his +fate by pledge or promise, until he had +extricated himself from those trammels +which constrained and embarrassed all his +actions. His determination was so far +prudent; but, alas! he also resolved that +it was but right, but necessary, that he +should see her before his departure. His +leaving the country without a look or a +word of parting kindness interchanged, +must to her appear an act of cold and +heartless caprice; he could not bear the +thought. + +'No,' said he, 'I am not child enough +to say more than prudence tells me +ought to say; this cowardly distrust of my +firmness I should and will contemn. +Besides, why should I commit myself? It is +possible the girl may not care for me. No, +no; I need not shrink from this interview. +I have no reason to doubt my firmness-- +none--none. I must cease to be governed +by impulse. I am involved in rocks +and quicksands; and a collected spirit, +a quick eye, and a steady hand, alone can +pilot me through. God grant me a safe +voyage!' + +The next day came, and young O'Mara +did not take his fishing-rod as usual, but +wrote two letters; the one to his father, +announcing his intention of departing +speedily for England; the other to Lady +Emily, containing a cold but courteous +apology for his apparent neglect. Both +these were despatched to the post-office +that evening, and upon the next morning +he was to leave the country. + +Upon the night of the momentous day +of which we have just spoken, Ellen Heathcote +glided silently and unperceived from +among the busy crowds who were engaged +in the gay dissipation furnished by what +is in Ireland commonly called a dance +(the expenses attendant upon which, music, +etc., are defrayed by a subscription of one +halfpenny each), and having drawn her +mantle closely about her, was proceeding +with quick steps to traverse the small +field which separated her from her father's +abode. She had not walked many yards +when she became aware that a solitary +figure, muffled in a cloak, stood in the +pathway. It approached; a low voice +whispered: + +'Ellen.' + +'Is it you, Master Richard?' she replied. + +He threw back the cloak which had +concealed his features. + +'It is I, Ellen, he said; 'I have been +watching for you. I will not delay you +long.' + +He took her hand, and she did not +attempt to withdraw it; for she was too +artless to think any evil, too confiding to +dread it. + +'Ellen,' he continued, even now unconsciously +departing from the rigid course +which prudence had marked out; 'Ellen, +I am going to leave the country; going +to-morrow. I have had letters from +England. I must go; and the sea will soon +be between us.' + +He paused, and she was silent. + +'There is one request, one entreaty I +have to make,' he continued; 'I would, +when I am far away, have something to +look at which belonged to you. Will you +give me--do not refuse it--one little lock +of your beautiful hair?' + +With artless alacrity, but with trembling +hand, she took the scissors, which in simple +fashion hung by her side, and detached one +of the long and beautiful locks which +parted over her forehead. She placed it +in his hand. + +Again he took her hand, and twice he +attempted to speak in vain; at length he +said: + +'Ellen, when I am gone--when I am +away--will you sometimes remember, +sometimes think of me?' + +Ellen Heathcote had as much, perhaps +more, of what is noble in pride than the +haughtiest beauty that ever trod a court; +but the effort was useless; the honest +struggle was in vain; and she burst into +floods of tears, bitterer than she had ever +shed before. + +I cannot tell how passions rise and fall; +I cannot describe the impetuous words of +the young lover, as pressing again and +again to his lips the cold, passive hand, +which had been resigned to him, prudence, +caution, doubts, resolutions, all vanished +from his view, and melted into nothing. +'Tis for me to tell the simple fact, that +from that brief interview they both +departed promised and pledged to each other +for ever. + +Through the rest of this story events +follow one another rapidly. + +A few nights after that which I have +just mentioned, Ellen Heathcote disappeared; +but her father was not left long +in suspense as to her fate, for Dwyer, +accompanied by one of those mendicant +friars who traversed the country then even +more commonly than they now do, called +upon Heathcote before he had had time to +take any active measures for the recovery +of his child, and put him in possession of +a document which appeared to contain +satisfactory evidence of the marriage of +Ellen Heathcote with Richard O'Mara, +executed upon the evening previous, as the +date went to show; and signed by both +parties, as well as by Dwyer and a servant +of young O'Mara's, both these having acted +as witnesses; and further supported by +the signature of Peter Nicholls, a brother +of the order of St. Francis, by whom the +ceremony had been performed, and whom +Heathcote had no difficulty in recognising +in the person of his visitant. + +This document, and the prompt personal +visit of the two men, and above all, the +known identity of the Franciscan, satisfied +Heathcote as fully as anything short +of complete publicity could have done. +And his conviction was not a mistaken +one. + +Dwyer, before he took his leave, +impressed upon Heathcote the necessity of +keeping the affair so secret as to render it +impossible that it should reach Colonel +O'Mara's ears, an event which would have +been attended with ruinous consequences to +all parties. He refused, also, to permit +Heathcote to see his daughter, and even +to tell him where she was, until circumstances +rendered it safe for him to visit +her. + +Heathcote was a harsh and sullen man; +and though his temper was anything but +tractable, there was so much to please, +almost to dazzle him, in the event, that he +accepted the terms which Dwyer imposed +upon him without any further token of +disapprobation than a shake of the head, +and a gruff wish that 'it might prove all +for the best.' + +Nearly two months had passed, and +young O'Mara had not yet departed for +England. His letters had been strangely +few and far between; and in short, his +conduct was such as to induce Colonel +O'Mara to hasten his return to Ireland, +and at the same time to press an engagement, +which Lord ----, his son Captain +N----, and Lady Emily had made to +spend some weeks with him at his +residence in Dublin. + +A letter arrived for young O'Mara, +stating the arrangement, and requiring his +attendance in Dublin, which was accordingly +immediately afforded. + +He arrived, with Dwyer, in time to +welcome his father and his distinguished +guests. He resolved to break off his +embarrassing connection with Lady Emily, +without, however, stating the real motive, +which he felt would exasperate the resentment +which his father and Lord ---- +would no doubt feel at his conduct. + +He strongly felt how dishonourably he +would act if, in obedience to Dwyer's +advice, he seemed tacitly to acquiesce in +an engagement which it was impossible for +him to fulfil. He knew that Lady Emily +was not capable of anything like strong +attachment; and that even if she were, +he had no reason whatever to suppose that +she cared at all for him. + +He had not at any time desired the +alliance; nor had he any reason to suppose +the young lady in any degree less +indifferent. He regarded it now, and not +without some appearance of justice, as +nothing more than a kind of understood +stipulation, entered into by their parents, +and to be considered rather as a matter of +business and calculation than as involving +anything of mutual inclination on the part +of the parties most nearly interested in the +matter. + +He anxiously, therefore, watched for an +opportunity of making known his feelings +to Lord ----, as he could not with propriety +do so to Lady Emily; but what at +a distance appeared to be a matter of easy +accomplishment, now, upon a nearer +approach, and when the immediate impulse +which had prompted the act had subsided, +appeared so full of difficulty and almost +inextricable embarrassments, that he +involuntarily shrunk from the task day after +day. + +Though it was a source of indescribable +anxiety to him, he did not venture to write +to Ellen, for he could not disguise from +himself the danger which the secrecy of +his connection with her must incur by his +communicating with her, even through a +public office, where their letters might be +permitted to lie longer than the gossiping +inquisitiveness of a country town would +warrant him in supposing safe. + +It was about a fortnight after young +O'Mara had arrived in Dublin, where all +things, and places, and amusements; and +persons seemed thoroughly stale, flat, and +unprofitable, when one day, tempted by +the unusual fineness of the weather, Lady +Emily proposed a walk in the College +Park, a favourite promenade at that time. +She therefore with young O'Mara, accompanied +by Dwyer (who, by-the-by, when +he pleased, could act the gentleman +sufficiently well), proceeded to the place +proposed, where they continued to walk for +some time. + +'Why, Richard,' said Lady Emily, after +a tedious and unbroken pause of some +minutes, 'you are becoming worse and +worse every day. You are growing absolutely +intolerable; perfectly stupid! not +one good thing have I heard since I left +the house.' + +O'Mara smiled, and was seeking for a +suitable reply, when his design was +interrupted, and his attention suddenly and +painfully arrested, by the appearance of +two figures, who were slowly passing the +broad walk on which he and his party +moved; the one was that of Captain +N----, the other was the form of--Martin +Heathcote! + +O'Mara felt confounded, almost stunned; +the anticipation of some impending +mischief--of an immediate and violent +collision with a young man whom he had ever +regarded as his friend, were apprehensions +which such a juxtaposition could not fail +to produce. + +'Is Heathcote mad?' thought he. +'What devil can have brought him +here?' + +Dwyer having exchanged a significant +glance with O'Mara, said slightly to Lady +Emily: + +'Will your ladyship excuse me for a +moment? I have a word to say to Captain +N----, and will, with your permission, +immediately rejoin you.' + +He bowed, and walking rapidly on, was +in a few moments beside the object of his +and his patron's uneasiness. + +Whatever Heathcote's object might be, +he certainly had not yet declared the secret, +whose safety O'Mara had so naturally +desired, for Captain N---- appeared in +good spirits; and on coming up to his +sister and her companion, he joined them +for a moment, telling O'Mara, laughingly, +that an old quiz had come from the country +for the express purpose of telling tales, as +it was to be supposed, of him (young +O'Mara), in whose neighbourhood he +lived. + +During this speech it required all the +effort which it was possible to exert to +prevent O'Mara's betraying the extreme +agitation to which his situation gave rise. +Captain N----, however, suspected no- +thing, and passed on without further +delay. + +Dinner was an early meal in those days, +and Lady Emily was obliged to leave the +Park in less than half an hour after the +unpleasant meeting which we have just +mentioned. + +Young O'Mara and, at a sign from +him, Dwyer having escorted the lady +to the door of Colonel O'Mara's house, +pretended an engagement, and departed +together. + +Richard O'Mara instantly questioned +his comrade upon the subject of his +anxiety; but Dwyer had nothing to +communicate of a satisfactory nature. He +had only time, while the captain had been +engaged with Lady Emily and her +companion, to say to Heathcote: + +'Be secret, as you value your existence: +everything will be right, if you be but +secret.' + +To this Heathcote had replied: 'Never +fear me; I understand what I am +about.' + +This was said in such an ambiguous +manner that it was impossible to conjecture +whether he intended or not to act upon +Dwyer's exhortation. The conclusion +which appeared most natural, was by no +means an agreeable one. + +It was much to be feared that Heathcote +having heard some vague report of +O'Mara's engagement with Lady Emily, +perhaps exaggerated, by the repetition, +into a speedily approaching marriage, had +become alarmed for his daughter's interest, +and had taken this decisive step in order +to prevent, by a disclosure of the circumstances +of his clandestine union with Ellen, +the possibility of his completing a guilty +alliance with Captain N----'s sister. If +he entertained the suspicions which they +attributed to him, he had certainly taken +the most effectual means to prevent their +being realised. Whatever his object might +be, his presence in Dublin, in company +with Captain N----, boded nothing good +to O'Mara. + +They entered ----'s tavern, in Dame +Street, together; and there, over a hasty +and by no means a comfortable meal, they +talked over their plans and conjectures. +Evening closed in, and found them still +closeted together, with nothing to interrupt, +and a large tankard of claret to sustain +their desultory conversation. + +Nothing had been determined upon, +except that Dwyer and O'Mara should +proceed under cover of the darkness to +search the town for Heathcote, and by +minute inquiries at the most frequented +houses of entertainment, to ascertain his +place of residence, in order to procuring a +full and explanatory interview with him. +They had each filled their last glass, and +were sipping it slowly, seated with their +feet stretched towards a bright cheerful +fire; the small table which sustained the +flagon of which we have spoken, together +with two pair of wax candles, placed +between them, so as to afford a convenient +resting-place for the long glasses out of +which they drank. + +'One good result, at all events, will be +effected by Heathcote's visit,' said O'Mara. +'Before twenty-four hours I shall do that +which I should have done long ago. I +shall, without reserve, state everything. +I can no longer endure this suspense--this +dishonourable secrecy--this apparent +dissimulation. Every moment I have passed +since my departure from the country has +been one of embarrassment, of pain, of +humiliation. To-morrow I will brave +the storm, whether successfully or not is +doubtful; but I had rather walk the high +roads a beggar, than submit a day longer +to be made the degraded sport of every +accident--the miserable dependent upon a +successful system of deception. Though +PASSIVE deception, it is still unmanly, +unworthy, unjustifiable deception. I +cannot bear to think of it. I despise myself, +but I will cease to be the despicable thing +I have become. To-morrow sees me free, +and this harassing subject for ever at +rest.' + +He was interrupted here by the sound +of footsteps heavily but rapidly ascending +the tavern staircase. The room door +opened, and Captain N----, accompanied +by a fashionably-attired young man, +entered the room. + +Young O'Mara had risen from his seat +on the entrance of their unexpected +visitants; and the moment Captain N---- +recognised his person, an evident and +ominous change passed over his countenance. +He turned hastily to withdraw, but, +as it seemed, almost instantly changed his +mind, for he turned again abruptly. + +'This chamber is engaged, sir,' said the +waiter. + +'Leave the room, sir,' was his only +reply. + +'The room is engaged, sir,' repeated the +waiter, probably believing that his first +suggestion had been unheard. + +'Leave the room, or go to hell!' shouted +Captain N----; at the same time seizing +the astounded waiter by the shoulder, he +hurled him headlong into the passage, +and flung the door to with a crash that +shook the walls. 'Sir,' continued he, +addressing himself to O'Mara, 'I did not +hope to have met you until to-morrow. +Fortune has been kind to me--draw, and +defend yourself.' + +At the same time he drew his sword, +and placed himself in an attitude of +attack. + +'I will not draw upon YOU,' said O'Mara. +'I have, indeed, wronged you. I have +given you just cause for resentment; but +against your life I will never lift my +hand.' + +'You are a coward, sir,' replied Captain +N----, with almost frightful vehemence, +'as every trickster and swindler IS. You +are a contemptible dastard--a despicable, +damned villain! Draw your sword, sir, +and defend your life, or every post +and pillar in this town shall tell your +infamy.' + +'Perhaps,' said his friend, with a sneer, +'the gentleman can do better without his +honour than without his wife.' + +'Yes,' shouted the captain, 'his wife-- +a trull--a common----' + +'Silence, sir!' cried O'Mara, all the +fierceness of his nature roused by this last +insult--'your object is gained; your blood +be upon your own head.' At the same +time he sprang across a bench which stood +in his way, and pushing aside the table +which supported the lights, in an instant +their swords crossed, and they were +engaged in close and deadly strife. + +Captain N---- was far the stronger of +the two; but, on the other hand, O'Mara +possessed far more skill in the use of the +fatal weapon which they employed. But +the narrowness of the room rendered this +advantage hardly available. + +Almost instantly O'Mara received a +slight wound upon the forehead, which, +though little more than a scratch, bled so +fast as to obstruct his sight considerably. + +Those who have used the foil can tell +how slight a derangement of eye or of +hand is sufficient to determine a contest of +this kind; and this knowledge will prevent +their being surprised when I say, that, +spite of O'Mara's superior skill and +practice, his adversary's sword passed +twice through and through his body, and +he fell heavily and helplessly upon the +floor of the chamber. + +Without saying a word, the successful +combatant quitted the room along with +his companion, leaving Dwyer to shift +as best he might for his fallen comrade. + +With the assistance of some of the +wondering menials of the place, Dwyer +succeeded in conveying the wounded man +into an adjoining room, where he was laid +upon a bed, in a state bordering upon +insensibility--the blood flowing, I might +say WELLING, from the wounds so fast as +to show that unless the bleeding were +speedily and effectually stopped, he could +not live for half an hour. + +Medical aid was, of course, instantly +procured, and Colonel O'Mara, though at +the time seriously indisposed, was urgently +requested to attend without loss of time. +He did so; but human succour and +support were all too late. The wound had +been truly dealt--the tide of life had ebbed; +and his father had not arrived five minutes +when young O'Mara was a corpse. His +body rests in the vaults of Christ Church, in +Dublin, without a stone to mark the spot. + +The counsels of the wicked are always +dark, and their motives often beyond +fathoming; and strange, unaccountable, +incredible as it may seem, I do believe, +and that upon evidence so clear as to +amount almost to demonstration, that +Heathcote's visit to Dublin--his betrayal +of the secret--and the final and terrible +catastrophe which laid O'Mara in the +grave, were brought about by no other +agent than Dwyer himself. + +I have myself seen the letter which +induced that visit. The handwriting is +exactly what I have seen in other alleged +specimens of Dwyer's penmanship. It is +written with an affectation of honest alarm +at O'Mara's conduct, and expresses a +conviction that if some of Lady Emily's +family be not informed of O'Mara's real +situation, nothing could prevent his +concluding with her an advantageous alliance, +then upon the tapis, and altogether throwing +off his allegiance to Ellen--a step +which, as the writer candidly asserted, +would finally conduce as inevitably to his +own disgrace as it immediately would to +her ruin and misery. + +The production was formally signed +with Dwyer's name, and the postscript +contained a strict injunction of secrecy, +asserting that if it were ascertained that +such an epistle had been despatched from +such a quarter, it would be attended with +the total ruin of the writer. + +It is true that Dwyer, many years after, +when this letter came to light, alleged it to +be a forgery, an assertion whose truth, +even to his dying hour, and long after he +had apparently ceased to feel the lash of +public scorn, he continued obstinately to +maintain. Indeed this matter is full of +mystery, for, revenge alone excepted, +which I believe, in such minds as Dwyer's, +seldom overcomes the sense of interest, +the only intelligible motive which could +have prompted him to such an act was the +hope that since he had, through young +O'Mara's interest, procured from the +colonel a lease of a small farm upon the +terms which he had originally stipulated, +he might prosecute his plan touching the +property of Martin Heathcote, rendering +his daughter's hand free by the removal of +young O'Mara. This appears to me too +complicated a plan of villany to have +entered the mind even of such a man as +Dwyer. I must, therefore, suppose his +motives to have originated out of +circumstances connected with this story which +may not have come to my ear, and perhaps +never will. + +Colonel O'Mara felt the death of his +son more deeply than I should have +thought possible; but that son had been +the last being who had continued to +interest his cold heart. Perhaps the pride +which he felt in his child had in it more of +selfishness than of any generous feeling. +But, be this as it may, the melancholy +circumstances connected with Ellen +Heathcote had reached him, and his +conduct towards her proved, more strongly +than anything else could have done, that +he felt keenly and justly, and, to a certain +degree, with a softened heart, the fatal +event of which she had been, in some +manner, alike the cause and the victim. + +He evinced not towards her, as might +have been expected, any unreasonable +resentment. On the contrary, he exhibited +great consideration, even tenderness, for +her situation; and having ascertained +where his son had placed her, he issued +strict orders that she should not be +disturbed, and that the fatal tidings, which +had not yet reached her, should be withheld +until they might be communicated in +such a way as to soften as much as +possible the inevitable shock. + +These last directions were acted upon +too scrupulously and too long; and, +indeed, I am satisfied that had the event +been communicated at once, however +terrible and overwhelming the shock +might have been, much of the bitterest +anguish, of sickening doubts, of harassing +suspense, would have been spared her, +and the first tempestuous burst of sorrow +having passed over, her chastened spirit +might have recovered its tone, and her life +have been spared. But the mistaken +kindness which concealed from her the +dreadful truth, instead of relieving her +mind of a burden which it could not support, +laid upon it a weight of horrible +fears and doubts as to the affection of +O'Mara, compared with which even the +certainty of his death would have been +tolerable. + +One evening I had just seated myself +beside a cheerful turf fire, with that true +relish which a long cold ride through a +bleak and shelterless country affords, +stretching my chilled limbs to meet the +genial influence, and imbibing the warmth +at every pore, when my comfortable +meditations were interrupted by a long +and sonorous ringing at the door-bell +evidently effected by no timid hand. + +A messenger had arrived to request my +attendance at the Lodge--such was the +name which distinguished a small and +somewhat antiquated building, occupying +a peculiarly secluded position among the +bleak and heathy hills which varied the +surface of that not altogether uninteresting +district, and which had, I believe, been +employed by the keen and hardy ancestors +of the O'Mara family as a convenient +temporary residence during the sporting +season. + +Thither my attendance was required, in +order to administer to a deeply distressed +lady such comforts as an afflicted mind can +gather from the sublime hopes and consolations +of Christianity. + +I had long suspected that the occupant +of this sequestered, I might say desolate, +dwelling-house was the poor girl whose +brief story we are following; and feeling a +keen interest in her fate--as who that had +ever seen her DID NOT?--I started from my +comfortable seat with more eager alacrity +than, I will confess it, I might have +evinced had my duty called me in another +direction. + +In a few minutes I was trotting rapidly +onward, preceded by my guide, who urged +his horse with the remorseless rapidity of +one who seeks by the speed of his progress +to escape observation. Over roads and +through bogs we splashed and clattered, +until at length traversing the brow of a +wild and rocky hill, whose aspect seemed +so barren and forbidding that it might +have been a lasting barrier alike to mortal +sight and step, the lonely building became +visible, lying in a kind of swampy flat, +with a broad reedy pond or lake stretching +away to its side, and backed by a farther +range of monotonous sweeping hills, +marked with irregular lines of grey rock, +which, in the distance, bore a rude and +colossal resemblance to the walls of a +fortification. + +Riding with undiminished speed along +a kind of wild horse-track, we turned the +corner of a high and somewhat ruinous +wall of loose stones, and making a sudden +wheel we found ourselves in a small +quadrangle, surmounted on two sides by +dilapidated stables and kennels, on +another by a broken stone wall, and upon +the fourth by the front of the lodge itself. + +The whole character of the place was that +of dreary desertion and decay, which +would of itself have predisposed the mind +for melancholy impressions. My guide +dismounted, and with respectful attention +held my horse's bridle while I got down; +and knocking at the door with the handle +of his whip, it was speedily opened by a +neatly-dressed female domestic, and I was +admitted to the interior of the house, and +conducted into a small room, where a fire +in some degree dispelled the cheerless air, +which would otherwise have prevailed +to a painful degree throughout the +place. + +I had been waiting but for a very few +minutes when another female servant, +somewhat older than the first, entered the +room. She made some apology on the +part of the person whom I had come to +visit, for the slight delay which had already +occurred, and requested me further to wait +for a few minutes longer, intimating that +the lady's grief was so violent, that without +great effort she could not bring herself +to speak calmly at all. As if to beguile +the time, the good dame went on in a +highly communicative strain to tell me, +amongst much that could not interest me, +a little of what I had desired to hear. I +discovered that the grief of her whom I +had come to visit was excited by the +sudden death of a little boy, her only +child, who was then lying dead in his +mother's chamber. + +'And the mother's name?' said I, inquiringly. + +The woman looked at me for a moment, +smiled, and shook her head with the air of +mingled mystery and importance which +seems to say, 'I am unfathomable.' I +did not care to press the question, though +I suspected that much of her apparent +reluctance was affected, knowing that my +doubts respecting the identity of the person +whom I had come to visit must soon +be set at rest, and after a little pause the +worthy Abigail went on as fluently as +ever. She told me that her young +mistress had been, for the time she had +been with her--that was, for about a year +and a half--in declining health and spirits, +and that she had loved her little child to a +degree beyond expression--so devotedly +that she could not, in all probability, +survive it long. + +While she was running on in this way +the bell rang, and signing me to follow, +she opened the room door, but stopped in +the hall, and taking me a little aside, and +speaking in a whisper, she told me, as I +valued the life of the poor lady, not to say +one word of the death of young O'Mara. +I nodded acquiescence, and ascending a +narrow and ill-constructed staircase, she +stopped at a chamber door and knocked. + +'Come in,' said a gentle voice from +within, and, preceded by my conductress, +I entered a moderately-sized, but rather +gloomy chamber. + +There was but one living form within it +--it was the light and graceful figure of a +young woman. She had risen as I +entered the room; but owing to the +obscurity of the apartment, and to the +circumstance that her face, as she looked +towards the door, was turned away from +the light, which found its way in dimly +through the narrow windows, I could not +instantly recognise the features. + +'You do not remember me, sir?' said the +same low, mournful voice. 'I am--I WAS +--Ellen Heathcote.' + +'I do remember you, my poor child,' +said I, taking her hand; 'I do remember +you very well. Speak to me frankly-- +speak to me as a friend. Whatever I can +do or say for you, is yours already; only +speak.' + +'You were always very kind, sir, to +those--to those that WANTED kindness.' + +The tears were almost overflowing, but +she checked them; and as if an accession +of fortitude had followed the momentary +weakness, she continued, in a subdued but +firm tone, to tell me briefly the +circumstances of her marriage with O'Mara. +When she had concluded the recital, +she paused for a moment; and I asked +again: + +'Can I aid you in any way--by advice +or otherwise?' + +'I wish, sir, to tell you all I have been +thinking about,' she continued. 'I am +sure, sir, that Master Richard loved me +once--I am sure he did not think to +deceive me; but there were bad, hard- +hearted people about him, and his family +were all rich and high, and I am sure he +wishes NOW that he had never, never seen +me. Well, sir, it is not in my heart to blame +him. What was _I_ that I should look at +him?--an ignorant, poor, country girl-- +and he so high and great, and so beautiful. +The blame was all mine--it was all my +fault; I could not think or hope he would +care for me more than a little time. Well, +sir, I thought over and over again that +since his love was gone from me for ever, +I should not stand in his way, and hinder +whatever great thing his family wished for +him. So I thought often and often to write +him a letter to get the marriage broken, +and to send me home; but for one reason, +I would have done it long ago: there was +a little child, his and mine--the dearest, +the loveliest.' She could not go on for a +minute or two. 'The little child that is +lying there, on that bed; but it is dead +and gone, and there is no reason NOW why +I should delay any more about it.' + +She put her hand into her breast, and +took out a letter, which she opened. She +put it into my hands. It ran thus: + + 'DEAR MASTER RICHARD, + 'My little child is dead, and your +happiness is all I care about now. Your +marriage with me is displeasing to your +family, and I would be a burden to you, +and in your way in the fine places, and +among the great friends where you must +be. You ought, therefore, to break the +marriage, and I will sign whatever YOU +wish, or your family. I will never try +to blame you, Master Richard--do not +think it--for I never deserved your +love, and must not complain now that +I have lost it; but I will always pray +for you, and be thinking of you while +I live.' + +While I read this letter, I was satisfied +that so far from adding to the poor +girl's grief, a full disclosure of what had +happened would, on the contrary, mitigate +her sorrow, and deprive it of its sharpest +sting. + +'Ellen,' said I solemnly, 'Richard +O'Mara was never unfaithful to you; he +is now where human reproach can reach +him no more.' + +As I said this, the hectic flush upon her +cheek gave place to a paleness so deadly, +that I almost thought she would drop lifeless +upon the spot. + +'Is he--is he dead, then?' said she, +wildly. + +I took her hand in mine, and told her +the sad story as best I could. She listened +with a calmness which appeared almost +unnatural, until I had finished the mournful +narration. She then arose, and going to +the bedside, she drew the curtain and gazed +silently and fixedly on the quiet face of the +child: but the feelings which swelled at +her heart could not be suppressed; the +tears gushed forth, and sobbing as if her +heart would break, she leant over the bed +and took the dead child in her arms. + +She wept and kissed it, and kissed it and +wept again, in grief so passionate, so +heartrending, as to draw bitter tears from +my eyes. I said what little I could to +calm her--to have sought to do more +would have been a mockery; and observing +that the darkness had closed in, I +took my leave and departed, being +favoured with the services of my former +guide. + +I expected to have been soon called +upon again to visit the poor girl; but +the Lodge lay beyond the boundary of my +parish, and I felt a reluctance to trespass +upon the precincts of my brother minister, +and a certain degree of hesitation in intruding +upon one whose situation was so +very peculiar, and who would, I had no +doubt, feel no scruple in requesting my +attendance if she desired it. + +A month, however, passed away, and I +did not hear anything of Ellen. I called +at the Lodge, and to my inquiries they +answered that she was very much worse +in health, and that since the death of the +child she had been sinking fast, and so +weak that she had been chiefly confined +to her bed. I sent frequently to inquire, +and often called myself, and all that I +heard convinced me that she was rapidly +sinking into the grave. + +Late one night I was summoned from +my rest, by a visit from the person who +had upon the former occasion acted as +my guide; he had come to summon me to +the death-bed of her whom I had then +attended. With all celerity I made my +preparations, and, not without considerable +difficulty and some danger, we made a +rapid night-ride to the Lodge, a distance +of five miles at least. We arrived safely, +and in a very short time--but too late. + +I stood by the bed upon which lay the +once beautiful form of Ellen Heathcote. +The brief but sorrowful trial was past-- +the desolate mourner was gone to that +land where the pangs of grief, the tumults +of passion, regrets and cold neglect, are +felt no more. I leant over the lifeless face, +and scanned the beautiful features which, +living, had wrought such magic on all that +looked upon them. They were, indeed, +much wasted; but it was impossible for +the fingers of death or of decay altogether +to obliterate the traces of that exquisite +beauty which had so distinguished her. +As I gazed on this most sad and striking +spectacle, remembrances thronged fast upon +my mind, and tear after tear fell upon the +cold form that slept tranquilly and for ever. + +A few days afterwards I was told that a +funeral had left the Lodge at the dead of +night, and had been conducted with the +most scrupulous secrecy. It was, of course, +to me no mystery. + +Heathcote lived to a very advanced age, +being of that hard mould which is not +easily impressionable. The selfish and the +hard-hearted survive where nobler, more +generous, and, above all, more sympathising +natures would have sunk for ever. + +Dwyer certainly succeeded in extorting, +I cannot say how, considerable and advantageous +leases from Colonel O'Mara; but +after his death he disposed of his interest +in these, and having for a time launched +into a sea of profligate extravagance, he +became bankrupt, and for a long time I +totally lost sight of him. + +The rebellion of '98, and the events +which immediately followed, called him +forth from his lurking-places, in the +character of an informer; and I myself have +seen the hoary-headed, paralytic perjurer, +with a scowl of derision and defiance, brave +the hootings and the execrations of the +indignant multitude. + + + + +STRANGE EVENT IN THE LIFE OF SCHALKEN THE PAINTER. + +Being a Seventh Extract from the Legacy of the late +Francis Purcell, P. P. of Drumcoolagh. + +You will no doubt be surprised, +my dear friend, at the subject of +the following narrative. What +had I to do with Schalken, or Schalken +with me? He had returned to his native +land, and was probably dead and buried, +before I was born; I never visited Holland +nor spoke with a native of that country. +So much I believe you already know. I +must, then, give you my authority, and +state to you frankly the ground upon +which rests the credibility of the strange +story which I am, about to lay before +you. + +I was acquainted, in my early days, +with a Captain Vandael, whose father had +served King William in the Low Countries, +and also in my own unhappy land during +the Irish campaigns. I know not how it +happened that I liked this man's society, +spite of his politics and religion: but so it +was; and it was by means of the free +intercourse to which our intimacy gave +rise that I became possessed of the curious +tale which you are about to hear. + +I had often been struck, while visiting +Vandael, by a remarkable picture, in +which, though no connoisseur myself, I +could not fail to discern some very strong +peculiarities, particularly in the distribu- +tion of light and shade, as also a certain +oddity in the design itself, which interested +my curiosity. It represented the interior +of what might be a chamber in some +antique religious building--the foreground +was occupied by a female figure, arrayed +in a species of white robe, part of which is +arranged so as to form a veil. The dress, +however, is not strictly that of any religious +order. In its hand the figure bears +a lamp, by whose light alone the form and +face are illuminated; the features are +marked by an arch smile, such as pretty +women wear when engaged in successfully +practising some roguish trick; in the +background, and, excepting where the dim red +light of an expiring fire serves to define +the form, totally in the shade, stands the +figure of a man equipped in the old fashion, +with doublet and so forth, in an attitude +of alarm, his hand being placed upon the +hilt of his sword, which he appears to be +in the act of drawing. + +'There are some pictures,' said I to my +friend, 'which impress one, I know not +how, with a conviction that they represent +not the mere ideal shapes and combinations +which have floated through the imagination +of the artist, but scenes, faces, and +situations which have actually existed. When +I look upon that picture, something assures +me that I behold the representation of a +reality.' + +Vandael smiled, and, fixing his eyes upon +the painting musingly, he said: + +'Your fancy has not deceived you, my +good friend, for that picture is the record, +and I believe a faithful one, of a remarkable +and mysterious occurrence. It was +painted by Schalken, and contains, in the +face of the female figure, which occupies +the most prominent place in the design, an +accurate portrait of Rose Velderkaust, the +niece of Gerard Douw, the first and, I +believe, the only love of Godfrey Schalken. +My father knew the painter well, and from +Schalken himself he learned the story of +the mysterious drama, one scene of which +the picture has embodied. This painting, +which is accounted a fine specimen of +Schalken's style, was bequeathed to my +father by the artist's will, and, as you +have observed, is a very striking and +interesting production.' + +I had only to request Vandael to tell +the story of the painting in order to be +gratified; and thus it is that I am enabled +to submit to you a faithful recital of what +I heard myself, leaving you to reject or to +allow the evidence upon which the truth +of the tradition depends, with this one +assurance, that Schalken was an honest, +blunt Dutchman, and, I believe, wholly +incapable of committing a flight of +imagination; and further, that Vandael, from +whom I heard the story, appeared firmly +convinced of its truth. + +There are few forms upon which the +mantle of mystery and romance could +seem to hang more ungracefully than +upon that of the uncouth and clownish +Schalken--the Dutch boor--the rude and +dogged, but most cunning worker in oils, +whose pieces delight the initiated of the +present day almost as much as his manners +disgusted the refined of his own; and yet +this man, so rude, so dogged, so slovenly, +I had almost said so savage, in mien and +manner, during his after successes, had +been selected by the capricious goddess, in +his early life, to figure as the hero of a +romance by no means devoid of interest or +of mystery. + +Who can tell how meet he may have +been in his young days to play the part of +the lover or of the hero--who can say that +in early life he had been the same harsh, +unlicked, and rugged boor that, in his +maturer age, he proved--or how far the +neglected rudeness which afterwards +marked his air, and garb, and manners, +may not have been the growth of that +reckless apathy not unfrequently produced +by bitter misfortunes and disappointments +in early life? + +These questions can never now be answered. + +We must content ourselves, then, +with a plain statement of facts, or what +have been received and transmitted as +such, leaving matters of speculation to +those who like them. + +When Schalken studied under the +immortal Gerard Douw, he was a young +man; and in spite of the phlegmatic +constitution and unexcitable manner which he +shared, we believe, with his countrymen, +he was not incapable of deep and vivid +impressions, for it is an established fact that +the young painter looked with considerable +interest upon the beautiful niece of his +wealthy master. + +Rose Velderkaust was very young, +having, at the period of which we speak, +not yet attained her seventeenth year, and, +if tradition speaks truth, possessed all the +soft dimpling charms of the fail; light- +haired Flemish maidens. Schalken had +not studied long in the school of Gerard +Douw, when he felt this interest deepening +into something of a keener and intenser +feeling than was quite consistent with the +tranquillity of his honest Dutch heart; +and at the same time he perceived, or +thought he perceived, flattering symptoms +of a reciprocity of liking, and this was +quite sufficient to determine whatever +indecision he might have heretofore +experienced, and to lead him to devote +exclusively to her every hope and feeling of his +heart. In short, he was as much in love +as a Dutchman could be. He was not +long in making his passion known to the +pretty maiden herself, and his declaration +was followed by a corresponding confession +upon her part. + +Schalken, however, was a poor man, +and he possessed no counterbalancing +advantages of birth or position to induce +the old man to consent to a union which +must involve his niece and ward in the +strugglings and difficulties of a young and +nearly friendless artist. He was, therefore, +to wait until time had furnished him with +opportunity, and accident with success; and +then, if his labours were found sufficiently +lucrative, it was to be hoped that his +proposals might at least be listened to by her +jealous guardian. Months passed away, +and, cheered by the smiles of the little +Rose, Schalken's labours were redoubled, +and with such effect and improvement as +reasonably to promise the realisation of his +hopes, and no contemptible eminence in +his art, before many years should have +elapsed. + +The even course of this cheering +prosperity was, however, destined to +experience a sudden and formidable +interruption, and that, too, in a manner so +strange and mysterious as to baffle all +investigation, and throw upon the events +themselves a shadow of almost supernatural horror. + +Schalken had one evening remained in +the master's studio considerably longer +than his more volatile companions, who +had gladly availed themselves of the +excuse which the dusk of evening afforded, +to withdraw from their several tasks, in +order to finish a day of labour in the +jollity and conviviality of the tavern. + +But Schalken worked for improvement, +or rather for love. Besides, he was now +engaged merely in sketching a design, an +operation which, unlike that of colouring, +might be continued as long as there was +light sufficient to distinguish between +canvas and charcoal. He had not then, +nor, indeed, until long after, discovered the +peculiar powers of his pencil, and he was +engaged in composing a group of extremely +roguish-looking and grotesque imps and +demons, who were inflicting various +ingenious torments upon a perspiring and +pot-bellied St. Anthony, who reclined in +the midst of them, apparently in the last +stage of drunkenness. + +The young artist, however, though +incapable of executing, or even of +appreciating, anything of true sublimity, +had nevertheless discernment enough to +prevent his being by any means satisfied +with his work; and many were the patient +erasures and corrections which the limbs +and features of saint and devil underwent, +yet all without producing in their new +arrangement anything of improvement or +increased effect. + +The large, old-fashioned room was +silent, and, with the exception of himself, +quite deserted by its usual inmates. An +hour had passed--nearly two--without +any improved result. Daylight had +already declined, and twilight was fast giving +way to the darkness of night. The +patience of the young man was exhausted, +and he stood before his unfinished production, +absorbed in no very pleasing ruminations, +one hand buried in the folds of his +long dark hair, and the other holding the +piece of charcoal which had so ill executed +its office, and which he now rubbed, without +much regard to the sable streaks which +it produced, with irritable pressure upon +his ample Flemish inexpressibles. + +'Pshaw!' said the young man aloud, +'would that picture, devils, saint, and all, +were where they should be--in hell!' + +A short, sudden laugh, uttered start + +lingly close to his ear, instantly responded +to the ejaculation. + +The artist turned sharply round, and +now for the first time became aware that +his labours had been overlooked by a +stranger. + +Within about a yard and a half, and +rather behind him, there stood what was, +or appeared to be, the figure of an elderly +man: he wore a short cloak, and broad- +brimmed hat with a conical crown, and in +his hand, which was protected with a +heavy, gauntlet-shaped glove, he carried a +long ebony walking-stick, surmounted with +what appeared, as it glittered dimly in the +twilight, to be a massive head of gold, +and upon his breast, through the folds +of the cloak, there shone what appeared +to be the links of a rich chain of the same +metal. + +The room was so obscure that nothing +further of the appearance of the figure +could be ascertained, and the face was +altogether overshadowed by the heavy flap +of the beaver which overhung it, so that +not a feature could be discerned. A +quantity of dark hair escaped from +beneath this sombre hat, a circumstance +which, connected with the firm, upright +carriage of the intruder, proved that his +years could not yet exceed threescore or +thereabouts. + +There was an air of gravity and +importance about the garb of this person, and +something indescribably odd, I might say +awful, in the perfect, stone-like movelessness +of the figure, that effectually checked +the testy comment which had at once +risen to the lips of the irritated artist. +He therefore, as soon as he had suf- +ficiently recovered the surprise, asked the +stranger, civilly, to be seated, and desired +to know if he had any message to leave for +his master. + +'Tell Gerard Douw,' said the unknown, +without altering his attitude in the +smallest degree, 'that Mynher Vanderhauseny +of Rotterdam, desires to speak +with him to-morrow evening at this +hour, and, if he please, in this room, upon +matters of weight--that is all. Good-night.' + +The stranger, having finished this +message, turned abruptly, and, with a +quick but silent step, quitted the room, +before Schalken had time to say a word in +reply. + +The young man felt a curiosity to see in +what direction the burgher of Rotterdam +would turn on quitting the studio, +and for that purpose he went directly +to the window which commanded the +door. + +A lobby of considerable extent +intervened between the inner door of the +painter's room and the street entrance, so +that Schalken occupied the post of +observation before the old man could possibly +have reached the street. + +He watched in vain, however. There +was no other mode of exit. + +Had the old man vanished, or was he +lurking about the recesses of the lobby +for some bad purpose? This last suggestion +filled the mind of Schalken with a +vague horror, which was so unaccountably +intense as to make him alike afraid to +remain in the room alone and reluctant to +pass through the lobby. + +However, with an effort which ap- +peared very disproportioned to the +occasion, he summoned resolution to leave +the room, and, having double-locked the +door and thrust the key in his pocket, +without looking to the right or left, he +traversed the passage which had so +recently, perhaps still, contained the person +of his mysterious visitant, scarcely venturing +to breathe till he had arrived in the +open street. + +'Mynher Vanderhausen,' said Gerard +Douw within himself, as the appointed +hour approached, 'Mynher Vanderhausen +of Rotterdam! I never heard of the man +till yesterday. What can he want of me? +A portrait, perhaps, to be painted; or a +younger son or a poor relation to be +apprenticed; or a collection to be valued; or +--pshaw I there's no one in Rotterdam to +leave me a legacy. Well, whatever the +business may be, we shall soon know it all.' + +It was now the close of day, and every +easel, except that of Schalken, was +deserted. Gerard Douw was pacing the +apartment with the restless step of +impatient expectation, every now and then +humming a passage from a piece of music +which he was himself composing; for, +though no great proficient, he admired the +art; sometimes pausing to glance over the +work of one of his absent pupils, but more +frequently placing himself at the window, +from whence he might observe the passengers +who threaded the obscure by-street +in which his studio was placed. + +'Said you not, Godfrey,' exclaimed +Douw, after a long and fruitless gaze from +his post of observation, and turning to +Schalken--'said you not the hour of ap- +pointment was at about seven by the clock +of the Stadhouse?' + +'It had just told seven when I first saw +him, sir,' answered the student. + +'The hour is close at hand, then,' said +the master, consulting a horologe as large +and as round as a full-grown orange. +'Mynher Vanderhausen, from Rotterdam +--is it not so?' + +'Such was the name.' + +'And an elderly man, richly clad?' +continued Douw. + +'As well as I might see,' replied his +pupil; 'he could not be young, nor yet +very old neither, and his dress was rich +and grave, as might become a citizen of +wealth and consideration.' + +At this moment the sonorous boom of +the Stadhouse clock told, stroke after +stroke, the hour of seven; the eyes of +both master and student were directed to +the door; and it was not until the last +peal of the old bell had ceased to vibrate, +that Douw exclaimed: + +'So, so; we shall have his worship +presently--that is, if he means to keep his +hour; if not, thou mayst wait for him, +Godfrey, if you court the acquaintance of +a capricious burgomaster. As for me, I +think our old Leyden contains a +sufficiency of such commodities, without an +importation from Rotterdam.' + +Schalken laughed, as in duty bound; +and after a pause of some minutes, Douw +suddenly exclaimed: + +'What if it should all prove a jest, a +piece of mummery got up by Vankarp, or +some such worthy! I wish you had run +all risks, and cudgelled the old burgomaster, +stadholder, or whatever else he +may be, soundly. I would wager a dozen +of Rhenish, his worship would have +pleaded old acquaintance before the third +application.' + +'Here he comes, sir,' said Schalken, +in a low admonitory tone; and instantly, +upon turning towards the door, Gerard +Douw observed the same figure which +had, on the day before, so unexpectedly +greeted the vision of his pupil +Schalken. + +There was something in the air and +mien of the figure which at once satisfied +the painter that there was no mummery +in the case, and that he really stood in the +presence of a man of worship; and so, without +hesitation, he doffed his cap, and courteously +saluting the stranger, requested him +to be seated. + +The visitor waved his hand slightly, as, +if in acknowledgment of the courtesy, but +remained standing. + +'I have the honour to see Mynher +Vanderhausen, of Rotterdam?' said Gerard +Douw. + +'The same,' was the laconic reply of his +visitant. + +'I understand your worship desires to +speak with me,' continued Douw, 'and I +am here by appointment to wait your +commands.' + +'Is that a man of trust?' said Vanderhausen, +turning towards Schalken, who +stood at a little distance behind his master. + +'Certainly,' replied Gerard. + +'Then let him take this box and get the +nearest jeweller or goldsmith to value its +contents, and let him return hither with a +certificate of the valuation.' + +At the same time he placed a small case, +about nine inches square, in the hands of +Gerard Douw, who was as much amazed +at its weight as at the strange abruptness +with which it was handed to him. + +In accordance with the wishes of the +stranger, he delivered it into the hands of +Schalken, and repeating HIS directions, +despatched him upon the mission. + +Schalken disposed his precious charge +securely beneath the folds of his cloak, and +rapidly traversing two or three narrow +streets, he stopped at a corner house, the +lower part of which was then occupied by +the shop of a Jewish goldsmith. + +Schalken entered the shop, and calling +the little Hebrew into the obscurity of its +back recesses, he proceeded to lay before +him Vanderhausen's packet. + +On being examined by the light of a +lamp, it appeared entirely cased with lead, +the outer surface of which was much +scraped and soiled, and nearly white with +age. This was with difficulty partially +removed, and disclosed beneath a box of +some dark and singularly hard wood; this, +too, was forced, and after the removal of +two or three folds of linen, its contents +proved to be a mass of golden ingots, +close packed, and, as the Jew declared, of +the most perfect quality. + +Every ingot underwent the scrutiny of +the little Jew, who seemed to feel an +epicurean delight in touching and testing +these morsels of the glorious metal; and +each one of them was replaced in the box +with the exclamation: + +'Mein Gott, how very perfect! not one +grain of alloy--beautiful, beautiful!' + +The task was at length finished, and the +Jew certified under his hand the value of +the ingots submitted to his examination to +amount to many thousand rix-dollars. + +With the desired document in his bosom, +and the rich box of gold carefully pressed +under his arm, and concealed by his cloak, +he retraced his way, and entering the +studio, found his master and the stranger +in close conference. + +Schalken had no sooner left the room, +in order to execute the commission he had +taken in charge, than Vanderhausen +addressed Gerard Douw in the following +terms: + +'I may not tarry with you to-night more +than a few minutes, and so I shall briefly +tell you the matter upon which I come. +You visited the town of Rotterdam some +four months ago, and then I saw in the +church of St. Lawrence your niece, Rose +Velderkaust. I desire to marry her, and +if I satisfy you as to the fact that I am +very wealthy--more wealthy than any +husband you could dream of for her--I +expect that you will forward my views to +the utmost of your authority. If you +approve my proposal, you must close with it +at once, for I cannot command time +enough to wait for calculations and delays.' + +Gerard Douw was, perhaps, as much +astonished as anyone could be by the very +unexpected nature of Mynher Vanderhausen's +communication; but he did not +give vent to any unseemly expression of +surprise, for besides the motives supplied +by prudence and politeness, the painter +experienced a kind of chill and oppressive +sensation, something like that which is +supposed to affect a man who is placed +unconsciously in immediate contact with +something to which he has a natural anti- +pathy--an undefined horror and dread +while standing in the presence of the +eccentric stranger, which made him very +unwilling to say anything which might +reasonably prove offensive. + +'I have no doubt,' said Gerard, after +two or three prefatory hems, 'that the +connection which you propose would prove +alike advantageous and honourable to my +niece; but you must be aware that she has +a will of her own, and may not acquiesce +in what WE may design for her advantage.' + +'Do not seek to deceive me, Sir Painter,' +said Vanderhausen; 'you are her guardian +--she is your ward. She is mine if YOU like +to make her so.' + +The man of Rotterdam moved forward +a little as he spoke, and Gerard Douw, he +scarce knew why, inwardly prayed for the +speedy return of Schalken. + +'I desire,' said the mysterious gentleman, +'to place in your hands at once an +evidence of my wealth, and a security for +my liberal dealing with your niece. The +lad will return in a minute or two with a +sum in value five times the fortune which +she has a right to expect from a husband. +This shall lie in your hands, together with +her dowry, and you may apply the united +sum as suits her interest best; it shall be +all exclusively hers while she lives. Is that +liberal?' + +Douw assented, and inwardly thought +that fortune had been extraordinarily kind +to his niece. The stranger, he thought, +must be both wealthy and generous, and +such an offer was not to be despised, though +made by a humourist, and one of no very +prepossessing presence. + +Rose had no very high pretensions, for +she was almost without dowry; indeed, +altogether so, excepting so far as the +deficiency had been supplied by the generosity +of her uncle. Neither had she any right to +raise any scruples against the match on the +score of birth, for her own origin was by +no means elevated; and as to other objections, +Gerard resolved, and, indeed, by the +usages of the time was warranted in +resolving, not to listen to them for a moment. + +'Sir,' said he, addressing the stranger, +'your offer is most liberal, and whatever +hesitation I may feel in closing with it +immediately, arises solely from my not +having the honour of knowing anything of +your family or station. Upon these points +you can, of course, satisfy me without +difficulty?' + +'As to my respectability,' said the +stranger, drily, 'you must take that for +granted at present; pester me with no +inquiries; you can discover nothing more +about me than I choose to make known. +You shall have sufficient security for my +respectability--my word, if you are honourable: +if you are sordid, my gold.' + +'A testy old gentleman,' thought Douw; +'he must have his own way. But, all +things considered, I am justified in giving +my niece to him. Were she my own +daughter, I would do the like by her. I +will not pledge myself unnecessarily, however.' + +'You will not pledge yourself unnecessarily,' +said Vanderhausen, strangely uttering +the very words which had just floated +through the mind of his companion; 'but +you will do so if it IS necessary, I presume; +and I will show you that I consider it in- +dispensable. If the gold I mean to leave +in your hands satisfy you, and if you +desire that my proposal shall not be at once +withdrawn, you must, before I leave this +room, write your name to this engagement.' + +Having thus spoken, he placed a paper +in the hands of Gerard, the contents of +which expressed an engagement entered +into by Gerard Douw, to give to Wilken +Vanderhausen, of Rotterdam, in marriage, +Rose Velderkaust, and so forth, within one +week of the date hereof. + +While the painter was employed in +reading this covenant, Schalken, as we have +stated, entered the studio, and having +delivered the box and the valuation of the +Jew into the hands of the stranger, he +was about to retire, when Vanderhausen +called to him to wait; and, presenting the +case and the certificate to Gerard Douw, +he waited in silence until he had satisfied +himself by an inspection of both as to the +value of the pledge left in his hands. At +length he said: + +'Are you content?' + +The painter said he would fain have an +other day to consider. + +'Not an hour,' said the suitor, coolly. + +'Well, then,' said Douw, 'I am content; +it is a bargain.' + +'Then sign at once,' said Vanderhausen; +'I am weary.' + +At the same time he produced a small +case of writing materials, and Gerard signed +the important document. + +'Let this youth witness the covenant,' +said the old man; and Godfrey Schalken +unconsciously signed the instrument which +bestowed upon another that hand which +he had so long regarded as the object and +reward of all his labours. + +The compact being thus completed, the +strange visitor folded up the paper, and +stowed it safely in an inner pocket. + +'I will visit you to-morrow night, at +nine of the clock, at your house, Gerard +Douw, and will see the subject of our +contract. Farewell.' And so saying, Wilken +Vanderhausen moved stiffly, but rapidly +out of the room. + +Schalken, eager to resolve his doubts, +had placed himself by the window in order +to watch the street entrance; but the +experiment served only to support his +suspicions, for the old man did not issue from +the door. This was very strange, very +odd, very fearful. He and his master +returned together, and talked but little on +the way, for each had his own sub- +jects of reflection, of anxiety, and of +hope. + +Schalken, however, did not know the +ruin which threatened his cherished +schemes. + +Gerard Douw knew nothing of the +attachment which had sprung up between +his pupil and his niece; and even if he +had, it is doubtful whether he would have +regarded its existence as any serious +obstruction to the wishes of Mynher Vanderhausen. + +Marriages were then and there matters +of traffic and calculation; and it would have +appeared as absurd in the eyes of the guardian +to make a mutual attachment an +essential element in a contract of marriage, +as it would have been to draw up his bonds +and receipts in the language of chivalrous +romance. + +The painter, however, did not communicate +to his niece the important step which +he had taken in her behalf, and his resolution +arose not from any anticipation of +opposition on her part, but solely from a +ludicrous consciousness that if his ward +were, as she very naturally might do, to +ask him to describe the appearance of the +bridegroom whom he destined for her, he +would be forced to confess that he had not +seen his face, and, if called upon, would find +it impossible to identify him. + +Upon the next day, Gerard Douw having +dined, called his niece to him, and having +scanned her person with an air of satisfaction, +he took her hand, and looking upon +her pretty, innocent face with a smile of +kindness, he said: + +'Rose, my girl, that face of yours will +make your fortune.' Rose blushed and +smiled. 'Such faces and such tempers +seldom go together, and, when they do, +the compound is a love-potion which few +heads or hearts can resist. Trust me, thou +wilt soon be a bride, girl. But this is +trifling, and I am pressed for time, so +make ready the large room by eight o'clock +to-night, and give directions for supper at +nine. I expect a friend to-night; and +observe me, child, do thou trick thyself out +handsomely. I would not have him think +us poor or sluttish.' + +With these words he left the chamber, +and took his way to the room to which we +have already had occasion to introduce +our readers--that in which his pupils +worked. + +When the evening closed in, Gerard +called Schalken, who was about to take his +departure to his obscure and comfortless +lodgings, and asked him to come +home and sup with Rose and Vanderhausen. + +The invitation was of course accepted, +and Gerard Douw and his pupil soon +found themselves in the handsome and +somewhat antique-looking room which +had been prepared for the reception of the +stranger. + +A cheerful wood-fire blazed in the capacious +hearth; a little at one side an old- +fashioned table, with richly-carved legs, +was placed--destined, no doubt, to receive +the supper, for which preparations were +going forward; and ranged with exact +regularity, stood the tall-backed chairs, +whose ungracefulness was more than +counterbalanced by their comfort. + +The little party, consisting of Rose, her +uncle, and the artist, awaited the arrival of +the expected visitor with considerable impatience. + +Nine o'clock at length came, and with it +a summons at the street-door, which, being +speedily answered, was followed by a slow +and emphatic tread upon the staircase; the +steps moved heavily across the lobby, the +door of the room in which the party which +we have described were assembled slowly +opened, and there entered a figure which +startled, almost appalled, the phlegmatic +Dutchmen, and nearly made Rose scream +with affright; it was the form, and arrayed +in the garb, of Mynher Vanderhausen; +the air, the gait, the height was the same, +but the features had never been seen by +any of the party before. + +The stranger stopped at the door of the +room, and displayed his form and face +completely. He wore a dark-coloured +cloth cloak, which was short and full, not +falling quite to the knees; his legs were +cased in dark purple silk stockings, and his +shoes were adorned with roses of the same +colour. The opening of the cloak in front +showed the under-suit to consist of some +very dark, perhaps sable material, and his +hands were enclosed in a pair of heavy +leather gloves which ran up considerably +above the wrist, in the manner of a gauntlet. +In one hand he carried his walking- +stick and his hat, which he had removed, +and the other hung heavily by his side. +A quantity of grizzled hair descended in +long tresses from his head, and its folds +rested upon the plaits of a stiff ruff, which +effectually concealed his neck. + +So far all was well; but the face!--all +the flesh of the face was coloured with the +bluish leaden hue which is sometimes pro- +duced by the operation of metallic +medicines administered in excessive quantities; +the eyes were enormous, and the white +appeared both above and below the iris, +which gave to them an expression of +insanity, which was heightened by their +glassy fixedness; the nose was well enough, +but the mouth was writhed considerably to +one side, where it opened in order to give +egress to two long, discoloured fangs, which +projected from the upper jaw, far below the +lower lip; the hue of the lips themselves +bore the usual relation to that of the face, +and was consequently nearly black. The +character of the face was malignant, even +satanic, to the last degree; and, indeed, +such a combination of horror could hardly +be accounted for, except by supposing the +corpse of some atrocious malefactor, which +had long hung blackening upon the gibbet, +to have at length become the habitation of +a demon--the frightful sport of Satanic +possession. + +It was remarkable that the worshipful +stranger suffered as little as possible of his +flesh to appear, and that during his visit he +did not once remove his gloves. + +Having stood for some moments at the +door, Gerard Douw at length found breath +and collectedness to bid him welcome, and, +with a mute inclination of the head, the +stranger stepped forward into the room. + +There was something indescribably odd, +even horrible, about all his motions, +something undefinable, that was unnatural, un- +human--it was as if the limbs were guided +and directed by a spirit unused to the +management of bodily machinery. + +The stranger said hardly anything during +his visit, which did not exceed half an +hour; and the host himself could scarcely +muster courage enough to utter the few +necessary salutations and courtesies: and, +indeed, such was the nervous terror which +the presence of Vanderhausen inspired, +that very little would have made all his +entertainers fly bellowing from the room. + +They had not so far lost all self- +possession, however, as to fail to observe two +strange peculiarities of their visitor. + +During his stay he did not once suffer +his eyelids to close, nor even to move in +the slightest degree; and further, there +was a death-like stillness in his whole +person, owing to the total absence of the +heaving motion of the chest, caused by the +process of respiration. + +These two peculiarities, though when +told they may appear trifling, produced a +very striking and unpleasant effect when +seen and observed. Vanderhausen at +length relieved the painter of Leyden of +his inauspicious presence; and with no +small gratification the little party heard the +street-door close after him. + +'Dear uncle,' said Rose, 'what a frightful +man! I would not see him again for +the wealth of the States!' + +'Tush, foolish girl!' said Douw, whose +sensations were anything but comfortable. +'A man may be as ugly as the devil, and +yet if his heart and actions are good, he +is worth all the pretty-faced, perfumed +puppies that walk the Mall. Rose, my +girl, it is very true he has not thy pretty +face, but I know him to be wealthy and +liberal; and were he ten times more +ugly----' + +'Which is inconceivable,' observed Rose. + +'These two virtues would be sufficient,' +continued her uncle, 'to counterbalance all +his deformity; and if not of power sufficient +actually to alter the shape of the features, +at least of efficacy enough to prevent one +thinking them amiss.' + +'Do you know, uncle,' said Rose, 'when +I saw him standing at the door, I could +not get it out of my head that I saw the +old, painted, wooden figure that used to +frighten me so much in the church of St. +Laurence of Rotterdam.' + +Gerard laughed, though he could not +help inwardly acknowledging the justness +of the comparison. He was resolved, +however, as far as he could, to check his +niece's inclination to ridicule the ugliness +of her intended bridegroom, although he +was not a little pleased to observe that she +appeared totally exempt from that mysterious +dread of the stranger which, he could +not disguise it from himself, considerably +affected him, as also his pupil Godfrey +Schalken. + +Early on the next day there arrived, +from various quarters of the town, rich +presents of silks, velvets, jewellery, and so +forth, for Rose; and also a packet directed +to Gerard Douw, which, on being opened, +was found to contain a contract of marriage, +formally drawn up, between Wilken +Vanderhausen of the Boom-quay, in Rotterdam, +and Rose Velderkaust of Leyden, niece to +Gerard Douw, master in the art of painting, +also of the same city; and containing +engagements on the part of Vanderhausen to +make settlements upon his bride, far more +splendid than he had before led her guardian +to believe likely, and which were to +be secured to her use in the most unexceptionable +manner possible--the money being +placed in the hands of Gerard Douw himself. + +I have no sentimental scenes to describe, +no cruelty of guardians, or magnanimity of +wards, or agonies of lovers. The record I +have to make is one of sordidness, levity, +and interest. In less than a week after +the first interview which we have just +described, the contract of marriage was +fulfilled, and Schalken saw the prize which +he would have risked anything to secure, +carried off triumphantly by his formidable +rival. + +For two or three days he absented +himself from the school; he then returned +and worked, if with less cheerfulness, with +far more dogged resolution than before; +the dream of love had given place to that +of ambition. + +Months passed away, and, contrary to +his expectation, and, indeed, to the direct +promise of the parties, Gerard Douw heard +nothing of his niece, or her worshipful +spouse. The interest of the money, which +was to have been demanded in quarterly +sums, lay unclaimed in his hands. He +began to grow extremely uneasy. + +Mynher Vanderhausen's direction in +Rotterdam he was fully possessed of. After +some irresolution he finally determined to +journey thither--a trifling undertaking, and +easily accomplished--and thus to satisfy +himself of the safety and comfort of his +ward, for whom he entertained an honest +and strong affection. + +His search was in vain, however. No +one in Rotterdam had ever heard of Mynher +Vanderhausen. + +Gerard Douw left not a house in the +Boom-quay untried; but all in vain. No +one could give him any information whatever +touching the object of his inquiry; +and he was obliged to return to Leyden, +nothing wiser than when he had left +it. + +On his arrival he hastened to the +establishment from which Vanderhausen had +hired the lumbering though, considering +the times, most luxurious vehicle which +the bridal party had employed to convey +them to Rotterdam. From the driver of +this machine he learned, that having +proceeded by slow stages, they had late in +the evening approached Rotterdam; but +that before they entered the city, and +while yet nearly a mile from it, a small +party of men, soberly clad, and after the +old fashion, with peaked beards and +moustaches, standing in the centre of the road, +obstructed the further progress of the car- +riage. The driver reined in his horses, +much fearing, from the obscurity of the +hour, and the loneliness of the road, that +some mischief was intended. + +His fears were, however, somewhat +allayed by his observing that these strange +men carried a large litter, of an antique +shape, and which they immediately set +down upon the pavement, whereupon the +bridegroom, having opened the coach-door +from within, descended, and having assisted +his bride to do likewise, led her, weeping +bitterly and wringing her hands, to the +litter, which they both entered. It was +then raised by the men who surrounded it, +and speedily carried towards the city, and +before it had proceeded many yards the +darkness concealed it from the view of the +Dutch charioteer. + +In the inside of the vehicle he found a +purse, whose contents more than thrice +paid the hire of the carriage and man. +He saw and could tell nothing more of +Mynher Vanderhausen and his beautiful +lady. This mystery was a source of deep +anxiety and almost of grief to Gerard +Douw. + +There was evidently fraud in the dealing +of Vanderhausen with him, though for what +purpose committed he could not imagine. +He greatly doubted how far it was possible +for a man possessing in his countenance +so strong an evidence of the presence of +the most demoniac feelings, to be in reality +anything but a villain; and every day that +passed without his hearing from or of his +niece, instead of inducing him to forget +his fears, on the contrary tended more and +more to exasperate them. + +The loss of his niece's cheerful society +tended also to depress his spirits; and in +order to dispel this despondency, which +often crept upon his mind after his daily +employment was over, he was wont frequently +to prevail upon Schalken to accompany +him home, and by his presence +to dispel, in some degree, the gloom of his +otherwise solitary supper. + +One evening, the painter and his pupil +were sitting by the fire, having accomplished +a comfortable supper, and had +yielded to that silent pensiveness +sometimes induced by the process of digestion, +when their reflections were disturbed by +a loud sound at the street-door, as if +occasioned by some person rushing forcibly and +repeatedly against it. A domestic had run +without delay to ascertain the cause of the +disturbance, and they heard him twice or +thrice interrogate the applicant for admis- +sion, but without producing an answer or +any cessation of the sounds. + +They heard him then open the hall-door, +and immediately there followed a light and +rapid tread upon the staircase. Schalken +laid his hand on his sword, and advanced +towards the door. It opened before he +reached it, and Rose rushed into the room. +She looked wild and haggard, and pale with +exhaustion and terror; but her dress +surprised them as much even as her +unexpected appearance. It consisted of a kind +of white woollen wrapper, made close about +the neck, and descending to the very +ground. It was much deranged and +travel-soiled. The poor creature had +hardly entered the chamber when she fell +senseless on the floor. With some difficulty +they succeeded in reviving her, and +on recovering her senses she instantly ex- +claimed, in a tone of eager, terrified impatience: + +'Wine, wine, quickly, or I'm lost!' + +Much alarmed at the strange agitation +in which the call was made, they at once +administered to her wishes, and she drank +some wine with a haste and eagerness which +surprised them. She had hardly swallowed +it, when she exclaimed, with the same +urgency: + +'Food, food, at once, or I perish!' + +A considerable fragment of a roast joint +was upon the table, and Schalken immediately +proceeded to cut some, but he was +anticipated; for no sooner had she become +aware of its presence than she darted at it +with the rapacity of a vulture, and, seizing +it in her hands she tore off the flesh with +her teeth and swallowed it. + +When the paroxysm of hunger had been +a little appeased, she appeared suddenly to +become aware how strange her conduct +had been, or it may have been that other +more agitating thoughts recurred to her +mind, for she began to weep bitterly and to +wring her hands. + +'Oh! send for a minister of God,' said +she; 'I am not safe till he comes; send +for him speedily.' + +Gerard Douw despatched a messenger +instantly, and prevailed on his niece to +allow him to surrender his bedchamber to +her use; he also persuaded her to retire +to it at once and to rest; her consent was +extorted upon the condition that they would +not leave her for a moment. + +'Oh that the holy man were here!' she +said; 'he can deliver me. The dead and +the living can never be one--God has +forbidden it.' + +With these mysterious words she +surrendered herself to their guidance, and +they proceeded to the chamber which +Gerard Douw had assigned to her use. + +'Do not--do not leave me for a +moment,' said she. 'I am lost for ever if +you do.' + +Gerard Douw's chamber was approached +through a spacious apartment, which they +were now about to enter. Gerard Douw +and Schalken each carried a was candle, +so that a sufficient degree of light was cast +upon all surrounding objects. They were +now entering the large chamber, which, as +I have said, communicated with Douw's +apartment, when Rose suddenly stopped, +and, in a whisper which seemed to thrill +with horror, she said: + +'O God! he is here--he is here! See, +see--there he goes!' + +She pointed towards the door of the +inner room, and Schalken thought he saw +a shadowy and ill-defined form gliding into +that apartment. He drew his sword, and +raising the candle so as to throw its light +with increased distinctness upon the objects +in the room, he entered the chamber into +which the shadow had glided. No figure +was there--nothing but the furniture which +belonged to the room, and yet he could +not be deceived as to the fact that +something had moved before them into the +chamber. + +A sickening dread came upon him, and +the cold perspiration broke out in heavy +drops upon his forehead; nor was he more +composed when he heard the increased +urgency, the agony of entreaty, with which +Rose implored them not to leave her for +a moment. + +'I saw him,' said she. 'He's here! I +cannot be deceived--I know him. He's +by me--he's with me--he's in the room. +Then, for God's sake, as you would save, +do not stir from beside me!' + +They at length prevailed upon her to lie +down upon the bed, where she continued +to urge them to stay by her. She +frequently uttered incoherent sentences, +repeating again and again, 'The dead +and the living cannot be one--God has +forbidden it!' and then again, 'Rest +to the wakeful--sleep to the sleep-walkers.' + +These and such mysterious and broken +sentences she continued to utter until the +clergyman arrived. + +Gerard Douw began to fear, naturally +enough, that the poor girl, owing to terror +or ill-treatment, had become deranged; and +he half suspected, by the suddenness of +her appearance, and the unseasonableness +of the hour, and, above all, from the +wildness and terror of her manner, that she +had made her escape from some place of +confinement for lunatics, and was in +immediate fear of pursuit. He resolved to +summon medical advice as soon as the +mind of his niece had been in some +measure set at rest by the offices of the +clergyman whose attendance she had so +earnestly desired; and until this object had +been attained, he did not venture to put +any questions to her, which might +possibly, by reviving painful or horrible +recollections, increase her agitation. + +The clergyman soon arrived--a man of +ascetic countenance and venerable age-- +one whom Gerard Douw respected much, +forasmuch as he was a veteran polemic, +though one, perhaps, more dreaded as a +combatant than beloved as a Christian--of +pure morality, subtle brain, and frozen +heart. He entered the chamber which +communicated with that in which Rose +reclined, and immediately on his arrival she +requested him to pray for her, as for one who +lay in the hands of Satan, and who could +hope for deliverance--only from heaven. + +That our readers may distinctly understand +all the circumstances of the event +which we are about imperfectly to describe, +it is necessary to state the relative position +of the parties who were engaged in it. +The old clergyman and Schalken were in +the anteroom of which we have already +spoken; Rose lay in the inner chamber, +the door of which was open; and by the +side of the bed, at her urgent desire, stood +her guardian; a candle burned in the bed- +chamber, and three were lighted in the +outer apartment + +The old man now cleared his voice, as if +about to commence; but before he had +time to begin, a sudden gust of air blew +out the candle which served to illuminate +the room in which the poor girl lay, and +she, with hurried alarm, exclaimed: + +'Godfrey, bring in another candle; the +darkness is unsafe.' + +Gerard Douw, forgetting for the moment +her repeated injunctions in the immediate +impulse, stepped from the bedchamber into +the other, in order to supply what she +desired. + +'O God I do not go, dear uncle!' +shrieked the unhappy girl; and at the +same time she sprang from the bed and +darted after him, in order, by her grasp, to +detain him. + +But the warning came too late, for +scarcely had he passed the threshold, and +hardly had his niece had time to utter the +startling exclamation, when the door which +divided the two rooms closed violently +after him, as if swung to by a strong blast +of wind. + +Schalken and he both rushed to the +door, but their united and desperate efforts +could not avail so much as to shake it. + +Shriek after shriek burst from the inner +chamber, with all the piercing loudness of +despairing terror. Schalken and Douw +applied every energy and strained every +nerve to force open the door; but all in +vain. + +There was no sound of struggling from +within, but the screams seemed to increase +in loudness, and at the same time they +heard the bolts of the latticed window +withdrawn, and the window itself grated +upon the sill as if thrown open. + +One LAST shriek, so long and piercing +and agonised as to be scarcely human, +swelled from the room, and suddenly there +followed a death-like silence. + +A light step was heard crossing the +floor, as if from the bed to the window; +and almost at the same instant the door +gave way, and, yielding to the pressure of +the external applicants, they were nearly +precipitated into the room. It was empty. +The window was open, and Schalken +sprang to a chair and gazed out upon +the street and canal below. He saw no +form, but he beheld, or thought he beheld, +the waters of the broad canal beneath +settling ring after ring in heavy circular +ripples, as if a moment before disturbed by +the immersion of some large and heavy mass. + +No trace of Rose was ever after discovered, +nor was anything certain respecting +her mysterious wooer detected or even +suspected; no clue whereby to trace the +intricacies of the labyrinth and to arrive at +a distinct conclusion was to be found. But +an incident occurred, which, though it will +not be received by our rational readers as +at all approaching to evidence upon the +matter, nevertheless produced a strong and +a lasting impression upon the mind of +Schalken. + +Many years after the events which we +have detailed, Schalken, then remotely +situated, received an intimation of his +father's death, and of his intended burial +upon a fixed day in the church of Rotterdam. +It was necessary that a very considerable +journey should be performed by +the funeral procession, which, as it will +readily be believed, was not very numerously +attended. Schalken with difficulty +arrived in Rotterdam late in the day upon +which the funeral was appointed to take +place. The procession had not then arrived. +Evening closed in, and still it did not appear. + +Schalken strolled down to the church-- +be found it open--notice of the arrival of +the funeral had been given, and the vault +in which the body was to be laid had been +opened. The official who corresponds to +our sexton, on seeing a well-dressed +gentleman, whose object was to attend the +expected funeral, pacing the aisle of the +church, hospitably invited him to share +with him the comforts of a blazing wood +fire, which, as was his custom in winter +time upon such occasions, he had kindled +on the hearth of a chamber which commu- +nicated, by a flight of steps, with the vault +below. + +In this chamber Schalken and his +entertainer seated themselves, and the sexton, +after some fruitless attempts to engage his +guest in conversation, was obliged to apply +himself to his tobacco-pipe and can to +solace his solitude. + +In spite of his grief and cares, the +fatigues of a rapid journey of nearly forty +hours gradually overcame the mind and +body of Godfrey Schalken, and he sank +into a deep sleep, from which he was +awakened by some one shaking him +gently by the shoulder. He first thought +that the old sexton had called him, but HE +was no longer in the room. + +He roused himself, and as soon as he +could clearly see what was around him, he +perceived a female form, clothed in a kind +of light robe of muslin, part of which was +so disposed as to act as a veil, and in her +hand she carried a lamp. She was moving +rather away from him, and towards the +flight of steps which conducted towards the +vaults. + +Schalken felt a vague alarm at the sight +of this figure, and at the same time an +irresistible impulse to follow its guidance. +He followed it towards the vaults, but +when it reached the head of the stairs, he +paused; the figure paused also, and, turning +gently round, displayed, by the light of +the lamp it carried, the face and features +of his first love, Rose Velderkaust. There +was nothing horrible, or even sad, in the +countenance. On the contrary, it wore +the same arch smile which used to enchant +the artist long before in his happy days. + +A feeling of awe and of interest, too +intense to be resisted, prompted him to +follow the spectre, if spectre it were. She +descended the stairs--he followed; and, +turning to the left, through a narrow +passage, she led him, to his infinite +surprise, into what appeared to be an old- +fashioned Dutch apartment, such as the +pictures of Gerard Douw have served to +immortalise. + +Abundance of costly antique furniture +was disposed about the room, and in one +corner stood a four-post bed, with heavy +black-cloth curtains around it; the figure +frequently turned towards him with the +same arch smile; and when she came to +the side of the bed, she drew the curtains, +and by the light of the lamp which she +held towards its contents, she disclosed to +the horror-stricken painter, sitting bolt +upright in the bed, the livid and demoniac +form of Vanderhausen. Schalken had +hardly seen him when he fell senseless +upon the floor, where he lay until +discovered, on the next morning, by persons +employed in closing the passages into the +vaults. He was lying in a cell of considerable +size, which had not been disturbed for +a long time, and he had fallen beside a +large coffin which was supported upon +small stone pillars, a security against the +attacks of vermin. + +To his dying day Schalken was satisfied +of the reality of the vision which he had +witnessed, and he has left behind him a +curious evidence of the impression which +it wrought upon his fancy, in a painting +executed shortly after the event we have +narrated, and which is valuable as +exhibiting not only the peculiarities which +have made Schalken's pictures sought +after, but even more so as presenting a +portrait, as close and faithful as one taken +from memory can be, of his early love, +Rose Velderkaust, whose mysterious fate +must ever remain matter of speculation. + +The picture represents a chamber of +antique masonry, such as might be found +in most old cathedrals, and is lighted +faintly by a lamp carried in the hand of +a female figure, such as we have above +attempted to describe; and in the +background, and to the left of him who +examines the painting, there stands the +form of a man apparently aroused from +sleep, and by his attitude, his hand being +laid upon his sword, exhibiting considerable +alarm: this last figure is illuminated +only by the expiring glare of a wood or +charcoal fire. + +The whole production exhibits a beauti- +ful specimen of that artful and singular +distribution of light and shade which has +rendered the name of Schalken immortal +among the artists of his country. This +tale is traditionary, and the reader will +easily perceive, by our studiously omitting +to heighten many points of the narrative, +when a little additional colouring might +have added effect to the recital, that we +have desired to lay before him, not a figment +of the brain, but a curious tradition +connected with, and belonging to, the +biography of a famous artist. + + + +SCRAPS OF HIBERNIAN BALLADS. + +Being an Eighth Extract from the Legacy of the late +Francis Purcell, P. P. of Drumcoolagh. + +I have observed, my dear friend, +among other grievous misconceptions +current among men otherwise +well-informed, and which tend to +degrade the pretensions of my native land, +an impression that there exists no such +thing as indigenous modern Irish composition +deserving the name of poetry--a +belief which has been thoughtlessly +sustained and confirmed by the unconscion- +able literary perverseness of Irishmen +themselves, who have preferred the easy +task of concocting humorous extravaganzas, +which caricature with merciless exaggeration +the pedantry, bombast, and blunders +incident to the lowest order of Hibernian +ballads, to the more pleasurable and +patriotic duty of collecting together the +many, many specimens of genuine poetic +feeling, which have grown up, like its wild +flowers, from the warm though neglected +soil of Ireland. + +In fact, the productions which have +long been regarded as pure samples of +Irish poetic composition, such as 'The +Groves of Blarney,' and 'The Wedding +of Ballyporeen,' 'Ally Croker,' etc., etc., +are altogether spurious, and as much like +the thing they call themselves 'as I to +Hercules.' + +There are to be sure in Ireland, as in all +countries, poems which deserve to be +laughed at. The native productions of +which I speak, frequently abound in +absurdities--absurdities which are often, +too, provokingly mixed up with what is +beautiful; but I strongly and absolutely +deny that the prevailing or even the +usual character of Irish poetry is that of +comicality. No country, no time, is +devoid of real poetry, or something +approaching to it; and surely it were a +strange thing if Ireland, abounding as she +does from shore to shore with all that is +beautiful, and grand, and savage in +scenery, and filled with wild recollections, +vivid passions, warm affections, and keen +sorrow, could find no language to speak +withal, but that of mummery and jest. +No, her language is imperfect, but there +is strength in its rudeness, and beauty in +its wildness; and, above all, strong feeling +flows through it, like fresh fountains in +rugged caverns. + +And yet I will not say that the +language of genuine indigenous Irish +composition is always vulgar and uncouth: +on the contrary, I am in possession +of some specimens, though by no means +of the highest order as to poetic merit, +which do not possess throughout a single +peculiarity of diction. The lines which +I now proceed to lay before you, by way +of illustration, are from the pen of an +unfortunate young man, of very humble +birth, whose early hopes were crossed by +the untimely death of her whom he loved. +He was a self-educated man, and in after- +life rose to high distinctions in the Church +to which he devoted himself--an act which +proves the sincerity of spirit with which +these verses were written. + + 'When moonlight falls on wave and wimple, + And silvers every circling dimple, + That onward, onward sails: + When fragrant hawthorns wild and simple + Lend perfume to the gales, + And the pale moon in heaven abiding, + O'er midnight mists and mountains riding, + Shines on the river, smoothly gliding + Through quiet dales, + + 'I wander there in solitude, + Charmed by the chiming music rude + Of streams that fret and flow. + For by that eddying stream SHE stood, + On such a night I trow: + For HER the thorn its breath was lending, + On this same tide HER eye was bending, + And with its voice HER voice was blending + Long, long ago. + + Wild stream! I walk by thee once more, + I see thy hawthorns dim and hoar, + I hear thy waters moan, + And night-winds sigh from shore to shore, + With hushed and hollow tone; + But breezes on their light way winging, + And all thy waters heedless singing, + No more to me are gladness bringing-- + I am alone. + + 'Years after years, their swift way keeping, + Like sere leaves down thy current sweeping, + Are lost for aye, and sped-- + And Death the wintry soil is heaping + As fast as flowers are shed. + And she who wandered by my side, + And breathed enchantment o'er thy tide, + That makes thee still my friend and guide-- + And she is dead.' + + +These lines I have transcribed in order +to prove a point which I have heard +denied, namely, that an Irish peasant-- +for their author was no more--may write +at least correctly in the matter of measure, +language, and rhyme; and I shall add +several extracts in further illustration of +the same fact, a fact whose assertion, it +must be allowed, may appear somewhat +paradoxical even to those who are +acquainted, though superficially, with +Hibernian composition. The rhymes are, +it must be granted, in the generality of +such productions, very latitudinarian +indeed, and as a veteran votary of the +muse once assured me, depend wholly +upon the wowls (vowels), as may be seen +in the following stanza of the famous +'Shanavan Voicth.' + + ' "What'll we have for supper?" + Says my Shanavan Voicth; + "We'll have turkeys and roast BEEF, + And we'll eat it very SWEET, + And then we'll take a SLEEP," + Says my Shanavan Voicth.' + + +But I am desirous of showing you that, +although barbarisms may and do exist in +our native ballads, there are still to be +found exceptions which furnish examples +of strict correctness in rhyme and metre. +Whether they be one whit the better for +this I have my doubts. In order to +establish my position, I subjoin a portion +of a ballad by one Michael Finley, of +whom more anon. The GENTLEMAN spoken +of in the song is Lord Edward Fitzgerald. + + 'The day that traitors sould him and inimies bought him, + The day that the red gold and red blood was paid-- + Then the green turned pale and thrembled like the dead leaves in +Autumn, + And the heart an' hope iv Ireland in the could grave was +laid. + + 'The day I saw you first, with the sunshine fallin' round ye, + My heart fairly opened with the grandeur of the view: + For ten thousand Irish boys that day did surround ye, + An' I swore to stand by them till death, an' fight for you. + + 'Ye wor the bravest gentleman, an' the best that ever stood, + And your eyelid never thrembled for danger nor for dread, + An' nobleness was flowin' in each stream of your blood-- + My bleasing on you night au' day, an' Glory be your bed. + + 'My black an' bitter curse on the head, an' heart, an' hand, + That plotted, wished, an' worked the fall of this Irish hero +bold; + God's curse upon the Irishman that sould his native land, + An' hell consume to dust the hand that held the thraitor's +gold.' + + +Such were the politics and poetry of +Michael Finley, in his day, perhaps, the +most noted song-maker of his country; but +as genius is never without its eccentricities, +Finley had his peculiarities, and among +these, perhaps the most amusing was his +rooted aversion to pen, ink, and paper, in +perfect independence of which, all his +compositions were completed. It is +impossible to describe the jealousy with +which he regarded the presence of writing +materials of any kind, and his ever wakeful +fears lest some literary pirate should +transfer his oral poetry to paper--fears +which were not altogether without warrant, +inasmuch as the recitation and singing of +these original pieces were to him a source +of wealth and importance. I recollect +upon one occasion his detecting me in the +very act of following his recitation with +my pencil and I shall not soon forget his +indignant scowl, as stopping abruptly in +the midst of a line, he sharply exclaimed: + +'Is my pome a pigsty, or what, that you +want a surveyor's ground-plan of it?' + +Owing to this absurd scruple, I have been +obliged, with one exception, that of the ballad +of 'Phaudhrig Crohoore,' to rest satisfied +with such snatches and fragments of his +poetry as my memory could bear away--a +fact which must account for the mutilated +state in which I have been obliged to +present the foregoing specimen of his +composition. + +It was in vain for me to reason with +this man of metres upon the unreasonableness +of this despotic and exclusive assertion +of copyright. I well remember his +answer to me when, among other arguments, +I urged the advisability of some +care for the permanence of his reputation, +as a motive to induce him to consent to +have his poems written down, and thus +reduced to a palpable and enduring +form. + +'I often noticed,' said he, 'when a mist +id be spreadin', a little brier to look as big, +you'd think, as an oak tree; an' +same way, in the dimmness iv the nightfall, +I often seen a man tremblin' and crassin' +himself as if a sperit was before him, at +the sight iv a small thorn bush, that he'd +leap over with ase if the daylight and +sunshine was in it. An' that's the rason why +I think it id be better for the likes iv me +to be remimbered in tradition than to be +written in history.' + +Finley has now been dead nearly eleven +years, and his fame has not prospered by +the tactics which he pursued, for his +reputation, so far from being magnified, has +been wholly obliterated by the mists of +obscurity. + +With no small difficulty, and no inconsiderable +manoeuvring, I succeeded in procuring, +at an expense of trouble and +conscience which you will no doubt +think but poorly rewarded, an accurate +'report' of one of his most popular +recitations. It celebrates one of the many +daring exploits of the once famous +Phaudhrig Crohoore (in prosaic English, +Patrick Connor). I have witnessed +powerful effects produced upon large +assemblies by Finley's recitation of this +poem which he was wont, upon pressing +invitation, to deliver at weddings, wakes, +and the like; of course the power of +the narrative was greatly enhanced by +the fact that many of his auditors +had seen and well knew the chief actors in +the drama. + + +'PHAUDHRIG CROHOORE. + + Oh, Phaudhrig Crohoore was the broth of a boy, + And he stood six foot eight, + And his arm was as round as another man's thigh, + 'Tis Phaudhrig was great,-- + And his hair was as black as the shadows of night, + And hung over the scars left by many a fight; + And his voice, like the thunder, was deep, strong, and loud, + And his eye like the lightnin' from under the cloud. + And all the girls liked him, for he could spake civil, + And sweet when he chose it, for he was the divil. + An' there wasn't a girl from thirty-five undher, + Divil a matter how crass, but he could come round her. + But of all the sweet girls that smiled on him, but one + Was the girl of his heart, an' he loved her alone. + An' warm as the sun, as the rock firm an' sure, + Was the love of the heart of Phaudhrig Crohoore; + An' he'd die for one smile from his Kathleen O'Brien, + For his love, like his hatred, was sthrong as the lion. + + 'But Michael O'Hanlon loved Kathleen as well + As he hated Crohoore--an' that same was like hell. + But O'Brien liked HIM, for they were the same parties, + The O'Briens, O'Hanlons, an' Murphys, and Cartys-- + An' they all went together an' hated Crohoore, + For it's many the batin' he gave them before; + An' O'Hanlon made up to O'Brien, an' says he: + "I'll marry your daughter, if you'll give her to me." + And the match was made up, an' when Shrovetide came on, + The company assimbled three hundred if one: + There was all the O'Hanlons, an' Murphys, an' Cartys, + An' the young boys an' girls av all o' them parties; + An' the O'Briens, av coorse, gathered strong on day, + An' the pipers an' fiddlers were tearin' away; + There was roarin', an' jumpin', an' jiggin', an' flingin', + An' jokin', an' blessin', an' kissin', an' singin', + An' they wor all laughin'--why not, to be sure?-- + How O'Hanlon came inside of Phaudhrig Crohoore. + An' they all talked an' laughed the length of the table, + Atin' an' dhrinkin' all while they wor able, + And with pipin' an' fiddlin' an' roarin' like tundher, + Your head you'd think fairly was splittin' asundher; + And the priest called out, "Silence, ye blackguards, agin!" + An' he took up his prayer-book, just goin' to begin, + An' they all held their tongues from their funnin' and bawlin', + So silent you'd notice the smallest pin fallin'; + + An' the priest was just beg'nin' to read, whin the door + Sprung back to the wall, and in walked Crohoore-- + Oh! Phaudhrig Crohoore was the broth of a boy, + Ant he stood six foot eight, + An' his arm was as round as another man's thigh, + 'Tis Phaudhrig was great-- + An' he walked slowly up, watched by many a bright eye, + As a black cloud moves on through the stars of the sky, + An' none sthrove to stop him, for Phaudhrig was great, + Till he stood all alone, just apposit the sate + Where O'Hanlon and Kathleen, his beautiful bride, + Were sitting so illigant out side by side; + An' he gave her one look that her heart almost broke, + An' he turned to O'Brien, her father, and spoke, + An' his voice, like the thunder, was deep, sthrong, and loud, + An' his eye shone like lightnin' from under the cloud: + "I didn't come here like a tame, crawlin' mouse, + But I stand like a man in my inimy's house; + In the field, on the road, Phaudhrig never knew fear, + Of his foemen, an' God knows he scorns it here; + + So lave me at aise, for three minutes or four, + To spake to the girl I'll never see more." + An' to Kathleen he turned, and his voice changed its tone, + For he thought of the days when he called her his own, + An' his eye blazed like lightnin' from under the cloud + On his false-hearted girl, reproachful and proud, + An' says he: "Kathleen bawn, is it thrue what I hear, + That you marry of your free choice, without threat or fear? + If so, spake the word, an' I'll turn and depart, + Chated once, and once only by woman's false heart." + Oh! sorrow and love made the poor girl dumb, + An' she thried hard to spake, but the words wouldn't come, + For the sound of his voice, as he stood there fornint her, + Wint could on her heart as the night wind in winther. + An' the tears in her blue eyes stood tremblin' to flow, + And pale was her cheek as the moonshine on snow; + Then the heart of bould Phaudhrig swelled high in its place, + For he knew, by one look in that beautiful face, + + That though sthrangers an' foemen their pledged hands might +sever, + Her true heart was his, and his only, for ever. + An' he lifted his voice, like the agle's hoarse call, + An' says Phaudhrig, "She's mine still, in spite of yez all!" + Then up jumped O'Hanlon, an' a tall boy was he, + An' he looked on bould Phaudhrig as fierce as could be, + An' says he, "By the hokey! before you go out, + Bould Phaudhrig Crohoore, you ,must fight for a bout." + Then Phaudhrig made answer: "I'll do my endeavour," + An' with one blow he stretched bould O'Hanlon for ever. + In his arms he took Kathleen, an' stepped to the door; + And he leaped on his horse, and flung her before; + An' they all were so bother'd, that not a man stirred + Till the galloping hoofs on the pavement were heard. + Then up they all started, like bees in the swarm, + An' they riz a great shout, like the burst of a storm, + An' they roared, and they ran, and they shouted galore; + But Kathleen and Phaudhrig they never saw more. + + 'But them days are gone by, an' he is no more; + An' the green-grass is growin' o'er Phaudhrig Crohoore, + For he couldn't be aisy or quiet at all; + As he lived a brave boy, he resolved so to fall. + And he took a good pike--for Phaudhrig was great-- + And he fought, and he died in the year ninety-eight. + An' the day that Crohoore in the green field was killed, + A sthrong boy was sthretched, and a sthrong heart was stilled.' + + +It is due to the memory of Finley to +say that the foregoing ballad, though bearing +throughout a strong resemblance to Sir +Walter Scott's 'Lochinvar,' was nevertheless +composed long before that spirited +production had seen the light. + + + + + +**The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Purcell Papers, Volume 2** + + |