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@@ -0,0 +1,4831 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Purcell Papers, by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Purcell Papers + Volume III. (of III.) + +Author: Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu + +Release Date: May 24, 2008 [EBook #511] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PURCELL PAPERS *** + + + + +Produced by Judith Boss and Charles Keller + + + + + +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. III. + +LONDON: RICHARD BENTLEY AND SON, + +Publishers in Ordinary to Her Majesty the Queen. + +1880. + + +Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data + +LeFanu, Joseph Sheridan, 1814-1873. + +The Purcell papers. + +Reprint of the 1880 ed. published by R. Bentley, London. + +I. Title. PZ3.L518Pu5 (PR4879.L7) 823'.8 71-148813 ISBN 0-404-08880-5 + +Reprinted from an original copy in the collection of the University of +Chicago Library. + +From the edition of 1880, London First AMS edition published in 1975 +Manufactured in the United States of America + +International Standard Book Number: Complete Set: 0-404-08880-5 Volume +III: 0-404-08883-X + +AMS PRESS INC. + +NEW YORK, N. Y. 10003 + + + +CONTENTS: + + JIM SULIVAN'S ADVENTURES IN THE GREAT SNOW + A CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY OF A TYRONE FAMILY + AN ADVENTURE OF HARDRESS FITZGERALD, A ROYALIST CAPTAIN + 'THE QUARE GANDER' + BILLY MALOWNEY'S TASTE OF LOVE AND GLORY + + + + + +JIM SULIVAN'S ADVENTURES IN THE GREAT SNOW. + + Being a Ninth Extract from the Legacy of the late Francis + Purcell, P.P. of Drumcoolagh. + +Jim Sulivan was a dacent, honest boy as you'd find in the seven +parishes, an' he was a beautiful singer, an' an illegant dancer +intirely, an' a mighty plisant boy in himself; but he had the divil's +bad luck, for he married for love, an 'av coorse he niver had an asy +minute afther. + +Nell Gorman was the girl he fancied, an' a beautiful slip of a girl she +was, jist twinty to the minute when he married her. She was as round +an' as complate in all her shapes as a firkin, you'd think, an' her two +cheeks was as fat an' as red, it id open your heart to look at them. + +But beauty is not the thing all through, an' as beautiful as she was +she had the divil's tongue, an' the divil's timper, an' the divil's +behaviour all out; an' it was impossible for him to be in the house with +her for while you'd count tin without havin' an argymint, an' as sure +as she riz an argymint with him she'd hit him a wipe iv a skillet or +whatever lay next to her hand. + +Well, this wasn't at all plasin' to Jim Sulivan you may be sure, an' +there was scarce a week that his head wasn't plasthered up, or his back +bint double, or his nose swelled as big as a pittaty, with the vilence +iv her timper, an' his heart was scalded everlastin'ly with her tongue; +so he had no pace or quietness in body or soul at all at all, with the +way she was goin' an. + +Well, your honour, one cowld snowin' evenin' he kim in afther his day's +work regulatin' the men in the farm, an' he sat down very quite by the +fire, for he had a scrimmidge with her in the mornin', an' all he wanted +was an air iv the fire in pace; so divil a word he said but dhrew a +stool an' sat down close to the fire. Well, as soon as the woman saw +him, + +'Move aff,' says she, 'an' don't be inthrudin' an the fire,' says she. + +Well, he kept never mindin', an' didn't let an' to hear a word she was +sayin', so she kim over an' she had a spoon in her hand, an' she took +jist the smallest taste in life iv the boilin' wather out iv the pot, +an' she dhropped it down an his shins, an' with that he let a roar you'd +think the roof id fly aff iv the house. + +'Hould your tongue, you barbarrian,' says she; 'you'll waken the child,' +says she. + +'An' if I done right,' says he, for the spoonful of boilin' wather riz +him entirely, 'I'd take yourself,' says he, 'an' I'd stuff you into the +pot an the fire, an' boil you.' says he, 'into castor oil,' says he. + +'That's purty behavour,' says she; 'it's fine usage you're givin' me, +isn't it?' says she, gettin' wickeder every minute; 'but before I'm +boiled,' says she, 'thry how you like THAT,' says she; an', sure enough, +before he had time to put up his guard, she hot him a rale terrible +clink iv the iron spoon acrass the jaw. + +'Hould me, some iv ye, or I'll murdher her,' says he. + +'Will you?' says she, an' with that she hot him another tin times as +good as the first. + +'By jabers,' says he, slappin' himself behind, 'that's the last salute +you'll ever give me,' says he; 'so take my last blessin',' says he, 'you +ungovernable baste!' says he--an' with that he pulled an his hat an' +walked out iv the door. + +Well, she never minded a word he said, for he used to say the same thing +all as one every time she dhrew blood; an' she had no expectation at all +but he'd come back by the time supper id be ready; but faix the story +didn't go quite so simple this time, for while he was walkin', lonesome +enough, down the borheen, with his heart almost broke with the pain, +for his shins an' his jaw was mighty troublesome, av course, with the +thratement he got, who did he see but Mick Hanlon, his uncle's sarvint +by, ridin' down, quite an asy, an the ould black horse, with a halter as +long as himself. + +'Is that Mr. Soolivan?' says the by. says he, as soon as he saw him a +good bit aff. + +'To be sure it is, ye spalpeen, you,' says Jim, roarin' out; 'what do +you want wid me this time a-day?' says he. + +'Don't you know me?' says the gossoon, 'it's Mick Hanlon that's in it,' +says he. + +'Oh, blur an agers, thin, it's welcome you are, Micky asthore,' says +Jim; 'how is all wid the man an' the woman beyant?' says he. + +'Oh!' says Micky, 'bad enough,' says he; 'the ould man's jist aff, an' +if you don't hurry like shot,' says he, 'he'll be in glory before you +get there,' says he. + +'It's jokin' ye are,' says Jim, sorrowful enough, for he was mighty +partial to his uncle intirely. + +'Oh, not in the smallest taste,' says Micky; 'the breath was jist out +iv him,' says he, 'when I left the farm. "An", says he, "take the ould +black horse," says he, "for he's shure-footed for the road," says he, +"an' bring, Jim Soolivan here," says he, "for I think I'd die asy af I +could see him onst," says he.' + +'Well,' says Jim, 'will I have time,' says he, 'to go back to the house, +for it would be a consolation,' says he, 'to tell the bad news to the +woman?' says he. + +'It's too late you are already,' says Micky, 'so come up behind me, for +God's sake,' says he, 'an' don't waste time;' an' with that he brought +the horse up beside the ditch, an' Jim Soolivan mounted up behind Micky, +an' they rode off; an' tin good miles it was iv a road, an' at the other +side iv Keeper intirely; an' it was snowin' so fast that the ould baste +could hardly go an at all at all, an' the two bys an his back was jist +like a snowball all as one, an' almost fruz an' smothered at the same +time, your honour; an' they wor both mighty sorrowful intirely, an' +their toes almost dhroppin' aff wid the could. + +And when Jim got to the farm his uncle was gettin' an illegantly, an' he +was sittin' up sthrong an' warm in the bed, an' improvin' every minute, +an' no signs av dyin' an him at all at all; so he had all his throuble +for nothin'. + +But this wasn't all, for the snow kem so thick that it was impassible to +get along the roads at all at all; an' faix, instead iv gettin' betther, +next mornin' it was only tin times worse; so Jim had jist to take it +asy, an' stay wid his uncle antil such times as the snow id melt. + +Well, your honour, the evenin' Jim Soolivan wint away, whin the dark +was closin' in, Nell Gorman, his wife, beginned to get mighty anasy in +herself whin she didn't see him comin' back at all; an' she was gettin' +more an' more frightful in herself every minute till the dark kem an', +an' divil a taste iv her husband was coming at all at all. + +'Oh!' says she, 'there's no use in purtendin', I know he's kilt himself; +he has committed infantycide an himself,' says she, 'like a dissipated +bliggard as he always was,' says she, 'God rest his soul. Oh, thin, +isn't it me an' not you, Jim Soolivan, that's the unforthunate woman,' +says she, 'for ain't I cryin' here, an' isn't he in heaven, the +bliggard,' says she. 'Oh, voh, voh, it's not at home comfortable with +your wife an' family that you are, Jim Soolivan,' says she, 'but in the +other world, you aumathaun, in glory wid the saints I hope,' says she. +'It's I that's the unforthunate famale,' says she, 'an' not yourself, +Jim Soolivan,' says she. + +An' this way she kep' an till mornin', cryin' and lamintin; an' wid the +first light she called up all the sarvint bys, an' she tould them to +go out an' to sarch every inch iv ground to find the corpse, 'for I'm +sure,' says she, 'it's not to go hide himself he would,' says she. + +Well, they went as well as they could, rummagin' through the snow, +antil, at last, what should they come to, sure enough, but the corpse +of a poor thravelling man, that fell over the quarry the night before +by rason of the snow and some liquor he had, maybe; but, at any rate, +he was as dead as a herrin', an' his face was knocked all to pieces jist +like an over-boiled pitaty, glory be to God; an' divil a taste iv a nose +or a chin, or a hill or a hollow from one end av his face to the other +but was all as flat as a pancake. An' he was about Jim Soolivan's size, +an' dhressed out exactly the same, wid a ridin' coat an' new corderhoys; +so they carried him home, an' they were all as sure as daylight it was +Jim Soolivan himself, an' they were wondhering he'd do sich a dirty turn +as to go kill himself for spite. + +Well, your honour, they waked him as well as they could, with what +neighbours they could git togither, but by rason iv the snow, there +wasn't enough gothered to make much divarsion; however it was a plisint +wake enough, an' the churchyard an' the priest bein' convanient, as soon +as the youngsthers had their bit iv fun and divarsion out iv the corpse, +they burried it without a great dale iv throuble; an' about three days +afther the berrin, ould Jim Mallowney, from th'other side iv the little +hill, her own cousin by the mother's side--he had a snug bit iv a farm +an' a house close by, by the same token--kem walkin' in to see how she +was in her health, an' he dhrew a chair, an' he sot down an' beginned to +convarse her about one thing an' another, antil he got her quite an' asy +into middlin' good humour, an' as soon as he seen it was time: + +'I'm wondherin', says he, 'Nell Gorman, sich a handsome, likely girl, +id be thinkin' iv nothin' but lamintin' an' the likes,' says he, 'an' +lingerin' away her days without any consolation, or gettin' a husband,' +says he. + +'Oh,' says she, 'isn't it only three days since I burried the poor man,' +says she, 'an' isn't it rather soon to be talkin iv marryin' agin?' + +'Divil a taste,' says he, 'three days is jist the time to a minute for +cryin' afther a husband, an' there's no occasion in life to be keepin' +it up,' says he; 'an' besides all that,' says he, 'Shrovetide is almost +over, an' if you don't be sturrin' yourself an' lookin' about you, +you'll be late,' says he, 'for this year at any rate, an' that's twelve +months lost; an' who's to look afther the farm all that time,' says he, +'an' to keep the men to their work?' says he. + +'It's thrue for you, Jim Mallowney,' says she, 'but I'm afeard the +neighbours will be all talkin' about it,' says she. + +'Divil's cure to the word,' says he. + +'An' who would you advise?' says she. + +'Young Andy Curtis is the boy,' says he. + +'He's a likely boy in himself,' says she. + +'An' as handy a gossoon as is out,' says he. + +'Well, thin, Jim Mallowney,' says she, 'here's my hand, an' you may +be talkin' to Andy Curtis, an' if he's willin' I'm agreeble--is that +enough?' says she. + +So with that he made off with himself straight to Andy Curtis; an' +before three days more was past, the weddin' kem an', an' Nell Gorman +an' Andy Curtis was married as complate as possible; an' if the wake was +plisint the weddin' was tin times as agreeble, an' all the neighbours +that could make their way to it was there, an' there was three fiddlers +an' lots iv pipers, an' ould Connor Shamus(1) the piper himself was in +it--by the same token it was the last weddin' he ever played music at, +for the next mornin', whin he was goin' home, bein' mighty hearty +an' plisint in himself, he was smothered in the snow, undher the ould +castle; an' by my sowl he was a sore loss to the bys an' girls twenty +miles round, for he was the illigantest piper, barrin' the liquor alone, +that ever worked a bellas. + + + (1) Literally, Cornelius James--the last name employed as a + patronymic. Connor is commonly used. Corney, pronounced + Kurny, is just as much used in the South, as the short name + for Cornelius. + + +Well, a week passed over smart enough, an' Nell an' her new husband was +mighty well continted with one another, for it was too soon for her to +begin to regulate him the way she used with poor Jim Soolivan, so they +wor comfortable enough; but this was too good to last, for the thaw kem +an', an' you may be sure Jim Soolivan didn't lose a minute's time as soon +as the heavy dhrift iv snow was melted enough between him and home to +let him pass, for he didn't hear a word iv news from home sinst he lift +it, by rason that no one, good nor bad, could thravel at all, with the +way the snow was dhrifted. + +So one night, when Nell Gorman an' her new husband, Andy Curtis, was +snug an' warm in bed, an' fast asleep, an' everything quite, who should +come to the door, sure enough, but Jim Soolivan himself, an' he beginned +flakin' the door wid a big blackthorn stick he had, an' roarin' out like +the divil to open the door, for he had a dhrop taken. + +'What the divil's the matther?' says Andy Curtis, wakenin' out iv his +sleep. + +'Who's batin' the door?' says Nell; 'what's all the noise for?' says +she. + +'Who's in it?' says Andy. + +'It's me,' says Jim. + +'Who are you?' says Andy; 'what's your name?' + +'Jim Soolivan,' says he. + +'By jabers, you lie,' says Andy. + +'Wait till I get at you,' says Jim, hittin' the door a lick iv the +wattle you'd hear half a mile off. + +'It's him, sure enough,' says Nell; 'I know his speech; it's his +wandherin' sowl that can't get rest, the crass o' Christ betune us an' +harm.' + +'Let me in,' says Jim, 'or I'll dhrive the door in a top iv yis.' + +'Jim Soolivan--Jim Soolivan,' says Nell, sittin' up in the bed, an' +gropin' for a quart bottle iv holy wather she used to hang by the back +iv the bed, 'don't come in, darlin'--there's holy wather here,' says +she; 'but tell me from where you are is there anything that's throublin' +your poor sinful sowl?' says she. 'An' tell me how many masses 'ill make +you asy, an' by this crass, I'll buy you as many as you want,' says she. + +'I don't know what the divil you mane,' says Jim. + +'Go back,' says she, 'go back to glory, for God's sake,' says she. + +'Divil's cure to the bit iv me 'ill go back to glory, or anywhere else,' +says he, 'this blessed night; so open the door at onst' an' let me in,' +says he. + +'The Lord forbid,' says she. + +'By jabers, you'd betther,' says he, 'or it 'ill be the worse for you,' +says he; an' wid that he fell to wallopin' the door till he was fairly +tired, an' Andy an' his wife crassin' themselves an' sayin' their +prayers for the bare life all the time. + +'Jim Soolivan,' says she, as soon as he was done, 'go back, for God's +sake, an' don't be freakenin' me an' your poor fatherless childhren,' +says she. + +'Why, you bosthoon, you,' says Jim, 'won't you let your husband in,' +says he, 'to his own house?' says he. + +'You WOR my husband, sure enough,' says she, 'but it's well you know, +Jim Soolivan, you're not my husband NOW,' says she. + +'You're as dhrunk as can be consaved, says Jim. + +'Go back, in God's name, pacibly to your grave,' says Nell. + +'By my sowl, it's to my grave you'll sind me, sure enough,' says he, +'you hard-hearted bain', for I'm jist aff wid the cowld,' says he. + +'Jim Sulivan,' says she, 'it's in your dacent coffin you should be, you +unforthunate sperit,' says she; 'what is it's annoyin' your sowl, in the +wide world, at all?' says she; 'hadn't you everything complate?' says +she, 'the oil, an' the wake, an' the berrin'?' says she. + +'Och, by the hoky,' says Jim, 'it's too long I'm makin' a fool iv +mysilf, gostherin' wid you outside iv my own door,' says he, 'for it's +plain to be seen,' says he, 'you don't know what your're sayin', an' no +one ELSE knows what you mane, you unforthunate fool,' says he; 'so, onst +for all, open the door quietly,' says he, 'or, by my sowkins, I'll not +lave a splinther together,' says he. + +Well, whin Nell an' Andy seen he was getting vexed, they beginned to +bawl out their prayers, with the fright, as if the life was lavin' them; +an' the more he bate the door, the louder they prayed, until at last Jim +was fairly tired out. + +'Bad luck to you,' says he; 'for a rale divil av a woman,' says he. I +'can't get any advantage av you, any way; but wait till I get hould iv +you, that's all,' says he. An' he turned aff from the door, an' wint +round to the cow-house, an' settled himself as well as he could, in +the sthraw; an' he was tired enough wid the thravellin' he had in the +day-time, an' a good dale bothered with what liquor he had taken; so he +was purty sure of sleepin' wherever he thrun himself. + +But, by my sowl, it wasn't the same way with the man an' the woman in +the house--for divil a wink iv sleep, good or bad, could they get at +all, wid the fright iv the sperit, as they supposed; an' with the first +light they sint a little gossoon, as fast as he could wag, straight off, +like a shot, to the priest, an' to desire him, for the love o' God, +to come to them an the minute, an' to bring, if it was plasin' to his +raverence, all the little things he had for sayin' mass, an' savin' +sowls, an' banishin' sperits, an' freakenin' the divil, an' the likes +iv that. An' it wasn't long till his raverence kem down, sure enough, +on the ould grey mare, wid the little mass-boy behind him, an' the +prayer-books an' Bibles, an' all the other mystarious articles that was +wantin', along wid him; an' as soon as he kem in, 'God save all here,' +says he. + +'God save ye, kindly, your raverence,' says they. + +'An' what's gone wrong wid ye?' says he; 'ye must be very bad,' says +he,' entirely, to disturb my devotions,' says he, 'this way, jist at +breakfast-time,' says he. + +'By my sowkins,' says Nell, 'it's bad enough we are, your raverence,' +says she, 'for it's poor Jim's sperit,' says she; 'God rest his sowl, +wherever it is,' says she, 'that was wandherin' up an' down, opossite +the door all night,' says she, 'in the way it was no use at all, thryin' +to get a wink iv sleep,' says she. + +'It's to lay it, you want me, I suppose,' says the priest. + +'If your raverence 'id do that same, it 'id be plasin' to us,' says +Andy. + +'It'll be rather expinsive,' says the priest. + +'We'll not differ about the price, your raverence,' says Andy. + +'Did the sperit stop long?' says the priest. + +'Most part iv the night,' says Nell, 'the Lord be merciful to us all!' +says she. + +'That'll make it more costly than I thought,' says he. 'An' did it make +much noise?' says he. + +'By my sowl, it's it that did,' says Andy; 'leatherin' the door wid +sticks and stones,' says he, 'antil I fairly thought every minute,' says +he, 'the ould boords id smash, an' the sperit id be in an top iv us--God +bless us,' says he. + +'Phiew!' says the priest; 'it'll cost a power iv money.' + +'Well, your raverence,' says Andy, 'take whatever you like,' says he; +'only make sure it won't annoy us any more,' says he. + +'Oh! by my sowkins,' says the priest, 'it'll be the quarest ghost in the +siven parishes,' says he, 'if it has the courage to come back,' says he, +'afther what I'll do this mornin', plase God,' says he; 'so we'll say +twelve pounds; an' God knows it's chape enough,' says he, 'considherin' +all the sarcumstances,' says he. + +Well, there wasn't a second word to the bargain; so they paid him the +money down, an' he sot the table doun like an althar, before the door, +an' he settled it out vid all the things he had wid him; an' he lit a +bit iv a holy candle, an' he scathered his holy wather right an' left; +an' he took up a big book, an' he wint an readin' for half an hour, +good; an' whin he kem to the end, he tuck hould iv his little bell, and +he beginned to ring it for the bare life; an', by my sowl, he rung it +so well, that he wakened Jim Sulivan in the cowhouse, where he was +sleepin', an' up he jumped, widout a minute's delay, an' med right for +the house, where all the family, an' the priest, an' the little mass-boy +was assimbled, layin' the ghost; an' as soon as his raverence seen him +comin' in at the door, wid the fair fright, he flung the bell at his +head, an' hot him sich a lick iv it in the forehead, that he sthretched +him on the floor; but fain; he didn't wait to ax any questions, but he +cut round the table as if the divil was afther him, an' out at the door, +an' didn't stop even as much as to mount an his mare, but leathered away +down the borheen as fast as his legs could carry him, though the mud was +up to his knees, savin' your presence. + +Well, by the time Jim kem to himself, the family persaved the mistake, +an' Andy wint home, lavin' Nell to make the explanation. An' as soon +as Jim heerd it all, he said he was quite contint to lave her to Andy, +entirely; but the priest would not hear iv it; an' he jist med him marry +his wife over again, an' a merry weddin' it was, an' a fine collection +for his raverence. An' Andy was there along wid the rest, an' the priest +put a small pinnance upon him, for bein' in too great a hurry to marry a +widdy. + +An' bad luck to the word he'd allow anyone to say an the business, ever +after, at all, at all; so, av coorse, no one offinded his raverence, by +spakin' iv the twelve pounds he got for layin' the sperit. + +An' the neighbours wor all mighty well plased, to be sure, for gettin' +all the divarsion of a wake, an' two weddin's for nothin.' + + + + +A CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY OF A TYRONE FAMILY + + Being a Tenth Extract from the Legacy of the late Francis + Purcell, P.P. of Drumcoolagh. + + +INTRODUCTION. + +In the following narrative, I have endeavoured to give as nearly as +possible the ipsissima verba of the valued friend from whom I received +it, conscious that any aberration from HER mode of telling the tale of +her own life would at once impair its accuracy and its effect. + +Would that, with her words, I could also bring before you her animated +gesture, her expressive countenance, the solemn and thrilling air and +accent with which she related the dark passages in her strange story; +and, above all, that I could communicate the impressive consciousness +that the narrator had seen with her own eyes, and personally acted in +the scenes which she described; these accompaniments, taken with the +additional circumstance that she who told the tale was one far too +deeply and sadly impressed with religious principle to misrepresent +or fabricate what she repeated as fact, gave to the tale a depth of +interest which the events recorded could hardly, themselves, have +produced. + +I became acquainted with the lady from whose lips I heard this narrative +nearly twenty years since, and the story struck my fancy so much that +I committed it to paper while it was still fresh in my mind; and should +its perusal afford you entertainment for a listless half hour, my labour +shall not have been bestowed in vain. + +I find that I have taken the story down as she told it, in the first +person, and perhaps this is as it should be. + +She began as follows: + +My maiden name was Richardson,(1) the designation of a family of some +distinction in the county of Tyrone. I was the younger of two daughters, +and we were the only children. There was a difference in our ages of +nearly six years, so that I did not, in my childhood, enjoy that close +companionship which sisterhood, in other circumstances, necessarily +involves; and while I was still a child, my sister was married. + + + (1) I have carefully altered the names as they appear in the + original MSS., for the reader will see that some of the + circumstances recorded are not of a kind to reflect honour + upon those involved in them; and as many are still living, + in every way honoured and honourable, who stand in close + relation to the principal actors in this drama, the reader + will see the necessity of the course which we have adopted. + + +The person upon whom she bestowed her hand was a Mr. Carew, a gentleman +of property and consideration in the north of England. + +I remember well the eventful day of the wedding; the thronging +carriages, the noisy menials, the loud laughter, the merry faces, and +the gay dresses. Such sights were then new to me, and harmonised ill +with the sorrowful feelings with which I regarded the event which was to +separate me, as it turned out, for ever from a sister whose tenderness +alone had hitherto more than supplied all that I wanted in my mother's +affection. + +The day soon arrived which was to remove the happy couple from Ashtown +House. The carriage stood at the hall-door, and my poor sister kissed me +again and again, telling me that I should see her soon. + +The carriage drove away, and I gazed after it until my eyes filled with +tears, and, returning slowly to my chamber, I wept more bitterly and, so +to speak, more desolately, than ever I had done before. + +My father had never seemed to love or to take an interest in me. He had +desired a son, and I think he never thoroughly forgave me my unfortunate +sex. + +My having come into the world at all as his child he regarded as a kind +of fraudulent intrusion, and as his antipathy to me had its origin in +an imperfection of mine, too radical for removal, I never even hoped to +stand high in his good graces. + +My mother was, I dare say, as fond of me as she was of anyone; but +she was a woman of a masculine and a worldly cast of mind. She had no +tenderness or sympathy for the weaknesses, or even for the affections, +of woman's nature and her demeanour towards me was peremptory, and often +even harsh. + +It is not to be supposed, then, that I found in the society of my +parents much to supply the loss of my sister. About a year after her +marriage, we received letters from Mr. Carew, containing accounts of my +sister's health, which, though not actually alarming, were calculated +to make us seriously uneasy. The symptoms most dwelt upon were loss of +appetite and cough. + +The letters concluded by intimating that he would avail himself of my +father and mother's repeated invitation to spend some time at Ashtown, +particularly as the physician who had been consulted as to my sister's +health had strongly advised a removal to her native air. + +There were added repeated assurances that nothing serious was +apprehended, as it was supposed that a deranged state of the liver was +the only source of the symptoms which at first had seemed to intimate +consumption. + +In accordance with this announcement, my sister and Mr. Carew arrived in +Dublin, where one of my father's carriages awaited them, in readiness to +start upon whatever day or hour they might choose for their departure. + +It was arranged that Mr. Carew was, as soon as the day upon which they +were to leave Dublin was definitely fixed, to write to my father, who +intended that the two last stages should be performed by his own horses, +upon whose speed and safety far more reliance might be placed than +upon those of the ordinary post-horses, which were at that time, almost +without exception, of the very worst order. The journey, one of about +ninety miles, was to be divided; the larger portion being reserved for +the second day. + +On Sunday a letter reached us, stating that the party would leave Dublin +on Monday, and, in due course, reach Ashtown upon Tuesday evening. + +Tuesday came the evening closed in, and yet no carriage; darkness came +on, and still no sign of our expected visitors. + +Hour after hour passed away, and it was now past twelve; the night was +remarkably calm, scarce a breath stirring, so that any sound, such +as that produced by the rapid movement of a vehicle, would have been +audible at a considerable distance. For some such sound I was feverishly +listening. + +It was, however, my father's rule to close the house at nightfall, and +the window-shutters being fastened, I was unable to reconnoitre the +avenue as I would have wished. It was nearly one o'clock, and we began +almost to despair of seeing them upon that night, when I thought I +distinguished the sound of wheels, but so remote and faint as to make +me at first very uncertain. The noise approached; it became louder and +clearer; it stopped for a moment. + +I now heard the shrill screaming of the rusty iron, as the avenue-gate +revolved on its hinges; again came the sound of wheels in rapid motion. + +'It is they,' said I, starting up; 'the carriage is in the avenue.' + +We all stood for a few moments breathlessly listening. On thundered the +vehicle with the speed of a whirlwind; crack went the whip, and clatter +went the wheels, as it rattled over the uneven pavement of the court. +A general and furious barking from all the dogs about the house, hailed +its arrival. + +We hurried to the hall in time to hear the steps let down with the sharp +clanging noise peculiar to the operation, and the hum of voices exerted +in the bustle of arrival. The hall-door was now thrown open, and we all +stepped forth to greet our visitors. + +The court was perfectly empty; the moon was shining broadly and brightly +upon all around; nothing was to be seen but the tall trees with their +long spectral shadows, now wet with the dews of midnight. + +We stood gazing from right to left, as if suddenly awakened from a +dream; the dogs walked suspiciously, growling and snuffing about the +court, and by totally and suddenly ceasing their former loud barking, +expressing the predominance of fear. + +We stared one upon another in perplexity and dismay, and I think I never +beheld more pale faces assembled. By my father's direction, we looked +about to find anything which might indicate or account for the noise +which we had heard; but no such thing was to be seen--even the mire +which lay upon the avenue was undisturbed. We returned to the house, +more panic-struck than I can describe. + +On the next day, we learned by a messenger, who had ridden hard the +greater part of the night, that my sister was dead. On Sunday evening, +she had retired to bed rather unwell, and, on Monday, her indisposition +declared itself unequivocally to be malignant fever. She became hourly +worse and, on Tuesday night, a little after midnight, she expired.(2) + + + (2) The residuary legatee of the late Frances Purcell, who + has the honour of selecting such of his lamented old + friend's manuscripts as may appear fit for publication, in + order that the lore which they contain may reach the world + before scepticism and utility have robbed our species of the + precious gift of credulity, and scornfully kicked before + them, or trampled into annihilation those harmless fragments + of picturesque superstition which it is our object to + preserve, has been subjected to the charge of dealing too + largely in the marvellous; and it has been half insinuated + that such is his love for diablerie, that he is content to + wander a mile out of his way, in order to meet a fiend or a + goblin, and thus to sacrifice all regard for truth and + accuracy to the idle hope of affrighting the imagination, + and thus pandering to the bad taste of his reader. He begs + leave, then, to take this opportunity of asserting his + perfect innocence of all the crimes laid to his charge, and + to assure his reader that he never PANDERED TO HIS BAD + TASTE, nor went one inch out of his way to introduce witch, + fairy, devil, ghost, or any other of the grim fraternity of + the redoubted Raw-head-and-bloody-bones. His province, + touching these tales, has been attended with no difficulty + and little responsibility; indeed, he is accountable for + nothing more than an alteration in the names of persons + mentioned therein, when such a step seemed necessary, and + for an occasional note, whenever he conceived it possible, + innocently, to edge in a word. These tales have been WRITTEN + DOWN, as the heading of each announces, by the Rev. Francis + Purcell, P.P., of Drumcoolagh; and in all the instances, + which are many, in which the present writer has had an + opportunity of comparing the manuscript of his departed + friend with the actual traditions which are current amongst + the families whose fortunes they pretend to illustrate, he + has uniformly found that whatever of supernatural occurred + in the story, so far from having been exaggerated by him, + had been rather softened down, and, wherever it could be + attempted, accounted for. + + +I mention this circumstance, because it was one upon which a thousand +wild and fantastical reports were founded, though one would have thought +that the truth scarcely required to be improved upon; and again, because +it produced a strong and lasting effect upon my spirits, and indeed, I +am inclined to think, upon my character. + +I was, for several years after this occurrence, long after the violence +of my grief subsided, so wretchedly low-spirited and nervous, that +I could scarcely be said to live; and during this time, habits of +indecision, arising out of a listless acquiescence in the will of +others, a fear of encountering even the slightest opposition, and a +disposition to shrink from what are commonly called amusements, grew +upon me so strongly, that I have scarcely even yet altogether overcome +them. + +We saw nothing more of Mr. Carew. He returned to England as soon as the +melancholy rites attendant upon the event which I have just mentioned +were performed; and not being altogether inconsolable, he married again +within two years; after which, owing to the remoteness of our relative +situations, and other circumstances, we gradually lost sight of him. + +I was now an only child; and, as my elder sister had died without issue, +it was evident that, in the ordinary course of things, my father's +property, which was altogether in his power, would go to me; and the +consequence was, that before I was fourteen, Ashtown House was besieged +by a host of suitors. However, whether it was that I was too young, or +that none of the aspirants to my hand stood sufficiently high in rank or +wealth, I was suffered by both parents to do exactly as I pleased; +and well was it for me, as I afterwards found, that fortune, or rather +Providence, had so ordained it, that I had not suffered my affections +to become in any degree engaged, for my mother would never have +suffered any SILLY FANCY of mine, as she was in the habit of styling an +attachment, to stand in the way of her ambitious views--views which she +was determined to carry into effect, in defiance of every obstacle, and +in order to accomplish which she would not have hesitated to sacrifice +anything so unreasonable and contemptible as a girlish passion. + +When I reached the age of sixteen, my mother's plans began to develop +themselves; and, at her suggestion, we moved to Dublin to sojourn for +the winter, in order that no time might be lost in disposing of me to +the best advantage. + +I had been too long accustomed to consider myself as of no importance +whatever, to believe for a moment that I was in reality the cause of all +the bustle and preparation which surrounded me, and being thus relieved +from the pain which a consciousness of my real situation would have +inflicted, I journeyed towards the capital with a feeling of total +indifference. + +My father's wealth and connection had established him in the best +society, and, consequently, upon our arrival in the metropolis we +commanded whatever enjoyment or advantages its gaieties afforded. + +The tumult and novelty of the scenes in which I was involved did not +fail considerably to amuse me, and my mind gradually recovered its tone, +which was naturally cheerful. + +It was almost immediately known and reported that I was an heiress, and +of course my attractions were pretty generally acknowledged. + +Among the many gentlemen whom it was my fortune to please, one, ere +long, established himself in my mother's good graces, to the exclusion +of all less important aspirants. However, I had not understood or even +remarked his attentions, nor in the slightest degree suspected his or +my mother's plans respecting me, when I was made aware of them rather +abruptly by my mother herself. + +We had attended a splendid ball, given by Lord M----, at his residence +in Stephen's Green, and I was, with the assistance of my waiting-maid, +employed in rapidly divesting myself of the rich ornaments which, in +profuseness and value, could scarcely have found their equals in any +private family in Ireland. + +I had thrown myself into a lounging-chair beside the fire, listless and +exhausted, after the fatigues of the evening, when I was aroused +from the reverie into which I had fallen by the sound of footsteps +approaching my chamber, and my mother entered. + +'Fanny, my dear,' said she, in her softest tone, 'I wish to say a word +or two with you before I go to rest. You are not fatigued, love, I +hope?' + +'No, no, madam, I thank you,' said I, rising at the same time from my +seat, with the formal respect so little practised now. + +'Sit down, my dear,' said she, placing herself upon a chair beside me; +'I must chat with you for a quarter of an hour or so. Saunders' (to the +maid) 'you may leave the room; do not close the room-door, but shut that +of the lobby.' + +This precaution against curious ears having been taken as directed, my +mother proceeded. + +'You have observed, I should suppose, my dearest Fanny--indeed, you MUST +have observed Lord Glenfallen's marked attentions to you?' + +'I assure you, madam----' I began. + +'Well, well, that is all right,' interrupted my mother; 'of course you +must be modest upon the matter; but listen to me for a few moments, my +love, and I will prove to your satisfaction that your modesty is quite +unnecessary in this case. You have done better than we could have hoped, +at least so very soon. Lord Glenfallen is in love with you. I give you +joy of your conquest;' and saying this, my mother kissed my forehead. + +'In love with me!' I exclaimed, in unfeigned astonishment. + +'Yes, in love with you,' repeated my mother; 'devotedly, distractedly in +love with you. Why, my dear, what is there wonderful in it? Look in the +glass, and look at these,' she continued, pointing with a smile to the +jewels which I had just removed from my person, and which now lay a +glittering heap upon the table. + +'May there not,' said I, hesitating between confusion and real +alarm--'is it not possible that some mistake may be at the bottom of all +this?' + +'Mistake, dearest! none,' said my mother. 'None; none in the world. +Judge for yourself; read this, my love.' And she placed in my hand a +letter, addressed to herself, the seal of which was broken. I read +it through with no small surprise. After some very fine complimentary +flourishes upon my beauty and perfections, as also upon the antiquity +and high reputation of our family, it went on to make a formal proposal +of marriage, to be communicated or not to me at present, as my mother +should deem expedient; and the letter wound up by a request that the +writer might be permitted, upon our return to Ashtown House, which was +soon to take place, as the spring was now tolerably advanced, to visit +us for a few days, in case his suit was approved. + +'Well, well, my dear,' said my mother, impatiently; 'do you know who +Lord Glenfallen is?' + +'I do, madam,' said I rather timidly, for I dreaded an altercation with +my mother. + +'Well, dear, and what frightens you?' continued she. 'Are you afraid of +a title? What has he done to alarm you? he is neither old nor ugly.' + +I was silent, though I might have said, 'He is neither young nor +handsome.' + +'My dear Fanny,' continued my mother, 'in sober seriousness you have +been most fortunate in engaging the affections of a nobleman such as +Lord Glenfallen, young and wealthy, with first-rate--yes, acknowledged +FIRST-RATE abilities, and of a family whose influence is not exceeded +by that of any in Ireland. Of course you see the offer in the same light +that I do--indeed I think you MUST.' + +This was uttered in no very dubious tone. I was so much astonished by +the suddenness of the whole communication that I literally did not know +what to say. + +'You are not in love?' said my mother, turning sharply, and fixing her +dark eyes upon me with severe scrutiny. + +'No, madam,' said I, promptly; horrified, as what young lady would not +have been, at such a query. + +'I'm glad to hear it,' said my mother, drily. 'Once, nearly twenty +years ago, a friend of mine consulted me as to how he should deal with a +daughter who had made what they call a love-match--beggared herself, and +disgraced her family; and I said, without hesitation, take no care +for her, but cast her off. Such punishment I awarded for an offence +committed against the reputation of a family not my own; and what I +advised respecting the child of another, with full as small compunction +I would DO with mine. I cannot conceive anything more unreasonable or +intolerable than that the fortune and the character of a family should +be marred by the idle caprices of a girl.' + +She spoke this with great severity, and paused as if she expected some +observation from me. + +I, however, said nothing. + +'But I need not explain to you, my dear Fanny,' she continued, 'my views +upon this subject; you have always known them well, and I have never yet +had reason to believe you likely, voluntarily, to offend me, or to abuse +or neglect any of those advantages which reason and duty tell you +should be improved. Come hither, my dear; kiss me, and do not look so +frightened. Well, now, about this letter, you need not answer it yet; of +course you must be allowed time to make up your mind. In the meantime +I will write to his lordship to give him my permission to visit us at +Ashtown. Good-night, my love.' + +And thus ended one of the most disagreeable, not to say astounding, +conversations I had ever had. It would not be easy to describe exactly +what were my feelings towards Lord Glenfallen;--whatever might have been +my mother's suspicions, my heart was perfectly disengaged--and hitherto, +although I had not been made in the slightest degree acquainted with his +real views, I had liked him very much, as an agreeable, well-informed +man, whom I was always glad to meet in society. He had served in the +navy in early life, and the polish which his manners received in his +after intercourse with courts and cities had not served to obliterate +that frankness of manner which belongs proverbially to the sailor. + +Whether this apparent candour went deeper than the outward bearing, I +was yet to learn. However, there was no doubt that, as far as I had seen +of Lord Glenfallen, he was, though perhaps not so young as might have +been desired in a lover, a singularly pleasing man; and whatever feeling +unfavourable to him had found its way into my mind, arose altogether +from the dread, not an unreasonable one, that constraint might be +practised upon my inclinations. I reflected, however, that Lord +Glenfallen was a wealthy man, and one highly thought of; and although I +could never expect to love him in the romantic sense of the term, yet I +had no doubt but that, all things considered, I might be more happy with +him than I could hope to be at home. + +When next I met him it was with no small embarrassment, his tact and +good breeding, however, soon reassured me, and effectually prevented my +awkwardness being remarked upon. And I had the satisfaction of leaving +Dublin for the country with the full conviction that nobody, not +even those most intimate with me, even suspected the fact of Lord +Glenfallen's having made me a formal proposal. + +This was to me a very serious subject of self-gratulation, for, besides +my instinctive dread of becoming the topic of the speculations of +gossip, I felt that if the situation which I occupied in relation to +him were made publicly known, I should stand committed in a manner which +would scarcely leave me the power of retraction. + +The period at which Lord Glenfallen had arranged to visit Ashtown House +was now fast approaching, and it became my mother's wish to form +me thoroughly to her will, and to obtain my consent to the proposed +marriage before his arrival, so that all things might proceed smoothly, +without apparent opposition or objection upon my part. Whatever +objections, therefore, I had entertained were to be subdued; whatever +disposition to resistance I had exhibited or had been supposed to feel, +were to be completely eradicated before he made his appearance; and my +mother addressed herself to the task with a decision and energy against +which even the barriers, which her imagination had created, could hardly +have stood. + +If she had, however, expected any determined opposition from me, she was +agreeably disappointed. My heart was perfectly free, and all my feelings +of liking and preference were in favour of Lord Glenfallen; and I well +knew that in case I refused to dispose of myself as I was desired, +my mother had alike the power and the will to render my existence as +utterly miserable as even the most ill-assorted marriage could possibly +have done. + +You will remember, my good friend, that I was very young and very +completely under the control of my parents, both of whom, my mother +particularly, were unscrupulously determined in matters of this kind, +and willing, when voluntary obedience on the part of those within their +power was withheld, to compel a forced acquiescence by an unsparing use +of all the engines of the most stern and rigorous domestic discipline. + +All these combined, not unnaturally, induced me to resolve upon yielding +at once, and without useless opposition, to what appeared almost to be +my fate. + +The appointed time was come, and my now accepted suitor arrived; he was +in high spirits, and, if possible, more entertaining than ever. + +I was not, however, quite in the mood to enjoy his sprightliness; but +whatever I wanted in gaiety was amply made up in the triumphant and +gracious good-humour of my mother, whose smiles of benevolence and +exultation were showered around as bountifully as the summer sunshine. + +I will not weary you with unnecessary prolixity. Let it suffice to say, +that I was married to Lord Glenfallen with all the attendant pomp and +circumstance of wealth, rank, and grandeur. According to the usage of +the times, now humanely reformed, the ceremony was made, until long past +midnight, the season of wild, uproarious, and promiscuous feasting and +revelry. + +Of all this I have a painfully vivid recollection, and particularly of +the little annoyances inflicted upon me by the dull and coarse jokes +of the wits and wags who abound in all such places, and upon all such +occasions. + +I was not sorry when, after a few days, Lord Glenfallen's carriage +appeared at the door to convey us both from Ashtown; for any change +would have been a relief from the irksomeness of ceremonial and +formality which the visits received in honour of my newly-acquired +titles hourly entailed upon me. + +It was arranged that we were to proceed to Cahergillagh, one of the +Glenfallen estates, lying, however, in a southern county, so that, owing +to the difficulty of the roads at the time, a tedious journey of three +days intervened. + +I set forth with my noble companion, followed by the regrets of some, +and by the envy of many; though God knows I little deserved the latter. +The three days of travel were now almost spent, when, passing the brow +of a wild heathy hill, the domain of Cahergillagh opened suddenly upon +our view. + +It formed a striking and a beautiful scene. A lake of considerable +extent stretching away towards the west, and reflecting from its broad, +smooth waters, the rich glow of the setting sun, was overhung by steep +hills, covered by a rich mantle of velvet sward, broken here and there +by the grey front of some old rock, and exhibiting on their shelving +sides, their slopes and hollows, every variety of light and shade; +a thick wood of dwarf oak, birch, and hazel skirted these hills, and +clothed the shores of the lake, running out in rich luxuriance upon +every promontory, and spreading upward considerably upon the side of the +hills. + +'There lies the enchanted castle,' said Lord Glenfallen, pointing +towards a considerable level space intervening between two of the +picturesque hills, which rose dimly around the lake. + +This little plain was chiefly occupied by the same low, wild wood which +covered the other parts of the domain; but towards the centre a mass +of taller and statelier forest trees stood darkly grouped together, +and among them stood an ancient square tower, with many buildings of a +humbler character, forming together the manorhouse, or, as it was more +usually called, the Court of Cahergillagh. + +As we approached the level upon which the mansion stood, the winding +road gave us many glimpses of the time-worn castle and its surrounding +buildings; and seen as it was through the long vistas of the fine old +trees, and with the rich glow of evening upon it, I have seldom beheld +an object more picturesquely striking. + +I was glad to perceive, too, that here and there the blue curling smoke +ascended from stacks of chimneys now hidden by the rich, dark ivy which, +in a great measure, covered the building. Other indications of comfort +made themselves manifest as we approached; and indeed, though the place +was evidently one of considerable antiquity, it had nothing whatever of +the gloom of decay about it. + +'You must not, my love,' said Lord Glenfallen, 'imagine this place worse +than it is. I have no taste for antiquity--at least I should not choose +a house to reside in because it is old. Indeed I do not recollect that I +was even so romantic as to overcome my aversion to rats and rheumatism, +those faithful attendants upon your noble relics of feudalism; and +I much prefer a snug, modern, unmysterious bedroom, with well-aired +sheets, to the waving tapestry, mildewed cushions, and all the other +interesting appliances of romance. However, though I cannot promise you +all the discomfort generally belonging to an old castle, you will find +legends and ghostly lore enough to claim your respect; and if old +Martha be still to the fore, as I trust she is, you will soon have a +supernatural and appropriate anecdote for every closet and corner of +the mansion; but here we are--so, without more ado, welcome to +Cahergillagh!' + +We now entered the hall of the castle, and while the domestics were +employed in conveying our trunks and other luggage which we had brought +with us for immediate use to the apartments which Lord Glenfallen +had selected for himself and me, I went with him into a spacious +sitting-room, wainscoted with finely polished black oak, and hung round +with the portraits of various worthies of the Glenfallen family. + +This room looked out upon an extensive level covered with the softest +green sward, and irregularly bounded by the wild wood I have before +mentioned, through the leafy arcade formed by whose boughs and trunks +the level beams of the setting sun were pouring. In the distance a group +of dairymaids were plying their task, which they accompanied throughout +with snatches of Irish songs which, mellowed by the distance, floated +not unpleasingly to the ear; and beside them sat or lay, with all the +grave importance of conscious protection, six or seven large dogs of +various kinds. Farther in the distance, and through the cloisters of the +arching wood, two or three ragged urchins were employed in driving such +stray kine as had wandered farther than the rest to join their fellows. + +As I looked upon this scene which I have described, a feeling of +tranquillity and happiness came upon me, which I have never experienced +in so strong a degree; and so strange to me was the sensation that my +eyes filled with tears. + +Lord Glenfallen mistook the cause of my emotion, and taking me kindly +and tenderly by the hand, he said: + +'Do not suppose, my love, that it is my intention to SETTLE here. +Whenever you desire to leave this, you have only to let me know your +wish, and it shall be complied with; so I must entreat of you not to +suffer any circumstances which I can control to give you one moment's +uneasiness. But here is old Martha; you must be introduced to her, one +of the heirlooms of our family.' + +A hale, good-humoured, erect old woman was Martha, and an agreeable +contrast to the grim, decrepid hag which my fancy had conjured up, as +the depository of all the horrible tales in which I doubted not this old +place was most fruitful. + +She welcomed me and her master with a profusion of gratulations, +alternately kissing our hands and apologising for the liberty, until at +length Lord Glenfallen put an end to this somewhat fatiguing ceremonial +by requesting her to conduct me to my chamber if it were prepared for my +reception. + +I followed Martha up an old-fashioned oak staircase into a long, dim +passage, at the end of which lay the door which communicated with the +apartments which had been selected for our use; here the old woman +stopped, and respectfully requested me to proceed. + +I accordingly opened the door, and was about to enter, when something +like a mass of black tapestry, as it appeared, disturbed by my sudden +approach, fell from above the door, so as completely to screen the +aperture; the startling unexpectedness of the occurrence, and the +rustling noise which the drapery made in its descent, caused me +involuntarily to step two or three paces backwards. I turned, smiling +and half-ashamed, to the old servant, and said: + +'You see what a coward I am.' + +The woman looked puzzled, and, without saying any more, I was about to +draw aside the curtain and enter the room, when, upon turning to do so, +I was surprised to find that nothing whatever interposed to obstruct the +passage. + +I went into the room, followed by the servant-woman, and was amazed to +find that it, like the one below, was wainscoted, and that nothing like +drapery was to be found near the door. + +'Where is it?' said I; 'what has become of it?' + +'What does your ladyship wish to know?' said the old woman. + +'Where is the black curtain that fell across the door, when I attempted +first to come to my chamber?' answered I. + +'The cross of Christ about us!' said the old woman, turning suddenly +pale. + +'What is the matter, my good friend?' said I; 'you seem frightened.' + +'Oh no, no, your ladyship,' said the old woman, endeavouring to conceal +her agitation; but in vain, for tottering towards a chair, she sank into +it, looking so deadly pale and horror-struck that I thought every moment +she would faint. + +'Merciful God, keep us from harm and danger!' muttered she at length. + +'What can have terrified you so?' said I, beginning to fear that she +had seen something more than had met my eye. 'You appear ill, my poor +woman!' + +'Nothing, nothing, my lady,' said she, rising. 'I beg your ladyship's +pardon for making so bold. May the great God defend us from misfortune!' + +'Martha,' said I, 'something HAS frightened you very much, and I insist +on knowing what it is; your keeping me in the dark upon the subject will +make me much more uneasy than anything you could tell me. I desire you, +therefore, to let me know what agitates you; I command you to tell me.' + +'Your ladyship said you saw a black curtain falling across the door when +you were coming into the room,' said the old woman. + +'I did,' said I; 'but though the whole thing appears somewhat strange, I +cannot see anything in the matter to agitate you so excessively.' + +'It's for no good you saw that, my lady,' said the crone; 'something +terrible is coming. It's a sign, my lady--a sign that never fails.' + +'Explain, explain what you mean, my good woman,' said I, in spite of +myself, catching more than I could account for, of her superstitious +terror. + +'Whenever something--something BAD is going to happen to the Glenfallen +family, some one that belongs to them sees a black handkerchief or +curtain just waved or falling before their faces. I saw it myself,' +continued she, lowering her voice, 'when I was only a little girl, and +I'll never forget it. I often heard of it before, though I never saw it +till then, nor since, praised be God. But I was going into Lady Jane's +room to waken her in the morning; and sure enough when I got first to +the bed and began to draw the curtain, something dark was waved across +the division, but only for a moment; and when I saw rightly into the +bed, there was she lying cold and dead, God be merciful to me! So, +my lady, there is small blame to me to be daunted when any one of the +family sees it; for it's many's the story I heard of it, though I saw it +but once.' + +I was not of a superstitious turn of mind, yet I could not resist a +feeling of awe very nearly allied to the fear which my companion had +so unreservedly expressed; and when you consider my situation, the +loneliness, antiquity, and gloom of the place, you will allow that the +weakness was not without excuse. + +In spite of old Martha's boding predictions, however, time flowed on +in an unruffled course. One little incident however, though trifling +in itself, I must relate, as it serves to make what follows more +intelligible. + +Upon the day after my arrival, Lord Glenfallen of course desired to make +me acquainted with the house and domain; and accordingly we set forth +upon our ramble. When returning, he became for some time silent +and moody, a state so unusual with him as considerably to excite my +surprise. + +I endeavoured by observations and questions to arouse him--but in +vain. At length, as we approached the house, he said, as if speaking to +himself: + +''Twere madness--madness--madness,' repeating the words bitterly--'sure +and speedy ruin.' + +There was here a long pause; and at length, turning sharply towards me, +in a tone very unlike that in which he had hitherto addressed me, he +said: + +'Do you think it possible that a woman can keep a secret?' + +'I am sure,' said I, 'that women are very much belied upon the score +of talkativeness, and that I may answer your question with the same +directness with which you put it--I reply that I DO think a woman can +keep a secret.' + +'But I do not,' said he, drily. + +We walked on in silence for a time. I was much astonished at his +unwonted abruptness--I had almost said rudeness. + +After a considerable pause he seemed to recollect himself, and with an +effort resuming his sprightly manner, he said: + +'Well, well, the next thing to keeping a secret well is, not to desire +to possess one--talkativeness and curiosity generally go together. Now +I shall make test of you, in the first place, respecting the latter of +these qualities. I shall be your BLUEBEARD--tush, why do I trifle thus? +Listen to me, my dear Fanny; I speak now in solemn earnest. What I +desire is intimately, inseparably, connected with your happiness and +honour as well as my own; and your compliance with my request will not +be difficult. It will impose upon you a very trifling restraint during +your sojourn here, which certain events which have occurred since our +arrival have determined me shall not be a long one. You must promise +me, upon your sacred honour, that you will visit ONLY that part of the +castle which can be reached from the front entrance, leaving the back +entrance and the part of the building commanded immediately by it to the +menials, as also the small garden whose high wall you see yonder; and +never at any time seek to pry or peep into them, nor to open the door +which communicates from the front part of the house through the corridor +with the back. I do not urge this in jest or in caprice, but from +a solemn conviction that danger and misery will be the certain +consequences of your not observing what I prescribe. I cannot explain +myself further at present. Promise me, then, these things, as you hope +for peace here, and for mercy hereafter.' + +I did make the promise as desired, and he appeared relieved; his manner +recovered all its gaiety and elasticity: but the recollection of the +strange scene which I have just described dwelt painfully upon my mind. + +More than a month passed away without any occurrence worth recording; +but I was not destined to leave Cahergillagh without further adventure. +One day, intending to enjoy the pleasant sunshine in a ramble through +the woods, I ran up to my room to procure my bonnet and shawl. Upon +entering the chamber, I was surprised and somewhat startled to find it +occupied. Beside the fireplace, and nearly opposite the door, seated in +a large, old-fashioned elbow-chair, was placed the figure of a lady. She +appeared to be nearer fifty than forty, and was dressed suitably to +her age, in a handsome suit of flowered silk; she had a profusion +of trinkets and jewellery about her person, and many rings upon her +fingers. But although very rich, her dress was not gaudy or in ill +taste. But what was remarkable in the lady was, that although her +features were handsome, and upon the whole pleasing, the pupil of each +eye was dimmed with the whiteness of cataract, and she was evidently +stone-blind. I was for some seconds so surprised at this unaccountable +apparition, that I could not find words to address her. + +'Madam,' said I, 'there must be some mistake here--this is my +bed-chamber.' + +'Marry come up,' said the lady, sharply; 'YOUR chamber! Where is Lord +Glenfallen?' + +'He is below, madam,' replied I; 'and I am convinced he will be not a +little surprised to find you here.' + +'I do not think he will,' said she; 'with your good leave, talk of +what you know something about. Tell him I want him. Why does the minx +dilly-dally so?' + +In spite of the awe which this grim lady inspired, there was something +in her air of confident superiority which, when I considered our +relative situations, was not a little irritating. + +'Do you know, madam, to whom you speak?' said I. + +'I neither know nor care,' said she; 'but I presume that you are some +one about the house, so again I desire you, if you wish to continue +here, to bring your master hither forthwith.' + +'I must tell you, madam,' said I, 'that I am Lady Glenfallen.' + +'What's that?' said the stranger, rapidly. + +'I say, madam,' I repeated, approaching her that I might be more +distinctly heard, 'that I am Lady Glenfallen.' + +'It's a lie, you trull!' cried she, in an accent which made me start, +and at the same time, springing forward, she seized me in her grasp, and +shook me violently, repeating, 'It's a lie--it's a lie!' with a rapidity +and vehemence which swelled every vein of her face. The violence of her +action, and the fury which convulsed her face, effectually terrified me, +and disengaging myself from her grasp, I screamed as loud as I could for +help. The blind woman continued to pour out a torrent of abuse upon +me, foaming at the mouth with rage, and impotently shaking her clenched +fists towards me. + +I heard Lord Glenfallen's step upon the stairs, and I instantly ran out; +as I passed him I perceived that he was deadly pale, and just caught the +words: 'I hope that demon has not hurt you?' + +I made some answer, I forget what, and he entered the chamber, the door +of which he locked upon the inside. What passed within I know not; but +I heard the voices of the two speakers raised in loud and angry +altercation. + +I thought I heard the shrill accents of the woman repeat the words, +'Let her look to herself;' but I could not be quite sure. This short +sentence, however, was, to my alarmed imagination, pregnant with fearful +meaning. + +The storm at length subsided, though not until after a conference +of more than two long hours. Lord Glenfallen then returned, pale and +agitated. + +'That unfortunate woman,' said he, 'is out of her mind. I daresay she +treated you to some of her ravings; but you need not dread any further +interruption from her: I have brought her so far to reason. She did not +hurt you, I trust.' + +'No, no,' said I; 'but she terrified me beyond measure.' + +'Well,' said he, 'she is likely to behave better for the future; and I +dare swear that neither you nor she would desire, after what has passed, +to meet again.' + +This occurrence, so startling and unpleasant, so involved in mystery, +and giving rise to so many painful surmises, afforded me no very +agreeable food for rumination. + +All attempts on my part to arrive at the truth were baffled; Lord +Glenfallen evaded all my inquiries, and at length peremptorily forbid +any further allusion to the matter. I was thus obliged to rest satisfied +with what I had actually seen, and to trust to time to resolve the +perplexities in which the whole transaction had involved me. + +Lord Glenfallen's temper and spirits gradually underwent a complete and +most painful change; he became silent and abstracted, his manner to me +was abrupt and often harsh, some grievous anxiety seemed ever present to +his mind; and under its influence his spirits sunk and his temper became +soured. + +I soon perceived that his gaiety was rather that which the stir and +excitement of society produce, than the result of a healthy habit +of mind; every day confirmed me in the opinion, that the considerate +good-nature which I had so much admired in him was little more than +a mere manner; and to my infinite grief and surprise, the gay, kind, +open-hearted nobleman who had for months followed and flattered me, was +rapidly assuming the form of a gloomy, morose, and singularly selfish +man. This was a bitter discovery, and I strove to conceal it from myself +as long as I could; but the truth was not to be denied, and I was forced +to believe that Lord Glenfallen no longer loved me, and that he was at +little pains to conceal the alteration in his sentiments. + +One morning after breakfast, Lord Glenfallen had been for some time +walking silently up and down the room, buried in his moody reflections, +when pausing suddenly, and turning towards me, he exclaimed: + +'I have it--I have it! We must go abroad, and stay there too; and +if that does not answer, why--why, we must try some more effectual +expedient. Lady Glenfallen, I have become involved in heavy +embarrassments. A wife, you know, must share the fortunes of her +husband, for better for worse; but I will waive my right if you prefer +remaining here--here at Cahergillagh. For I would not have you seen +elsewhere without the state to which your rank entitles you; besides, it +would break your poor mother's heart,' he added, with sneering gravity. +'So make up your mind--Cahergillagh or France. I will start if possible +in a week, so determine between this and then.' + +He left the room, and in a few moments I saw him ride past the window, +followed by a mounted servant. He had directed a domestic to inform me +that he should not be back until the next day. + +I was in very great doubt as to what course of conduct I should pursue, +as to accompanying him in the continental tour so suddenly determined +upon. I felt that it would be a hazard too great to encounter; for at +Cahergillagh I had always the consciousness to sustain me, that if his +temper at any time led him into violent or unwarrantable treatment of +me, I had a remedy within reach, in the protection and support of my own +family, from all useful and effective communication with whom, if once +in France, I should be entirely debarred. + +As to remaining at Cahergillagh in solitude, and, for aught I knew, +exposed to hidden dangers, it appeared to me scarcely less objectionable +than the former proposition; and yet I feared that with one or other I +must comply, unless I was prepared to come to an actual breach with Lord +Glenfallen. Full of these unpleasing doubts and perplexities, I retired +to rest. + +I was wakened, after having slept uneasily for some hours, by some +person shaking me rudely by the shoulder; a small lamp burned in my +room, and by its light, to my horror and amazement, I discovered that my +visitant was the self-same blind old lady who had so terrified me a few +weeks before. + +I started up in the bed, with a view to ring the bell, and alarm the +domestics; but she instantly anticipated me by saying: + +'Do not be frightened, silly girl! If I had wished to harm you I could +have done it while you were sleeping; I need not have wakened you. +Listen to me, now, attentively and fearlessly, for what I have to say +interests you to the full as much as it does me. Tell me here, in the +presence of God, did Lord Glenfallen marry you--ACTUALLY MARRY you? +Speak the truth, woman.' + +'As surely as I live and speak,' I replied, 'did Lord Glenfallen marry +me, in presence of more than a hundred witnesses.' + +'Well,' continued she, 'he should have told you THEN, before you +married him, that he had a wife living, which wife I am. I feel you +tremble--tush! do not be frightened. I do not mean to harm you. Mark +me now--you are NOT his wife. When I make my story known you will be +so neither in the eye of God nor of man. You must leave this house upon +to-morrow. Let the world know that your husband has another wife living; +go you into retirement, and leave him to justice, which will surely +overtake him. If you remain in this house after to-morrow you will reap +the bitter fruits of your sin.' + +So saying, she quitted the room, leaving me very little disposed to +sleep. + +Here was food for my very worst and most terrible suspicions; still +there was not enough to remove all doubt. I had no proof of the truth of +this woman's statement. + +Taken by itself, there was nothing to induce me to attach weight to it; +but when I viewed it in connection with the extraordinary mystery of +some of Lord Glenfallen's proceedings, his strange anxiety to exclude me +from certain portions of the mansion, doubtless lest I should encounter +this person--the strong influence, nay, command which she possessed over +him, a circumstance clearly established by the very fact of her residing +in the very place where, of all others, he should least have desired to +find her--her thus acting, and continuing to act in direct contradiction +to his wishes; when, I say, I viewed her disclosure in connection with +all these circumstances, I could not help feeling that there was at +least a fearful verisimilitude in the allegations which she had made. + +Still I was not satisfied, nor nearly so. Young minds have a +reluctance almost insurmountable to believing, upon anything short of +unquestionable proof, the existence of premeditated guilt in anyone whom +they have ever trusted; and in support of this feeling I was assured +that if the assertion of Lord Glenfallen, which nothing in this woman's +manner had led me to disbelieve, were true, namely that her mind was +unsound, the whole fabric of my doubts and fears must fall to the +ground. + +I determined to state to Lord Glenfallen freely and accurately the +substance of the communication which I had just heard, and in his words +and looks to seek for its proof or refutation. Full of these thoughts, +I remained wakeful and excited all night, every moment fancying that I +heard the step or saw the figure of my recent visitor, towards whom I +felt a species of horror and dread which I can hardly describe. + +There was something in her face, though her features had evidently been +handsome, and were not, at first sight, unpleasing, which, upon a nearer +inspection, seemed to indicate the habitual prevalence and indulgence +of evil passions, and a power of expressing mere animal anger, with an +intenseness that I have seldom seen equalled, and to which an almost +unearthly effect was given by the convulsive quivering of the sightless +eyes. + +You may easily suppose that it was no very pleasing reflection to me to +consider that, whenever caprice might induce her to return, I was within +the reach of this violent and, for aught I knew, insane woman, who had, +upon that very night, spoken to me in a tone of menace, of which her +mere words, divested of the manner and look with which she uttered them, +can convey but a faint idea. + +Will you believe me when I tell you that I was actually afraid to leave +my bed in order to secure the door, lest I should again encounter +the dreadful object lurking in some corner or peeping from behind the +window-curtains, so very a child was I in my fears. + +The morning came, and with it Lord Glenfallen. I knew not, and indeed I +cared not, where he might have been; my thoughts were wholly engrossed +by the terrible fears and suspicions which my last night's conference +had suggested to me. He was, as usual, gloomy and abstracted, and I +feared in no very fitting mood to hear what I had to say with patience, +whether the charges were true or false. + +I was, however, determined not to suffer the opportunity to pass, +or Lord Glenfallen to leave the room, until, at all hazards, I had +unburdened my mind. + +'My lord,' said I, after a long silence, summoning up all my +firmness--'my lord, I wish to say a few words to you upon a matter of +very great importance, of very deep concernment to you and to me.' + +I fixed my eyes upon him to discern, if possible, whether the +announcement caused him any uneasiness; but no symptom of any such +feeling was perceptible. + +'Well, my dear,' said he, 'this is no doubt a very grave preface, and +portends, I have no doubt, something extraordinary. Pray let us have it +without more ado.' + +He took a chair, and seated himself nearly opposite to me. + +'My lord,' said I, 'I have seen the person who alarmed me so much a +short time since, the blind lady, again, upon last night.' His face, +upon which my eyes were fixed, turned pale; he hesitated for a moment, +and then said: + +'And did you, pray, madam, so totally forget or spurn my express +command, as to enter that portion of the house from which your promise, +I might say your oath, excluded you?--answer me that!' he added +fiercely. + +'My lord,' said I, 'I have neither forgotten your COMMANDS, since such +they were, nor disobeyed them. I was, last night, wakened from my sleep, +as I lay in my own chamber, and accosted by the person whom I have +mentioned. How she found access to the room I cannot pretend to say.' + +'Ha! this must be looked to,' said he, half reflectively; 'and pray,' +added he, quickly, while in turn he fixed his eyes upon me, 'what did +this person say? since some comment upon her communication forms, no +doubt, the sequel to your preface.' + +'Your lordship is not mistaken,' said I; 'her statement was so +extraordinary that I could not think of withholding it from you. She +told me, my lord, that you had a wife living at the time you married me, +and that she was that wife.' + +Lord Glenfallen became ashy pale, almost livid; he made two or three +efforts to clear his voice to speak, but in vain, and turning suddenly +from me, he walked to the window. The horror and dismay which, in the +olden time, overwhelmed the woman of Endor when her spells unexpectedly +conjured the dead into her presence, were but types of what I felt when +thus presented with what appeared to be almost unequivocal evidence of +the guilt whose existence I had before so strongly doubted. + +There was a silence of some moments, during which it were hard to +conjecture whether I or my companion suffered most. + +Lord Glenfallen soon recovered his self-command; he returned to the +table, again sat down and said: + +'What you have told me has so astonished me, has unfolded such a tissue +of motiveless guilt, and in a quarter from which I had so little reason +to look for ingratitude or treachery, that your announcement almost +deprived me of speech; the person in question, however, has one excuse, +her mind is, as I told you before, unsettled. You should have remembered +that, and hesitated to receive as unexceptionable evidence against the +honour of your husband, the ravings of a lunatic. I now tell you that +this is the last time I shall speak to you upon this subject, and, in +the presence of the God who is to judge me, and as I hope for mercy in +the day of judgment, I swear that the charge thus brought against me is +utterly false, unfounded, and ridiculous; I defy the world in any point +to taint my honour; and, as I have never taken the opinion of madmen +touching your character or morals, I think it but fair to require that +you will evince a like tenderness for me; and now, once for all, never +again dare to repeat to me your insulting suspicions, or the clumsy and +infamous calumnies of fools. I shall instantly let the worthy lady who +contrived this somewhat original device, understand fully my opinion +upon the matter. Good morning;' and with these words he left me again in +doubt, and involved in all horrors of the most agonising suspense. + +I had reason to think that Lord Glenfallen wreaked his vengeance upon +the author of the strange story which I had heard, with a violence which +was not satisfied with mere words, for old Martha, with whom I was a +great favourite, while attending me in my room, told me that she feared +her master had ill-used the poor blind Dutch woman, for that she had +heard her scream as if the very life were leaving her, but added a +request that I should not speak of what she had told me to any one, +particularly to the master. + +'How do you know that she is a Dutch woman?' inquired I, anxious to +learn anything whatever that might throw a light upon the history +of this person, who seemed to have resolved to mix herself up in my +fortunes. + +'Why, my lady,' answered Martha, 'the master often calls her the Dutch +hag, and other names you would not like to hear, and I am sure she is +neither English nor Irish; for, whenever they talk together, they speak +some queer foreign lingo, and fast enough, I'll be bound. But I ought +not to talk about her at all; it might be as much as my place is worth +to mention her--only you saw her first yourself, so there can be no +great harm in speaking of her now.' + +'How long has this lady been here?' continued I. + +'She came early on the morning after your ladyship's arrival,' answered +she; 'but do not ask me any more, for the master would think nothing of +turning me out of doors for daring to speak of her at all, much less to +you, my lady.' + +I did not like to press the poor woman further, for her reluctance to +speak on this topic was evident and strong. + +You will readily believe that upon the very slight grounds which my +information afforded, contradicted as it was by the solemn oath of my +husband, and derived from what was, at best, a very questionable source, +I could not take any very decisive measure whatever; and as to the +menace of the strange woman who had thus unaccountably twice intruded +herself into my chamber, although, at the moment, it occasioned me some +uneasiness, it was not, even in my eyes, sufficiently formidable to +induce my departure from Cahergillagh. + +A few nights after the scene which I have just mentioned, Lord +Glenfallen having, as usual, early retired to his study, I was left +alone in the parlour to amuse myself as best I might. + +It was not strange that my thoughts should often recur to the agitating +scenes in which I had recently taken a part. + +The subject of my reflections, the solitude, the silence, and the +lateness of the hour, as also the depression of spirits to which I had +of late been a constant prey, tended to produce that nervous excitement +which places us wholly at the mercy of the imagination. + +In order to calm my spirits I was endeavouring to direct my thoughts +into some more pleasing channel, when I heard, or thought I heard, +uttered, within a few yards of me, in an odd, half-sneering tone, the +words, + +'There is blood upon your ladyship's throat.' + +So vivid was the impression that I started to my feet, and involuntarily +placed my hand upon my neck. + +I looked around the room for the speaker, but in vain. + +I went then to the room-door, which I opened, and peered into the +passage, nearly faint with horror lest some leering, shapeless thing +should greet me upon the threshold. + +When I had gazed long enough to assure myself that no strange object was +within sight, 'I have been too much of a rake lately; I am racking out +my nerves,' said I, speaking aloud, with a view to reassure myself. + +I rang the bell, and, attended by old Martha, I retired to settle for +the night. + +While the servant was--as was her custom--arranging the lamp which I +have already stated always burned during the night in my chamber, I +was employed in undressing, and, in doing so, I had recourse to a large +looking-glass which occupied a considerable portion of the wall in which +it was fixed, rising from the ground to a height of about six feet--this +mirror filled the space of a large panel in the wainscoting opposite the +foot of the bed. + +I had hardly been before it for the lapse of a minute when something +like a black pall was slowly waved between me and it. + +'Oh, God! there it is,' I exclaimed, wildly. 'I have seen it again, +Martha--the black cloth.' + +'God be merciful to us, then!' answered she, tremulously crossing +herself. 'Some misfortune is over us.' + +'No, no, Martha,' said I, almost instantly recovering my collectedness; +for, although of a nervous temperament, I had never been superstitious. +'I do not believe in omens. You know I saw, or fancied I saw, this thing +before, and nothing followed.' + +'The Dutch lady came the next morning,' replied she. + +'But surely her coming scarcely deserved such a dreadful warning,' I +replied. + +'She is a strange woman, my lady,' said Martha; 'and she is not GONE +yet--mark my words.' + +'Well, well, Martha,' said I, 'I have not wit enough to change your +opinions, nor inclination to alter mine; so I will talk no more of the +matter. Good-night,' and so I was left to my reflections. + +After lying for about an hour awake, I at length fell into a kind of +doze; but my imagination was still busy, for I was startled from this +unrefreshing sleep by fancying that I heard a voice close to my face +exclaim as before: + +'There is blood upon your ladyship's throat.' + +The words were instantly followed by a loud burst of laughter. + +Quaking with horror, I awakened, and heard my husband enter the room. +Even this was it relief. + +Scared as I was, however, by the tricks which my imagination had played +me, I preferred remaining silent, and pretending to sleep, to attempting +to engage my husband in conversation, for I well knew that his mood was +such, that his words would not, in all probability, convey anything that +had not better be unsaid and unheard. + +Lord Glenfallen went into his dressing-room, which lay upon the +right-hand side of the bed. The door lying open, I could see him by +himself, at full length upon a sofa, and, in about half an hour, I +became aware, by his deep and regularly drawn respiration, that he was +fast asleep. + +When slumber refuses to visit one, there is something peculiarly +irritating, not to the temper, but to the nerves, in the consciousness +that some one is in your immediate presence, actually enjoying the boon +which you are seeking in vain; at least, I have always found it so, and +never more than upon the present occasion. + +A thousand annoying imaginations harassed and excited me; every object +which I looked upon, though ever so familiar, seemed to have acquired +a strange phantom-like character, the varying shadows thrown by the +flickering of the lamplight, seemed shaping themselves into grotesque +and unearthly forms, and whenever my eyes wandered to the sleeping +figure of my husband, his features appeared to undergo the strangest and +most demoniacal contortions. + +Hour after hour was told by the old clock, and each succeeding one found +me, if possible, less inclined to sleep than its predecessor. + +It was now considerably past three; my eyes, in their involuntary +wanderings, happened to alight upon the large mirror which was, as I +have said, fixed in the wall opposite the foot of the bed. A view of it +was commanded from where I lay, through the curtains. As I gazed fixedly +upon it, I thought I perceived the broad sheet of glass shifting its +position in relation to the bed; I riveted my eyes upon it with intense +scrutiny; it was no deception, the mirror, as if acting of its own +impulse, moved slowly aside, and disclosed a dark aperture in the wall, +nearly as large as an ordinary door; a figure evidently stood in this, +but the light was too dim to define it accurately. + +It stepped cautiously into the chamber, and with so little noise, that +had I not actually seen it, I do not think I should have been aware of +its presence. It was arrayed in a kind of woollen night-dress, and a +white handkerchief or cloth was bound tightly about the head; I had no +difficulty, spite of the strangeness of the attire, in recognising the +blind woman whom I so much dreaded. + +She stooped down, bringing her head nearly to the ground, and in that +attitude she remained motionless for some moments, no doubt in order to +ascertain if any suspicious sound were stirring. + +She was apparently satisfied by her observations, for she immediately +recommenced her silent progress towards a ponderous mahogany +dressing-table of my husband's. When she had reached it, she paused +again, and appeared to listen attentively for some minutes; she then +noiselessly opened one of the drawers, from which, having groped for +some time, she took something, which I soon perceived to be a case of +razors. She opened it, and tried the edge of each of the two instruments +upon the skin of her hand; she quickly selected one, which she fixed +firmly in her grasp. She now stooped down as before, and having listened +for a time, she, with the hand that was disengaged, groped her way into +the dressing-room where Lord Glenfallen lay fast asleep. + +I was fixed as if in the tremendous spell of a nightmare. I could not +stir even a finger; I could not lift my voice; I could not even breathe; +and though I expected every moment to see the sleeping man murdered, I +could not even close my eyes to shut out the horrible spectacle, which I +had not the power to avert. + +I saw the woman approach the sleeping figure, she laid the unoccupied +hand lightly along his clothes, and having thus ascertained his +identity, she, after a brief interval, turned back and again entered my +chamber; here she bent down again to listen. + +I had now not a doubt but that the razor was intended for my throat; yet +the terrific fascination which had locked all my powers so long, still +continued to bind me fast. + +I felt that my life depended upon the slightest ordinary exertion, and +yet I could not stir one joint from the position in which I lay, nor +even make noise enough to waken Lord Glenfallen. + +The murderous woman now, with long, silent steps, approached the bed; +my very heart seemed turning to ice; her left hand, that which was +disengaged, was upon the pillow; she gradually slid it forward towards +my head, and in an instant, with the speed of lightning, it was clutched +in my hair, while, with the other hand, she dashed the razor at my +throat. + +A slight inaccuracy saved me from instant death; the blow fell short, +the point of the razor grazing my throat. In a moment, I know not how, I +found myself at the other side of the bed, uttering shriek after shriek; +the wretch was, however, determined if possible to murder me. + +Scrambling along by the curtains, she rushed round the bed towards me; +I seized the handle of the door to make my escape. It was, however, +fastened. At all events, I could not open it. From the mere instinct of +recoiling terror, I shrunk back into a corner. She was now within a yard +of me. Her hand was upon my face. + +I closed my eyes fast, expecting never to open them again, when a blow, +inflicted from behind by a strong arm, stretched the monster senseless +at my feet. At the same moment the door opened, and several domestics, +alarmed by my cries, entered the apartment. + +I do not recollect what followed, for I fainted. One swoon succeeded +another, so long and death-like, that my life was considered very +doubtful. + +At about ten o'clock, however, I sunk into a deep and refreshing sleep, +from which I was awakened at about two, that I might swear my deposition +before a magistrate, who attended for that purpose. + +I accordingly did so, as did also Lord Glenfallen, and the woman was +fully committed to stand her trial at the ensuing assizes. + +I shall never forget the scene which the examination of the blind woman +and of the other parties afforded. + +She was brought into the room in the custody of two servants. She wore +a kind of flannel wrapper which had not been changed since the night +before. It was torn and soiled, and here and there smeared with blood, +which had flowed in large quantities from a wound in her head. The white +handkerchief had fallen off in the scuffle, and her grizzled hair fell +in masses about her wild and deadly pale countenance. + +She appeared perfectly composed, however, and the only regret she +expressed throughout, was at not having succeeded in her attempt, the +object of which she did not pretend to conceal. + +On being asked her name, she called herself the Countess Glenfallen, and +refused to give any other title. + +'The woman's name is Flora Van-Kemp,' said Lord Glenfallen. + +'It WAS, it WAS, you perjured traitor and cheat!' screamed the woman; +and then there followed a volley of words in some foreign language. +'Is there a magistrate here?' she resumed; 'I am Lord Glenfallen's +wife--I'll prove it--write down my words. I am willing to be hanged or +burned, so HE meets his deserts. I did try to kill that doll of his; but +it was he who put it into my head to do it--two wives were too many; I +was to murder her, or she was to hang me; listen to all I have to say.' + +Here Lord Glenfallen interrupted. + +'I think, sir,' said he, addressing the magistrate, 'that we had better +proceed to business; this unhappy woman's furious recriminations but +waste our time. If she refuses to answer your questions, you had better, +I presume, take my depositions.' + +'And are you going to swear away my life, you black-perjured murderer?' +shrieked the woman. 'Sir, sir, sir, you must hear me,' she continued, +addressing the magistrate; 'I can convict him--he bid me murder that +girl, and then, when I failed, he came behind me, and struck me down, +and now he wants to swear away my life. Take down all I say.' + +'If it is your intention,' said the magistrate, 'to confess the crime +with which you stand charged, you may, upon producing sufficient +evidence, criminate whom you please.' + +'Evidence!--I have no evidence but myself,' said the woman. 'I will +swear it all--write down my testimony--write it down, I say--we shall +hang side by side, my brave lord--all your own handy-work, my gentle +husband.' + +This was followed by a low, insolent, and sneering laugh, which, from +one in her situation, was sufficiently horrible. + +'I will not at present hear anything,' replied he, 'but distinct answers +to the questions which I shall put to you upon this matter.' + +'Then you shall hear nothing,' replied she sullenly, and no inducement +or intimidation could bring her to speak again. + +Lord Glenfallen's deposition and mine were then given, as also those of +the servants who had entered the room at the moment of my rescue. + +The magistrate then intimated that she was committed, and must proceed +directly to gaol, whither she was brought in a carriage; of Lord +Glenfallen's, for his lordship was naturally by no means indifferent to +the effect which her vehement accusations against himself might produce, +if uttered before every chance hearer whom she might meet with between +Cahergillagh and the place of confinement whither she was despatched. + +During the time which intervened between the committal and the trial +of the prisoner, Lord Glenfallen seemed to suffer agonies of mind which +baffle all description; he hardly ever slept, and when he did, his +slumbers seemed but the instruments of new tortures, and his waking +hours were, if possible, exceeded in intensity of terrors by the dreams +which disturbed his sleep. + +Lord Glenfallen rested, if to lie in the mere attitude of repose were +to do so, in his dressing-room, and thus I had an opportunity of +witnessing, far oftener than I wished it, the fearful workings of +his mind. His agony often broke out into such fearful paroxysms +that delirium and total loss of reason appeared to be impending. He +frequently spoke of flying from the country, and bringing with him all +the witnesses of the appalling scene upon which the prosecution was +founded; then, again, he would fiercely lament that the blow which he +had inflicted had not ended all. + +The assizes arrived, however, and upon the day appointed Lord Glenfallen +and I attended in order to give our evidence. + +The cause was called on, and the prisoner appeared at the bar. + +Great curiosity and interest were felt respecting the trial, so that the +court was crowded to excess. + +The prisoner, however, without appearing to take the trouble of +listening to the indictment, pleaded guilty, and no representations on +the part of the court availed to induce her to retract her plea. + +After much time had been wasted in a fruitless attempt to prevail upon +her to reconsider her words, the court proceeded, according to the usual +form, to pass sentence. + +This having been done, the prisoner was about to be removed, when she +said, in a low, distinct voice: + +'A word--a word, my lord!--Is Lord Glenfallen here in the court?' + +On being told that he was, she raised her voice to a tone of loud +menace, and continued: + +'Hardress, Earl of Glenfallen, I accuse you here in this court of +justice of two crimes,--first, that you married a second wife, while +the first was living; and again, that you prompted me to the murder, for +attempting which I am to die. Secure him--chain him--bring him here.' + +There was a laugh through the court at these words, which were naturally +treated by the judge as a violent extemporary recrimination, and the +woman was desired to be silent. + +'You won't take him, then?' she said; 'you won't try him? You'll let him +go free?' + +It was intimated by the court that he would certainly be allowed 'to go +free,' and she was ordered again to be removed. + +Before, however, the mandate was executed, she threw her arms wildly +into the air, and uttered one piercing shriek so full of preternatural +rage and despair, that it might fitly have ushered a soul into those +realms where hope can come no more. + +The sound still rang in my ears, months after the voice that had uttered +it was for ever silent. + +The wretched woman was executed in accordance with the sentence which +had been pronounced. + +For some time after this event, Lord Glenfallen appeared, if possible, +to suffer more than he had done before, and altogether his language, +which often amounted to half confessions of the guilt imputed to him, +and all the circumstances connected with the late occurrences, formed a +mass of evidence so convincing that I wrote to my father, detailing the +grounds of my fears, and imploring him to come to Cahergillagh without +delay, in order to remove me from my husband's control, previously to +taking legal steps for a final separation. + +Circumstanced as I was, my existence was little short of intolerable, +for, besides the fearful suspicions which attached to my husband, I +plainly perceived that if Lord Glenfallen were not relieved, and that +speedily, insanity must supervene. I therefore expected my father's +arrival, or at least a letter to announce it, with indescribable +impatience. + +About a week after the execution had taken place, Lord Glenfallen one +morning met me with an unusually sprightly air. + +'Fanny,' said he, 'I have it now for the first time in my power to +explain to your satisfaction everything which has hitherto appeared +suspicious or mysterious in my conduct. After breakfast come with me to +my study, and I shall, I hope, make all things clear.' + +This invitation afforded me more real pleasure than I had experienced +for months. Something had certainly occurred to tranquillize my +husband's mind in no ordinary degree, and I thought it by no means +impossible that he would, in the proposed interview, prove himself the +most injured and innocent of men. + +Full of this hope, I repaired to his study at the appointed hour. He was +writing busily when I entered the room, and just raising his eyes, he +requested me to be seated. + +I took a chair as he desired, and remained silently awaiting his +leisure, while he finished, folded, directed, and sealed his letter. +Laying it then upon the table with the address downward, he said, + +'My dearest Fanny, I know I must have appeared very strange to you and +very unkind--often even cruel. Before the end of this week I will show +you the necessity of my conduct--how impossible it was that I should +have seemed otherwise. I am conscious that many acts of mine must have +inevitably given rise to painful suspicions--suspicions which, indeed, +upon one occasion, you very properly communicated to me. I have got two +letters from a quarter which commands respect, containing information as +to the course by which I may be enabled to prove the negative of all the +crimes which even the most credulous suspicion could lay to my charge. I +expected a third by this morning's post, containing documents which will +set the matter for ever at rest, but owing, no doubt, to some neglect, +or, perhaps, to some difficulty in collecting the papers, some +inevitable delay, it has not come to hand this morning, according to my +expectation. I was finishing one to the very same quarter when you came +in, and if a sound rousing be worth anything, I think I shall have a +special messenger before two days have passed. I have been anxiously +considering with myself, as to whether I had better imperfectly clear +up your doubts by submitting to your inspection the two letters which I +have already received, or wait till I can triumphantly vindicate myself +by the production of the documents which I have already mentioned, and I +have, I think, not unnaturally decided upon the latter course. However, +there is a person in the next room whose testimony is not without its +value excuse me for one moment.' + +So saying, he arose and went to the door of a closet which opened from +the study; this he unlocked, and half opening the door, he said, 'It is +only I,' and then slipped into the room and carefully closed and locked +the door behind him. + +I immediately heard his voice in animated conversation. My curiosity +upon the subject of the letter was naturally great, so, smothering +any little scruples which I might have felt, I resolved to look at the +address of the letter which lay, as my husband had left it, with its +face upon the table. I accordingly drew it over to me and turned up the +direction. + +For two or three moments I could scarce believe my eyes, but there +could be no mistake--in large characters were traced the words, 'To the +Archangel Gabriel in Heaven.' + +I had scarcely returned the letter to its original position, and in +some degree recovered the shock which this unequivocal proof of insanity +produced, when the closet door was unlocked, and Lord Glenfallen +re-entered the study, carefully closing and locking the door again upon +the outside. + +'Whom have you there?' inquired I, making a strong effort to appear +calm. + +'Perhaps,' said he, musingly, 'you might have some objection to seeing +her, at least for a time.' + +'Who is it?' repeated I. + +'Why,' said he, 'I see no use in hiding it--the blind Dutchwoman. I have +been with her the whole morning. She is very anxious to get out of that +closet; but you know she is odd, she is scarcely to be trusted.' + +A heavy gust of wind shook the door at this moment with a sound as if +something more substantial were pushing against it. + +'Ha, ha, ha!--do you hear her?' said he, with an obstreperous burst of +laughter. + +The wind died away in a long howl, and Lord Glenfallen, suddenly +checking his merriment, shrugged his shoulders, and muttered: + +'Poor devil, she has been hardly used.' + +'We had better not tease her at present with questions,' said I, in as +unconcerned a tone as I could assume, although I felt every moment as if +I should faint. + +'Humph! may be so,' said he. 'Well, come back in an hour or two, or when +you please, and you will find us here.' + +He again unlocked the door, and entered with the same precautions +which he had adopted before, locking the door upon the inside; and as +I hurried from the room, I heard his voice again exerted as if in eager +parley. + +I can hardly describe my emotions; my hopes had been raised to the +highest, and now, in an instant, all was gone--the dreadful consummation +was accomplished--the fearful retribution had fallen upon the guilty +man--the mind was destroyed--the power to repent was gone. + +The agony of the hours which followed what I would still call my AWFUL +interview with Lord Glenfallen, I cannot describe; my solitude was, +however, broken in upon by Martha, who came to inform me of the arrival +of a gentleman, who expected me in the parlour. + +I accordingly descended, and, to my great joy, found my father seated by +the fire. + +This expedition upon his part was easily accounted for: my +communications had touched the honour of the family. I speedily informed +him of the dreadful malady which had fallen upon the wretched man. + +My father suggested the necessity of placing some person to watch him, +to prevent his injuring himself or others. + +I rang the bell, and desired that one Edward Cooke, an attached servant +of the family, should be sent to me. + +I told him distinctly and briefly the nature of the service required +of him, and, attended by him, my father and I proceeded at once to the +study. The door of the inner room was still closed, and everything in +the outer chamber remained in the same order in which I had left it. + +We then advanced to the closet-door, at which we knocked, but without +receiving any answer. + +We next tried to open the door, but in vain--it was locked upon the +inside. We knocked more loudly, but in vain. + +Seriously alarmed, I desired the servant to force the door, which was, +after several violent efforts, accomplished, and we entered the closet. + +Lord Glenfallen was lying on his face upon a sofa. + +'Hush!' said I, 'he is asleep.' We paused for a moment. + +'He is too still for that,' said my father. + +We all of us felt a strong reluctance to approach the figure. + +'Edward,' said I, 'try whether your master sleeps.' + +The servant approached the sofa where Lord Glenfallen lay. He leant his +ear towards the head of the recumbent figure, to ascertain whether the +sound of breathing was audible. He turned towards us, and said: + +'My lady, you had better not wait here; I am sure he is dead!' + +'Let me see the face,' said I, terribly agitated; 'you MAY be mistaken.' + +The man then, in obedience to my command, turned the body round, and, +gracious God! what a sight met my view. He was, indeed, perfectly dead. + +The whole breast of the shirt, with its lace frill, was drenched with +gore, as was the couch underneath the spot where he lay. + +The head hung back, as it seemed, almost severed from the body by a +frightful gash, which yawned across the throat. The instrument which had +inflicted it was found under his body. + +All, then, was over; I was never to learn the history in whose +termination I had been so deeply and so tragically involved. + +The severe discipline which my mind had undergone was not bestowed in +vain. I directed my thoughts and my hopes to that place where there is +no more sin, nor danger, nor sorrow. + +Thus ends a brief tale whose prominent incidents many will recognise +as having marked the history of a distinguished family; and though it +refers to a somewhat distant date, we shall be found not to have taken, +upon that account, any liberties with the facts, but in our statement +of all the incidents to have rigorously and faithfully adhered to the +truth. + + + + +AN ADVENTURE OF HARDRESS FITZGERALD, A ROYALIST CAPTAIN. + + Being an Eleventh Extract from the Legacy of the late + Francis Purcell, P.P. of Drumcoolagh. + +The following brief narrative contains a faithful account of one of +the many strange incidents which chequered the life of Hardress +Fitzgerald--one of the now-forgotten heroes who flourished during the +most stirring and, though the most disastrous, by no means the least +glorious period of our eventful history. + +He was a captain of horse in the army of James, and shared the fortunes +of his master, enduring privations, encountering dangers, and submitting +to vicissitudes the most galling and ruinous, with a fortitude and a +heroism which would, if coupled with his other virtues have rendered the +unhappy monarch whom he served, the most illustrious among unfortunate +princes. + +I have always preferred, where I could do so with any approach to +accuracy, to give such relations as the one which I am about to submit +to you, in the first person, and in the words of the original narrator, +believing that such a form of recitation not only gives freshness to +the tale, but in this particular instance, by bringing before me and +steadily fixing in my mind's eye the veteran royalist who himself +related the occurrence which I am about to record, furnishes an +additional stimulant to my memory, and a proportionate check upon my +imagination. + +As nearly as I can recollect then, his statement was as follows: + + +After the fatal battle of the Boyne, I came up in disguise to Dublin, +as did many in a like situation, regarding the capital as furnishing +at once a good central position of observation, and as secure a +lurking-place as I cared to find. + +I would not suffer myself to believe that the cause of my royal master +was so desperate as it really was; and while I lay in my lodgings, which +consisted of the garret of a small dark house, standing in the lane +which runs close by Audoen's Arch, I busied myself with continual +projects for the raising of the country, and the re-collecting of the +fragments of the defeated army--plans, you will allow, sufficiently +magnificent for a poor devil who dared scarce show his face abroad in +the daylight. + +I believe, however, that I had not much reason to fear for my personal +safety, for men's minds in the city were greatly occupied with public +events, and private amusements and debaucheries, which were, about +that time, carried to an excess which our country never knew before, +by reason of the raking together from all quarters of the empire, and +indeed from most parts of Holland, the most dissolute and desperate +adventurers who cared to play at hazard for their lives; and thus there +seemed to be but little scrutiny into the characters of those who sought +concealment. + +I heard much at different times of the intentions of King James and his +party, but nothing with certainty. + +Some said that the king still lay in Ireland; others, that he had +crossed over to Scotland, to encourage the Highlanders, who, with Dundee +at their head, had been stirring in his behoof; others, again, said +that he had taken ship for France, leaving his followers to shift for +themselves, and regarding his kingdom as wholly lost, which last was the +true version, as I afterwards learned. + +Although I had been very active in the wars in Ireland, and had done +many deeds of necessary but dire severity, which have often since +troubled me much to think upon, yet I doubted not but that I might +easily obtain protection for my person and property from the Prince of +Orange, if I sought it by the ordinary submissions; but besides that my +conscience and my affections resisted such time-serving concessions, I +was resolved in my own mind that the cause of the royalist party was by +no means desperate, and I looked to keep myself unimpeded by any pledge +or promise given to the usurping Dutchman, that I might freely and +honourably take a share in any struggle which might yet remain to be +made for the right. + +I therefore lay quiet, going forth from my lodgings but little, and that +chiefly under cover of the dusk, and conversing hardly at all, except +with those whom I well knew. + +I had like once to have paid dearly for relaxing this caution; for going +into a tavern one evening near the Tholsel, I had the confidence to +throw off my hat, and sit there with my face quite exposed, when a +fellow coming in with some troopers, they fell a-boozing, and being +somewhat warmed, they began to drink 'Confusion to popery,' and the +like, and to compel the peaceable persons who happened to sit there, to +join them in so doing. + +Though I was rather hot-blooded, I was resolved to say nothing to +attract notice; but, at the same time, if urged to pledge the toasts +which they were compelling others to drink, to resist doing so. + +With the intent to withdraw myself quietly from the place, I paid my +reckoning, and putting on my hat, was going into the street, when the +countryman who had come in with the soldiers called out: + +'Stop that popish tom-cat!' + +And running across the room, he got to the door before me, and, shutting +it, placed his back against it, to prevent my going out. + +Though with much difficulty, I kept an appearance of quietness, and +turning to the fellow, who, from his accent, I judged to be northern, +and whose face I knew--though, to this day, I cannot say where I had +seen him before--I observed very calmly: + +'Sir, I came in here with no other design than to refresh myself, +without offending any man. I have paid my reckoning, and now desire to +go forth. If there is anything within reason that I can do to satisfy +you, and to prevent trouble and delay to myself, name your terms, and if +they be but fair, I will frankly comply with them.' + +He quickly replied: + +'You are Hardress Fitzgerald, the bloody popish captain, that hanged the +twelve men at Derry.' + +I felt that I was in some danger, but being a strong man, and used to +perils of all kinds, it was not easy to disconcert me. + +I looked then steadily at the fellow, and, in a voice of much +confidence, I said: + +'I am neither a Papist, a Royalist, nor a Fitzgerald, but an honester +Protestant, mayhap, than many who make louder professions.' + +'Then drink the honest man's toast,' said he. 'Damnation to the pope, +and confusion to skulking Jimmy and his runaway crew.' + +'Yourself shall hear me,' said I, taking the largest pewter pot that +lay within my reach. 'Tapster, fill this with ale; I grieve to say I can +afford nothing better.' + +I took the vessel of liquor in my hand, and walking up to him, I first +made a bow to the troopers who sat laughing at the sprightliness of +their facetious friend, and then another to himself, when saying, 'G---- +damn yourself and your cause!' I flung the ale straight into his face; +and before he had time to recover himself, I struck him with my whole +force and weight with the pewter pot upon the head, so strong a blow, +that he fell, for aught I know, dead upon the floor, and nothing but the +handle of the vessel remained in my hand. + +I opened the door, but one of the dragoons drew his sabre, and ran at +me to avenge his companion. With my hand I put aside the blade of the +sword, narrowly escaping what he had intended for me, the point actually +tearing open my vest. Without allowing him time to repeat his thrust, +I struck him in the face with my clenched fist so sound a blow that he +rolled back into the room with the force of a tennis ball. + +It was well for me that the rest were half drunk, and the evening dark; +for otherwise my folly would infallibly have cost me my life. As it was, +I reached my garret in safety, with a resolution to frequent taverns no +more until better times. + +My little patience and money were wellnigh exhausted, when, after much +doubt and uncertainty, and many conflicting reports, I was assured that +the flower of the Royalist army, under the Duke of Berwick and General +Boisleau, occupied the city of Limerick, with a determination to hold +that fortress against the prince's forces; and that a French fleet of +great power, and well freighted with arms, ammunition, and men, was +riding in the Shannon, under the walls of the town. But this last report +was, like many others then circulated, untrue; there being, indeed, a +promise and expectation of such assistance, but no arrival of it till +too late. + +The army of the Prince of Orange was said to be rapidly approaching the +town, in order to commence the siege. + +On hearing this, and being made as certain as the vagueness and +unsatisfactory nature of my information, which came not from any +authentic source, would permit; at least, being sure of the main point, +which all allowed--namely, that Limerick was held for the king--and +being also naturally fond of enterprise, and impatient of idleness, I +took the resolution to travel thither, and, if possible, to throw myself +into the city, in order to lend what assistance I might to my former +companions in arms, well knowing that any man of strong constitution +and of some experience might easily make himself useful to a garrison in +their straitened situation. + +When I had taken this resolution, I was not long in putting it into +execution; and, as the first step in the matter, I turned half of the +money which remained with me, in all about seventeen pounds, into small +wares and merchandise such as travelling traders used to deal in; and +the rest, excepting some shillings which I carried home for my immediate +expenses, I sewed carefully in the lining of my breeches waistband, +hoping that the sale of my commodities might easily supply me with +subsistence upon the road. + +I left Dublin upon a Friday morning in the month of September, with a +tolerably heavy pack upon my back. + +I was a strong man and a good walker, and one day with another travelled +easily at the rate of twenty miles in each day, much time being lost +in the towns of any note on the way, where, to avoid suspicion, I was +obliged to make some stay, as if to sell my wares. + +I did not travel directly to Limerick, but turned far into Tipperary, +going near to the borders of Cork. + +Upon the sixth day after my departure from Dublin I learned, CERTAINLY, +from some fellows who were returning from trafficking with the soldiers, +that the army of the prince was actually encamped before Limerick, upon +the south side of the Shannon. + +In order, then, to enter the city without interruption, I must needs +cross the river, and I was much in doubt whether to do so by boat from +Kerry, which I might have easily done, into the Earl of Clare's land, +and thus into the beleaguered city, or to take what seemed the easier +way, one, however, about which I had certain misgivings--which, by the +way, afterwards turned out to be just enough. This way was to cross the +Shannon at O'Brien's Bridge, or at Killaloe, into the county of Clare. + +I feared, however, that both these passes were guarded by the prince's +forces, and resolved, if such were the case, not to essay to cross, for +I was not fitted to sustain a scrutiny, having about me, though pretty +safely secured, my commission from King James--which, though a dangerous +companion, I would not have parted from but with my life. + +I settled, then, in my own mind, that if the bridges were guarded +I would walk as far as Portumna, where I might cross, though at a +considerable sacrifice of time; and, having determined upon this course, +I turned directly towards Killaloe. + +I reached the foot of the mountain, or rather high hill, called +Keeper--which had been pointed out to me as a landmark--lying directly +between me and Killaloe, in the evening, and, having ascended some way, +the darkness and fog overtook me. + +The evening was very chilly, and myself weary, hungry, and much in need +of sleep, so that I preferred seeking to cross the hill, though at some +risk, to remaining upon it throughout the night. Stumbling over rocks +and sinking into bog-mire, as the nature of the ground varied, I slowly +and laboriously plodded on, making very little way in proportion to the +toil it cost me. + +After half an hour's slow walking, or rather rambling, for, owing to +the dark, I very soon lost my direction, I at last heard the sound of +running water, and with some little trouble reached the edge of a brook, +which ran in the bottom of a deep gully. This I knew would furnish +a sure guide to the low grounds, where I might promise myself that I +should speedily meet with some house or cabin where I might find shelter +for the night. + +The stream which I followed flowed at the bottom of a rough and swampy +glen, very steep and making many abrupt turns, and so dark, owing more +to the fog than to the want of the moon (for, though not high, I believe +it had risen at the time), that I continually fell over fragments of +rock and stumbled up to my middle into the rivulet, which I sought to +follow. + +In this way, drenched, weary, and with my patience almost exhausted, I +was toiling onward, when, turning a sharp angle in the winding glen, I +found myself within some twenty yards of a group of wild-looking men, +gathered in various attitudes round a glowing turf fire. + +I was so surprised at this rencontre that I stopped short, and for a +time was in doubt whether to turn back or to accost them. + +A minute's thought satisfied me that I ought to make up to the fellows, +and trust to their good faith for whatever assistance they could give +me. + +I determined, then, to do this, having great faith in the impulses of +my mind, which, whenever I have been in jeopardy, as in my life I often +have, always prompted me aright. + +The strong red light of the fire showed me plainly enough that the group +consisted, not of soldiers, but of Irish kernes, or countrymen, most +of them wrapped in heavy mantles, and with no other covering for their +heads than that afforded by their long, rough hair. + +There was nothing about them which I could see to intimate whether their +object were peaceful or warlike; but I afterwards found that they had +weapons enough, though of their own rude fashion. + +There were in all about twenty persons assembled around the fire, some +sitting upon such blocks of stone as happened to lie in the way; others +stretched at their length upon the ground. + +'God save you, boys!' said I, advancing towards the party. + +The men who had been talking and laughing together instantly paused, +and two of them--tall and powerful fellows--snatched up each a weapon, +something like a short halberd with a massive iron head, an instrument +which they called among themselves a rapp, and with two or three long +strides they came up with me, and laying hold upon my arms, drew me, +not, you may easily believe, making much resistance, towards the fire. + +When I reached the place where the figures were seated, the two men +still held me firmly, and some others threw some handfuls of dry fuel +upon the red embers, which, blazing up, cast a strong light upon me. + +When they had satisfied themselves as to my appearance, they began to +question me very closely as to my purpose in being upon the hill at +such an unseasonable hour, asking me what was my occupation, where I had +been, and whither I was going. + +These questions were put to me in English by an old half-military +looking man, who translated into that language the suggestions which his +companions for the most part threw out in Irish. + +I did not choose to commit myself to these fellows by telling them my +real character and purpose, and therefore I represented myself as a +poor travelling chapman who had been at Cork, and was seeking his way +to Killaloe, in order to cross over into Clare and thence to the city of +Galway. + +My account did not seem fully to satisfy the men. + +I heard one fellow say in Irish, which language I understood, 'Maybe he +is a spy.' + +They then whispered together for a time, and the little man who was +their spokesman came over to me and said: + +'Do you know what we do with spies? we knock their brains out, my +friend.' + +He then turned back to them with whom he had been whispering, and talked +in a low tone again with them for a considerable time. + +I now felt very uncomfortable, not knowing what these savages--for they +appeared nothing better--might design against me. + +Twice or thrice I had serious thoughts of breaking from them, but the +two guards who were placed upon me held me fast by the arms; and even +had I succeeded in shaking them off, I should soon have been overtaken, +encumbered as I was with a heavy pack, and wholly ignorant of the lie of +the ground; or else, if I were so exceedingly lucky as to escape out of +their hands, I still had the chance of falling into those of some other +party of the same kind. + +I therefore patiently awaited the issue of their deliberations, which I +made no doubt affected me nearly. + +I turned to the men who held me, and one after the other asked them, in +their own language, 'Why they held me?' adding, 'I am but a poor pedlar, +as you see. I have neither money nor money's worth, for the sake of +which you should do me hurt. You may have my pack and all that it +contains, if you desire it--but do not injure me.' + +To all this they gave no answer, but savagely desired me to hold my +tongue. + +I accordingly remained silent, determined, if the worst came, to declare +to the whole party, who, I doubted not, were friendly, as were all the +Irish peasantry in the south, to the Royal cause, my real character and +design; and if this avowal failed me, I was resolved to make a desperate +effort to escape, or at least to give my life at the dearest price I +could. + +I was not kept long in suspense, for the little veteran who had spoken +to me at first came over, and desiring the two men to bring me after +him, led the way along a broken path, which wound by the side of the +steep glen. + +I was obliged willy nilly to go with them, and, half-dragging and +half-carrying me, they brought me by the path, which now became very +steep, for some hundred yards without stopping, when suddenly coming to +a stand, I found myself close before the door of some house or hut, +I could not see which, through the planks of which a strong light was +streaming. + +At this door my conductor stopped, and tapping gently at it, it was +opened by a stout fellow, with buff-coat and jack-boots, and pistols +stuck in his belt, as also a long cavalry sword by his side. + +He spoke with my guide, and to my no small satisfaction, in French, +which convinced me that he was one of the soldiers whom Louis had sent +to support our king, and who were said to have arrived in Limerick, +though, as I observed above, not with truth. + +I was much assured by this circumstance, and made no doubt but that I +had fallen in with one of those marauding parties of native Irish, who, +placing themselves under the guidance of men of courage and experience, +had done much brave and essential service to the cause of the king. + +The soldier entered an inner door in the apartment, which opening +disclosed a rude, dreary, and dilapidated room, with a low plank +ceiling, much discoloured by the smoke which hung suspended in heavy +masses, descending within a few feet of the ground, and completely +obscuring the upper regions of the chamber. + +A large fire of turf and heath was burning under a kind of rude chimney, +shaped like a large funnel, but by no means discharging the functions +for which it was intended. Into this inauspicious apartment was I +conducted by my strange companions. In the next room I heard voices +employed, as it seemed, in brief questioning and answer; and in a minute +the soldier reentered the room, and having said, 'Votre prisonnier--le +general veut le voir,' he led the way into the inner room, which in +point of comfort and cleanliness was not a whit better than the first. + +Seated at a clumsy plank table, placed about the middle of the floor, +was a powerfully built man, of almost colossal stature--his military +accoutrements, cuirass and rich regimental clothes, soiled, deranged, +and spattered with recent hard travel; the flowing wig, surmounted by +the cocked hat and plume, still rested upon his head. On the table lay +his sword-belt with its appendage, and a pair of long holster pistols, +some papers, and pen and ink; also a stone jug, and the fragments of a +hasty meal. His attitude betokened the languor of fatigue. His left hand +was buried beyond the lace ruffle in the breast of his cassock, and the +elbow of his right rested upon the table, so as to support his head. +From his mouth protruded a tobacco-pipe, which as I entered he slowly +withdrew. + +A single glance at the honest, good-humoured, comely face of the soldier +satisfied me of his identity, and removing my hat from my head I said, +'God save General Sarsfield!' + +The general nodded + +'I am a prisoner here under strange circumstances,' I continued 'I +appear before you in a strange disguise. You do not recognise Captain +Hardress Fitzgerald!' + +'Eh, how's this?' said he, approaching me with the light. + +'I am that Hardress Fitzgerald,' I repeated, 'who served under you at +the Boyne, and upon the day of the action had the honour to protect your +person at the expense of his own.' At the same time I turned aside the +hair which covered the scar which you well know upon my forehead, and +which was then much more remarkable than it is now. + +The general on seeing this at once recognised me, and embracing me +cordially, made me sit down, and while I unstrapped my pack, a tedious +job, my fingers being nearly numbed with cold, sent the men forth to +procure me some provision. + +The general's horse was stabled in a corner of the chamber where we sat, +and his war-saddle lay upon the floor. At the far end of the room was +a second door, which stood half open; a bogwood fire burned on a hearth +somewhat less rude than the one which I had first seen, but still very +little better appointed with a chimney, for thick wreaths of smoke were +eddying, with every fitful gust, about the room. Close by the fire was +strewed a bed of heath, intended, I supposed, for the stalwart limbs of +the general. + +'Hardress Fitzgerald,' said he, fixing his eyes gravely upon me, while +he slowly removed the tobacco-pipe from his mouth, 'I remember you, +strong, bold and cunning in your warlike trade; the more desperate an +enterprise, the more ready for it, you. I would gladly engage you, for +I know you trustworthy, to perform a piece of duty requiring, it may be, +no extraordinary quality to fulfil; and yet perhaps, as accidents may +happen, demanding every attribute of daring and dexterity which belongs +to you.' + +Here he paused for some moments. + +I own I felt somewhat flattered by the terms in which he spoke of me, +knowing him to be but little given to compliments; and not having any +plan in my head, farther than the rendering what service I might to the +cause of the king, caring very little as to the road in which my duty +might lie, I frankly replied: + +'Sir, I hope, if opportunity offers, I shall prove to deserve the +honourable terms in which you are pleased to speak of me. In a righteous +cause I fear not wounds or death; and in discharging my duty to my God +and my king, I am ready for any hazard or any fate. Name the service you +require, and if it lies within the compass of my wit or power, I will +fully and faithfully perform it. Have I said enough?' + +'That is well, very well, my friend; you speak well, and manfully,' +replied the general. 'I want you to convey to the hands of General +Boisleau, now in the city of Limerick, a small written packet; there is +some danger, mark me, of your falling in with some outpost or straggling +party of the prince's army. If you are taken unawares by any of the +enemy you must dispose of the packet inside your person, rather than let +it fall into their hands--that is, you must eat it. And if they go to +question you with thumbscrews, or the like, answer nothing; let them +knock your brains out first.' In illustration, I suppose, of the latter +alternative, he knocked the ashes out of his pipe upon the table as he +uttered it. + +'The packet,' he continued, 'you shall have to-morrow morning. Meantime +comfort yourself with food, and afterwards with sleep; you will want, +mayhap, all your strength and wits on the morrow.' + +I applied myself forthwith to the homely fare which they had provided, +and I confess that I never made a meal so heartily to my satisfaction. + +It was a beautiful, clear, autumn morning, and the bright beams of the +early sun were slanting over the brown heath which clothed the sides +of the mountain, and glittering in the thousand bright drops which the +melting hoar-frost had left behind it, and the white mists were lying +like broad lakes in the valleys, when, with my pedlar's pack upon my +back, and General Sarsfield's precious despatch in my bosom, I set +forth, refreshed and courageous. + +As I descended the hill, my heart expanded and my spirits rose under +the influences which surrounded me. The keen, clear, bracing air of the +morning, the bright, slanting sunshine, the merry songs of the small +birds, and the distant sounds of awakening labour that floated up from +the plains, all conspired to stir my heart within me, and more like a +mad-cap boy, broken loose from school, than a man of sober years upon +a mission of doubt and danger, I trod lightly on, whistling and singing +alternately for very joy. + +As I approached the object of my early march, I fell in with a +countryman, eager, as are most of his kind, for news. + +I gave him what little I had collected, and professing great zeal for +the king, which, indeed, I always cherished, I won upon his confidence +so far, that he became much more communicative than the peasantry in +those quarters are generally wont to be to strangers. + +From him I learned that there was a company of dragoons in William's +service, quartered at Willaloe; but he could not tell whether the +passage of the bridge was stopped by them or not. With a resolution, at +all events, to make the attempt to cross, I approached the town. When +I came within sight of the river, I quickly perceived that it was so +swollen with the recent rains, as, indeed, the countryman had told me, +that the fords were wholly impassable. + +I stopped then, upon a slight eminence overlooking the village, with +a view to reconnoitre and to arrange my plans in case of interruption. +While thus engaged, the wind blowing gently from the west, in which +quarter Limerick lay, I distinctly heard the explosion of the cannon, +which played from and against the city, though at a distance of eleven +miles at the least. + +I never yet heard the music that had for me half the attractions of that +sullen sound, and as I noted again and again the distant thunder that +proclaimed the perils, and the valour, and the faithfulness of my +brethren, my heart swelled with pride, and the tears rose to my eyes; +and lifting up my hands to heaven, I prayed to God that I might be +spared to take a part in the righteous quarrel that was there so bravely +maintained. + +I felt, indeed, at this moment a longing, more intense than I have the +power to describe, to be at once with my brave companions in arms, and +so inwardly excited and stirred up as if I had been actually within five +minutes' march of the field of battle. + +It was now almost noon, and I had walked hard since morning across a +difficult and broken country, so that I was a little fatigued, and in +no small degree hungry. As I approached the hamlet, I was glad to see in +the window of a poor hovel several large cakes of meal displayed, as if +to induce purchasers to enter. + +I was right in regarding this exhibition as an intimation that +entertainment might be procured within, for upon entering and inquiring, +I was speedily invited by the poor woman, who, it appeared, kept this +humble house of refreshment, to lay down my pack and seat myself by a +ponderous table, upon which she promised to serve me with a dinner fit +for a king; and indeed, to my mind, she amply fulfilled her engagement, +supplying me abundantly with eggs, bacon, and wheaten cakes, which I +discussed with a zeal which almost surprised myself. + +Having disposed of the solid part of my entertainment, I was proceeding +to regale myself with a brimming measure of strong waters, when my +attention was arrested by the sound of horses' hoofs in brisk motion +upon the broken road, and evidently approaching the hovel in which I was +at that moment seated. + +The ominous clank of sword scabbards and the jingle of brass +accoutrements announced, unequivocally, that the horsemen were of the +military profession. + +'The red-coats will stop here undoubtedly,' said the old woman, +observing, I suppose, the anxiety of my countenance; 'they never pass us +without coming in for half an hour to drink or smoke. If you desire to +avoid them, I can hide you safely; but don't lose a moment. They will be +here before you can count a hundred.' + +I thanked the good woman for her hospitable zeal; but I felt a +repugnance to concealing myself as she suggested, which was enhanced by +the consciousness that if by any accident I were detected while lurking +in the room, my situation would of itself inevitably lead to suspicions, +and probably to discovery. + +I therefore declined her offer, and awaited in suspense the entrance of +the soldiers. + +I had time before they made their appearance to move my seat hurriedly +from the table to the hearth, where, under the shade of the large +chimney, I might observe the coming visitors with less chance of being +myself remarked upon. + +As my hostess had anticipated, the horsemen drew up at the door of the +hut, and five dragoons entered the dark chamber where I awaited them. + +Leaving their horses at the entrance, with much noise and clatter they +proceeded to seat themselves and call for liquor. + +Three of these fellows were Dutchmen, and, indeed, all belonged, as I +afterwards found, to a Dutch regiment, which had been recruited with +Irish and English, as also partly officered from the same nations. + +Being supplied with pipes and drink they soon became merry; and not +suffering their smoking to interfere with their conversation, they +talked loud and quickly, for the most part in a sort of barbarous +language, neither Dutch nor English, but compounded of both. + +They were so occupied with their own jocularity that I had very great +hopes of escaping observation altogether, and remained quietly seated in +a corner of the chimney, leaning back upon my seat as if asleep. + +My taciturnity and quiescence, however, did not avail me, for one of +these fellows coming over to the hearth to light his pipe, perceived me, +and looking me very hard in the face, he said: + +'What countryman are you, brother, that you sit with a covered head in +the room with the prince's soldiers?' + +At the same time he tossed my hat off my head into the fire. I was not +fool enough, though somewhat hot-blooded, to suffer the insolence of +this fellow to involve me in a broil so dangerous to my person and +ruinous to my schemes as a riot with these soldiers must prove. I +therefore, quietly taking up my hat and shaking the ashes out of it, +observed: + +'Sir, I crave your pardon if I have offended you. I am a stranger in +these quarters, and a poor, ignorant, humble man, desiring only to drive +my little trade in peace, so far as that may be done in these troublous +times.' + +'And what may your trade be?' said the same fellow. + +'I am a travelling merchant,' I replied; 'and sell my wares as cheap as +any trader in the country.' + +'Let us see them forthwith,' said he; 'mayhap I or my comrades may want +something which you can supply. Where is thy chest, friend? Thou shalt +have ready money' (winking at his companions), 'ready money, and good +weight, and sound metal; none of your rascally pinchbeck. Eh, my lads? +Bring forth the goods, and let us see.' + +Thus urged, I should have betrayed myself had I hesitated to do as +required; and anxious, upon any terms, to quiet these turbulent men +of war, I unbuckled my pack and exhibited its contents upon the table +before them. + +'A pair of lace ruffles, by the Lord!' said one, unceremoniously seizing +upon the articles he named. + +'A phial of perfume,' continued another, tumbling over the farrago which +I had submitted to them, 'wash-balls, combs, stationery, slippers, small +knives, tobacco; by ----, this merchant is a prize! Mark me, honest +fellow, the man who wrongs thee shall suffer--'fore Gad he shall; thou +shalt be fairly dealt with' (this he said while in the act of pocketing +a small silver tobacco-box, the most valuable article in the lot). 'You +shall come with me to head-quarters; the captain will deal with you, +and never haggle about the price. I promise thee his good will, and thou +wilt consider me accordingly. You'll find him a profitable customer--he +has money without end, and throws it about like a gentleman. If so be as +I tell thee, I shall expect, and my comrades here, a piece or two in the +way of a compliment--but of this anon. Come, then, with us; buckle on +thy pack quickly, friend.' + +There was no use in my declaring my willingness to deal with themselves +in preference to their master; it was clear that they had resolved that +I should, in the most expeditious and advantageous way, turn my goods +into money, that they might excise upon me to the amount of their +wishes. + +The worthy who had taken a lead in these arrangements, and who by his +stripes I perceived to be a corporal, having insisted on my taking a +dram with him to cement our newly-formed friendship, for which, however, +he requested me to pay, made me mount behind one of his comrades; and +the party, of which I thus formed an unwilling member, moved at a slow +trot towards the quarters of the troop. + +They reined up their horses at the head of the long bridge, which +at this village spans the broad waters of the Shannon connecting the +opposite counties of Tipperary and Clare. + +A small tower, built originally, no doubt, to protect and to defend this +pass, occupied the near extremity of the bridge, and in its rear, +but connected with it, stood several straggling buildings rather +dilapidated. + +A dismounted trooper kept guard at the door, and my conductor having, +dismounted, as also the corporal, the latter inquired: + +'Is the captain in his quarters?' + +'He is,' replied the sentinel. + +And without more ado my companion shoved me into the entrance of the +small dark tower, and opening a door at the extremity of the narrow +chamber into which we had passed from the street, we entered a second +room in which were seated some half-dozen officers of various ranks and +ages, engaged in drinking, and smoking, and play. + +I glanced rapidly from man to man, and was nearly satisfied by my +inspection, when one of the gentlemen whose back had been turned towards +the place where I stood, suddenly changed his position and looked +towards me. + +As soon as I saw his face my heart sank within me, and I knew that my +life or death was balanced, as it were, upon a razor's edge. + +The name of this man whose unexpected appearance thus affected me was +Hugh Oliver, and good and strong reason had I to dread him, for so +bitterly did he hate me, that to this moment I do verily believe he +would have compassed my death if it lay in his power to do so, even at +the hazard of his own life and soul, for I had been--though God knows +with many sore strugglings and at the stern call of public duty--the +judge and condemner of his brother; and though the military law, which I +was called upon to administer, would permit no other course or sentence +than the bloody one which I was compelled to pursue, yet even to this +hour the recollection of that deed is heavy at my breast. + +As soon as I saw this man I felt that my safety depended upon the +accident of his not recognising me through the disguise which I had +assumed, an accident against which were many chances, for he well knew +my person and appearance. + +It was too late now to destroy General Sarsfield's instructions; any +attempt to do so would ensure detection. All then depended upon a cast +of the die. + +When the first moment of dismay and heart-sickening agitation had +passed, it seemed to me as if my mind acquired a collectedness and +clearness more complete and intense than I had ever experienced before. + +I instantly perceived that he did not know me, for turning from me to +the soldier with all air of indifference, he said, + +'Is this a prisoner or a deserter? What have you brought him here for, +sirra?' + +'Your wisdom will regard him as you see fit, may it please you,' said +the corporal. 'The man is a travelling merchant, and, overtaking him +upon the road, close by old Dame MacDonagh's cot, I thought I might as +well make a sort of prisoner of him that your honour might use him as +it might appear most convenient; he has many commododies which are not +unworthy of price in this wilderness, and some which you may condescend +to make use of yourself. May he exhibit the goods he has for sale, an't +please you?' + +'Ay, let us see them,' said he. + +'Unbuckle your pack,' exclaimed the corporal, with the same tone +of command with which, at the head of his guard, he would have said +'Recover your arms.' 'Unbuckle your pack, fellow, and show your goods to +the captain--here, where you are.' + +The conclusion of his directions was suggested by my endeavouring to +move round in order to get my back towards the windows, hoping, by +keeping my face in the shade, to escape detection. + +In this manoeuvre, however, I was foiled by the imperiousness of the +soldier; and inwardly cursing his ill-timed interference, I proceeded to +present my merchandise to the loving contemplation of the officers who +thronged around me, with a strong light from an opposite window full +upon my face. + +As I continued to traffic with these gentlemen, I observed with no small +anxiety the eyes of Captain Oliver frequently fixed upon me with a kind +of dubious inquiring gaze. + +'I think, my honest fellow,' he said at last, 'that I have seen you +somewhere before this. Have you often dealt with the military?' + +'I have traded, sir,' said I, 'with the soldiery many a time, and always +been honourably treated. Will your worship please to buy a pair of lace +ruffles?--very cheap, your worship.' + +'Why do you wear your hair so much over your face, sir?' said Oliver, +without noticing my suggestion. 'I promise you, I think no good of thee; +throw back your hair, and let me see thee plainly. Hold up your face, +and look straight at me; throw back your hair, sir.' + +I felt that all chance of escape was at an end; and stepping forward as +near as the table would allow me to him, I raised my head, threw back my +hair, and fixed my eyes sternly and boldly upon his face. + +I saw that he knew me instantly, for his countenance turned as pale +as ashes with surprise and hatred. He started up, placing his hand +instinctively upon his sword-hilt, and glaring at me with a look so +deadly, that I thought every moment he would strike his sword into my +heart. He said in a kind of whisper: 'Hardress Fitzgerald?' + +'Yes;' said I, boldly, for the excitement of the scene had effectually +stirred my blood, 'Hardress Fitzgerald is before you. I know you well, +Captain Oliver. I know how you hate me. I know how you thirst for my +blood; but in a good cause, and in the hands of God, I defy you.' + +'You are a desperate villain, sir,' said Captain Oliver; 'a rebel and a +murderer! Holloa, there! guard, seize him!' + +As the soldiers entered, I threw my eyes hastily round the room, and +observing a glowing fire upon the hearth, I suddenly drew General +Sarsfield's packet from my bosom, and casting it upon the embers, +planted my foot upon it. + +'Secure the papers!' shouted the captain; and almost instantly I was +laid prostrate and senseless upon the floor, by a blow from the butt of +a carbine. + +I cannot say how long I continued in a state of torpor; but at +length, having slowly recovered my senses, I found myself lying firmly +handcuffed upon the floor of a small chamber, through a narrow loophole +in one of whose walls the evening sun was shining. I was chilled +with cold and damp, and drenched in blood, which had flowed in large +quantities from the wound on my head. By a strong effort I shook off the +sick drowsiness which still hung upon me, and, weak and giddy, I rose +with pain and difficulty to my feet. + +The chamber, or rather cell, in which I stood was about eight feet +square, and of a height very disproportioned to its other dimensions; +its altitude from the floor to the ceiling being not less than twelve or +fourteen feet. A narrow slit placed high in the wall admitted a scanty +light, but sufficient to assure me that my prison contained nothing to +render the sojourn of its tenant a whit less comfortless than my worst +enemy could have wished. + +My first impulse was naturally to examine the security of the door, the +loop-hole which I have mentioned being too high and too narrow to afford +a chance of escape. I listened attentively to ascertain if possible +whether or not a guard had been placed upon the outside. + +Not a sound was to be heard. I now placed my shoulder to the door, and +sought with all my combined strength and weight to force it open. It, +however, resisted all my efforts, and thus baffled in my appeal to mere +animal power, exhausted and disheartened, I threw myself on the ground. + +It was not in my nature, however, long to submit to the apathy of +despair, and in a few minutes I was on my feet again. + +With patient scrutiny I endeavoured to ascertain the nature of the +fastenings which secured the door. + +The planks, fortunately, having been nailed together fresh, had shrunk +considerably, so as to leave wide chinks between each and its neighbour. + +By means of these apertures I saw that my dungeon was secured, not by a +lock, as I had feared, but by a strong wooden bar, running horizontally +across the door, about midway upon the outside. + +'Now,' thought I, 'if I can but slip my fingers through the opening of +the planks, I can easily remove the bar, and then----' + +My attempts, however, were all frustrated by the manner in which my +hands were fastened together, each embarrassing the other, and rendering +my efforts so hopelessly clumsy, that I was obliged to give them over in +despair. + +I turned with a sigh from my last hope, and began to pace my narrow +prison floor, when my eye suddenly encountered an old rusty nail or +holdfast sticking in the wall. + +All the gold of Plutus would not have been so welcome as that rusty +piece of iron. + +I instantly wrung it from the wall, and inserting the point between the +planks of the door into the bolt, and working it backwards and forwards, +I had at length the unspeakable satisfaction to perceive that the beam +was actually yielding to my efforts, and gradually sliding into its +berth in the wall. + +I have often been engaged in struggles where great bodily strength was +required, and every thew and sinew in the system taxed to the uttermost; +but, strange as it may appear, I never was so completely exhausted and +overcome by any labour as by this comparatively trifling task. + +Again and again was I obliged to desist, until my cramped finger-joints +recovered their power; but at length my perseverance was rewarded, for, +little by little, I succeeded in removing the bolt so far as to allow +the door to open sufficiently to permit me to pass. + +With some squeezing I succeeded in forcing my way into a small passage, +upon which my prison-door opened. + +This led into a chamber somewhat more spacious than my cell, but still +containing no furniture, and affording no means of escape to one so +crippled with bonds as I was. + +At the far extremity of this room was a door which stood ajar, and, +stealthily passing through it, I found myself in a room containing +nothing but a few raw hides, which rendered the atmosphere nearly +intolerable. + +Here I checked myself, for I heard voices in busy conversation in the +next room. + +I stole softly to the door which separated the chamber in which I stood +from that from which the voices proceeded. + +A moment served to convince me that any attempt upon it would be worse +than fruitless, for it was secured upon the outside by a strong lock, +besides two bars, all which I was enabled to ascertain by means of +the same defect in the joining of the planks which I have mentioned as +belonging to the inner door. + +I had approached this door very softly, so that, my proximity being +wholly unsuspected by the speakers within, the conversation continued +without interruption. + +Planting myself close to the door, I applied my eye to one of the chinks +which separated the boards, and thus obtained a full view of the chamber +and its occupants. + +It was the very apartment into which I had been first conducted. The +outer door, which faced the one at which I stood, was closed, and at a +small table were seated the only tenants of the room--two officers, one +of whom was Captain Oliver. The latter was reading a paper, which I made +no doubt was the document with which I had been entrusted. + +'The fellow deserves it, no doubt' said the junior officer. 'But, +methinks, considering our orders from head-quarters, you deal somewhat +too hastily.' + +'Nephew, nephew,' said Captain Oliver, 'you mistake the tenor of our +orders. We were directed to conciliate the peasantry by fair and gentle +treatment, but not to suffer spies and traitors to escape. This packet +is of some value, though not, in all its parts, intelligible to me. The +bearer has made his way hither under a disguise, which, along with the +other circumstances of his appearance here, is sufficient to convict him +as a spy.' + +There was a pause here, and after a few minutes the younger officer +said: + +'Spy is a hard term, no doubt, uncle; but it is possible--nay, likely, +that this poor devil sought merely to carry the parcel with which he was +charged in safety to its destination. Pshaw! he is sufficiently punished +if you duck him, for ten minutes or so, between the bridge and the +mill-dam.' + +'Young man,' said Oliver, somewhat sternly, 'do not obtrude your advice +where it is not called for; this man, for whom you plead, murdered your +own father!' + +I could not see how this announcement affected the person to whom it was +addressed, for his back was towards me; but I conjectured, easily, that +my last poor chance was gone, for a long silence ensued. Captain Oliver +at length resumed: + +'I know the villain well. I know him capable of any crime; but, by ----, +his last card is played, and the game is up. He shall not see the moon +rise to-night.' + +There was here another pause. + +Oliver rose, and going to the outer door, called: + +'Hewson! Hewson!' + +A grim-looking corporal entered. + +'Hewson, have your guard ready at eight o'clock, with their carbines +clean, and a round of ball-cartridge each. Keep them sober; and, +further, plant two upright posts at the near end of the bridge, with +a cross one at top, in the manner of a gibbet. See to these matters, +Hewson: I shall be with you speedily.' + +The corporal made his salutations, and retired. + +Oliver deliberately folded up the papers with which I had been +commissioned, and placing them in the pocket of his vest, he said: + +'Cunning, cunning Master Hardress Fitzgerald hath made a false step; +the old fox is in the toils. Hardress Fitzgerald, Hardress Fitzgerald, I +will blot you out.' + +He repeated these words several times, at the same time rubbing his +finger strongly upon the table, as if he sought to erase a stain: + +'I WILL BLOT YOU OUT!' + +There was a kind of glee in his manner and expression which chilled my +very heart. + +'You shall be first shot like a dog, and then hanged like a dog: shot +to-night, and hung to-morrow; hung at the bridgehead--hung, until your +bones drop asunder!' + +It is impossible to describe the exultation with which he seemed to +dwell upon, and to particularise the fate which he intended for me. + +I observed, however, that his face was deadly pale, and felt assured +that his conscience and inward convictions were struggling against his +cruel resolve. Without further comment the two officers left the room, +I suppose to oversee the preparations which were being made for the deed +of which I was to be the victim. + +A chill, sick horror crept over me as they retired, and I felt, for the +moment, upon the brink of swooning. This feeling, however, speedily +gave place to a sensation still more terrible. A state of excitement so +intense and tremendous as to border upon literal madness, supervened; my +brain reeled and throbbed as if it would burst; thoughts the wildest +and the most hideous flashed through my mind with a spontaneous rapidity +that scared my very soul; while, all the time, I felt a strange and +frightful impulse to burst into uncontrolled laughter. + +Gradually this fearful paroxysm passed away. I kneeled and prayed +fervently, and felt comforted and assured; but still I could not view +the slow approaches of certain death without an agitation little short +of agony. + +I have stood in battle many a time when the chances of escape were +fearfully small. I have confronted foemen in the deadly breach. I have +marched, with a constant heart, against the cannon's mouth. Again and +again has the beast which I bestrode been shot under me; again and again +have I seen the comrades who walked beside me in an instant laid for +ever in the dust; again and again have I been in the thick of battle, +and of its mortal dangers, and never felt my heart shake, or a single +nerve tremble: but now, helpless, manacled, imprisoned, doomed, forced +to watch the approaches of an inevitable fate--to wait, silent and +moveless, while death as it were crept towards me, human nature was +taxed to the uttermost to bear the horrible situation. + +I returned again to the closet in which I had found myself upon +recovering from the swoon. + +The evening sunshine and twilight was fast melting into darkness, when +I heard the outer door, that which communicated with the guard-room in +which the officers had been amusing themselves, opened and locked again +upon the inside. + +A measured step then approached, and the door of the wretched cell in +which I lay being rudely pushed open, a soldier entered, who carried +something in his hand; but, owing to the obscurity of the place, I could +not see what. + +'Art thou awake, fellow?' said he, in a gruff voice. 'Stir thyself; get +upon thy legs.' + +His orders were enforced by no very gentle application of his military +boot. + +'Friend,' said I, rising with difficulty, 'you need not insult a dying +man. You have been sent hither to conduct me to death. Lead on! My +trust is in God, that He will forgive me my sins, and receive my soul, +redeemed by the blood of His Son.' + +There here intervened a pause of some length, at the end of which the +soldier said, in the same gruff voice, but in a lower key: + +'Look ye, comrade, it will be your own fault if you die this night. On +one condition I promise to get you out of this hobble with a whole skin; +but if you go to any of your d----d gammon, by G--, before two hours are +passed, you will have as many holes in your carcase as a target.' + +'Name your conditions,' said I, 'and if they consist with honour, I will +never balk at the offer.' + +'Here they are: you are to be shot to-night, by Captain Oliver's orders. +The carbines are cleaned for the job, and the cartridges served out to +the men. By G--, I tell you the truth!' + +Of this I needed not much persuasion, and intimated to the man my +conviction that he spoke the truth. + +'Well, then,' he continued, 'now for the means of avoiding this ugly +business. Captain Oliver rides this night to head-quarters, with the +papers which you carried. Before he starts he will pay you a visit, +to fish what he can out of you with all the fine promises he can make. +Humour him a little, and when you find an opportunity, stab him in the +throat above the cuirass.' + +'A feasible plan, surely,' said I, raising my shackled hands, 'for a man +thus completely crippled and without a weapon.' + +'I will manage all that presently for you,' said the soldier. 'When you +have thus dealt with him, take his cloak and hat, and so forth, and put +them on; the papers you will find in the pocket of his vest, in a red +leather case. Walk boldly out. I am appointed to ride with Captain +Oliver, and you will find me holding his horse and my own by the door. +Mount quickly, and I will do the same, and then we will ride for our +lives across the bridge. You will find the holster-pistols loaded in +case of pursuit; and, with the devil's help, we shall reach Limerick +without a hair hurt. My only condition is, that when you strike Oliver, +you strike home, and again and again, until he is FINISHED; and I trust +to your honour to remember me when we reach the town.' + +I cannot say whether I resolved right or wrong, but I thought my +situation, and the conduct of Captain Oliver, warranted me in acceding +to the conditions propounded by my visitant, and with alacrity I told +him so, and desired him to give me the power, as he had promised to do, +of executing them. + +With speed and promptitude he drew a small key from his pocket, and in +an instant the manacles were removed from my hands. + +How my heart bounded within me as my wrists were released from the +iron gripe of the shackles! The first step toward freedom was made--my +self-reliance returned, and I felt assured of success. + +'Now for the weapon,' said I. + +'I fear me, you will find it rather clumsy,' said he; 'but if well +handled, it will do as well as the best Toledo. It is the only thing I +could get, but I sharpened it myself; it has an edge like a skean.' + +He placed in my hand the steel head of a halberd. Grasping it firmly, I +found that it made by no means a bad weapon in point of convenience; for +it felt in the hand like a heavy dagger, the portion which formed the +blade or point being crossed nearly at the lower extremity by a small +bar of metal, at one side shaped into the form of an axe, and at the +other into that of a hook. These two transverse appendages being muffled +by the folds of my cravat, which I removed for the purpose, formed a +perfect guard or hilt, and the lower extremity formed like a tube, in +which the pike-handle had been inserted, afforded ample space for the +grasp of my hand; the point had been made as sharp as a needle, and the +metal he assured me was good. + +Thus equipped he left me, having observed, 'The captain sent me to +bring you to your senses, and give you some water that he might find you +proper for his visit. Here is the pitcher; I think I have revived you +sufficiently for the captain's purpose.' + +With a low savage laugh he left me to my reflections. + +Having examined and adjusted the weapon, I carefully bound the ends of +the cravat, with which I had secured the cross part of the spear-head, +firmly round my wrist, so that in case of a struggle it might not +easily be forced from my hand; and having made these precautionary +dispositions, I sat down upon the ground with my back against the wall, +and my hands together under my coat, awaiting my visitor. + +The time wore slowly on; the dusk became dimmer and dimmer, until it +nearly bordered on total darkness. + +'How's this?' said I, inwardly; 'Captain Oliver, you said I should +not see the moon rise to-night. Methinks you are somewhat tardy in +fulfilling your prophecy.' + +As I made this reflection, a noise at the outer door announced the +entrance of a visitant. I knew that the decisive moment was come, and +letting my head sink upon my breast, and assuring myself that my +hands were concealed, I waited, in the attitude of deep dejection, the +approach of my foe and betrayer. + +As I had expected, Captain Oliver entered the room where I lay. He was +equipped for instant duty, as far as the imperfect twilight would allow +me to see; the long sword clanked upon the floor as he made his way +through the lobbies which led to my place of confinement; his ample +military cloak hung upon his arm; his cocked hat was upon his head, and +in all points he was prepared for the road. + +This tallied exactly with what my strange informant had told me. + +I felt my heart swell and my breath come thick as the awful moment which +was to witness the death-struggle of one or other of us approached. + +Captain Oliver stood within a yard or two of the place where I sat, or +rather lay; and folding his arms, he remained silent for a minute or +two, as if arranging in his mind how he should address me. + +'Hardress Fitzgerald,' he began at length, 'are you awake? Stand up, if +you desire to hear of matters nearly touching your life or death. Get +up, I say.' + +I arose doggedly, and affecting the awkward movements of one whose hands +were bound, + +'Well,' said I, 'what would you of me? Is it not enough that I am thus +imprisoned without a cause, and about, as I suspect, to suffer a most +unjust and violent sentence, but must I also be disturbed during the +few moments left me for reflection and repentance by the presence of my +persecutor? What do you want of me?' + +'As to your punishment, sir,' said he, 'your own deserts have no doubt +suggested the likelihood of it to your mind; but I now am with you to +let you know that whatever mitigation of your sentence you may look for, +must be earned by your compliance with my orders. You must frankly and +fully explain the contents of the packet which you endeavoured this day +to destroy; and further, you must tell all that you know of the designs +of the popish rebels.' + +'And if I do this I am to expect a mitigation of my punishment--is it +not so?' + +Oliver bowed. + +'And what IS this mitigation to be? On the honour of a soldier, what is +it to be?' inquired I. + +'When you have made the disclosure required,' he replied, 'you shall +hear. 'Tis then time to talk of indulgences.' + +'Methinks it would then be too late,' answered I. 'But a chance is a +chance, and a drowning man will catch at a straw. You are an honourable +man, Captain Oliver. I must depend, I suppose, on your good faith. Well, +sir, before I make the desired communication I have one question more +to put. What is to befall me in case that I, remembering the honour of +a soldier and a gentleman, reject your infamous terms, scorn your +mitigations, and defy your utmost power?' + +'In that case,' replied he, coolly, 'before half an hour you shall be a +corpse.' + +'Then God have mercy on your soul!' said I; and springing forward, I +dashed the weapon which I held at his throat. + +I missed my aim, but struck him full in the mouth with such force that +most of his front teeth were dislodged, and the point of the spear-head +passed out under his jaw, at the ear. + +My onset was so sudden and unexpected that he reeled back to the wall, +and did not recover his equilibrium in time to prevent my dealing a +second blow, which I did with my whole force. The point unfortunately +struck the cuirass, near the neck, and glancing aside it inflicted but a +flesh wound, tearing the skin and tendons along the throat. + +He now grappled with me, strange to say, without uttering any cry of +alarm; being a very powerful man, and if anything rather heavier and +more strongly built than I, he succeeded in drawing me with him to the +ground. We fell together with a heavy crash, tugging and straining in +what we were both conscious was a mortal struggle. At length I succeeded +in getting over him, and struck him twice more in the face; still he +struggled with an energy which nothing but the tremendous stake at issue +could have sustained. + +I succeeded again in inflicting several more wounds upon him, any one +of which might have been mortal. While thus contending he clutched his +hands about my throat, so firmly that I felt the blood swelling the +veins of my temples and face almost to bursting. Again and again I +struck the weapon deep into his face and throat, but life seemed to +adhere in him with an almost INSECT tenacity. + +My sight now nearly failed, my senses almost forsook me; I felt upon +the point of suffocation when, with one desperate effort, I struck him +another and a last blow in the face. The weapon which I wielded had +lighted upon the eye, and the point penetrated the brain; the body +quivered under me, the deadly grasp relaxed, and Oliver lay upon the +ground a corpse! + +As I arose and shook the weapon and the bloody cloth from my hand, the +moon which he had foretold I should never see rise, shone bright and +broad into the room, and disclosed, with ghastly distinctness, the +mangled features of the dead soldier; the mouth, full of clotting blood +and broken teeth, lay open; the eye, close by whose lid the fatal wound +had been inflicted, was not, as might have been expected, bathed in +blood, but had started forth nearly from the socket, and gave to the +face, by its fearful unlikeness to the other glazing orb, a leer more +hideous and unearthly than fancy ever saw. The wig, with all its rich +curls, had fallen with the hat to the floor, leaving the shorn head +exposed, and in many places marked by the recent struggle; the rich lace +cravat was drenched in blood, and the gay uniform in many places soiled +with the same. + +It is hard to say, with what feelings I looked upon the unsightly and +revolting mass which had so lately been a living and a comely man. I had +not any time, however, to spare for reflection; the deed was done--the +responsibility was upon me, and all was registered in the book of that +God who judges rightly. + +With eager haste I removed from the body such of the military +accoutrements as were necessary for the purpose of my disguise. I +buckled on the sword, drew off the military boots, and donned them +myself, placed the brigadier wig and cocked hat upon my head, threw +on the cloak, drew it up about my face, and proceeded, with the papers +which I found as the soldier had foretold me, and the key of the outer +lobby, to the door of the guard-room; this I opened, and with a firm +and rapid tread walked through the officers, who rose as I entered, and +passed without question or interruption to the street-door. Here I was +met by the grimlooking corporal, Hewson, who, saluting me, said: + +'How soon, captain, shall the file be drawn out and the prisoner +despatched?' + +'In half an hour,' I replied, without raising my voice. + +The man again saluted, and in two steps I reached the soldier who held +the two horses, as he had intimated. + +'Is all right?' said he, eagerly. + +'Ay,' said I, 'which horse am I to mount?' + +He satisfied me upon this point, and I threw myself into the saddle; the +soldier mounted his horse, and dashing the spurs into the flanks of the +animal which I bestrode, we thundered along the narrow bridge. At the +far extremity a sentinel, as we approached, called out, 'Who goes there? +stand, and give the word!' Heedless of the interruption, with my heart +bounding with excitement, I dashed on, as did also the soldier who +accompanied me. + +'Stand, or I fire! give the word!' cried the sentry. + +'God save the king, and to hell with the prince!' shouted I, flinging +the cocked hat in his face as I galloped by. + +The response was the sharp report of a carbine, accompanied by the whiz +of a bullet, which passed directly between me and my comrade, now riding +beside me. + +'Hurrah!' I shouted; 'try it again, my boy.' + +And away we went at a gallop, which bid fair to distance anything like +pursuit. + +Never was spur more needed, however, for soon the clatter of horses' +hoofs, in full speed, crossing the bridge, came sharp and clear through +the stillness of the night. + +Away we went, with our pursuers close behind; one mile was passed, +another nearly completed. The moon now shone forth, and, turning in the +saddle, I looked back upon the road we had passed. + +One trooper had headed the rest, and was within a hundred yards of us. + +I saw the fellow throw himself from his horse upon the ground. + +I knew his object, and said to my comrade: + +'Lower your body--lie flat over the saddle; the fellow is going to +fire.' + +I had hardly spoken when the report of a carbine startled the echoes, +and the ball, striking the hind leg of my companion's horse, the poor +animal fell headlong upon the road, throwing his rider head-foremost +over the saddle. + +My first impulse was to stop and share whatever fate might await my +comrade; but my second and wiser one was to spur on, and save myself and +my despatch. + +I rode on at a gallop, turning to observe my comrade's fate. I saw his +pursuer, having remounted, ride rapidly up to him, and, on reaching the +spot where the man and horse lay, rein in and dismount. + +He was hardly upon the ground, when my companion shot him dead with one +of the holster-pistols which he had drawn from the pipe; and, leaping +nimbly over a ditch at the side of the road, he was soon lost among the +ditches and thornbushes which covered that part of the country. + +Another mile being passed, I had the satisfaction to perceive that the +pursuit was given over, and in an hour more I crossed Thomond Bridge, +and slept that night in the fortress of Limerick, having delivered +the packet, the result of whose safe arrival was the destruction of +William's great train of artillery, then upon its way to the besiegers. + +Years after this adventure, I met in France a young officer, who I found +had served in Captain Oliver's regiment; and he explained what I had +never before understood--the motives of the man who had wrought my +deliverance. Strange to say, he was the foster-brother of Oliver, whom +he thus devoted to death, but in revenge for the most grievous wrong +which one man can inflict upon another! + + + + +'THE QUARE GANDER.' + + Being a Twelfth Extract from the Legacy of the late Francis + Purcell, P.P. of Drumcoolagh. + +As I rode at a slow walk, one soft autumn evening, from the once noted +and noticeable town of Emly, now a squalid village, towards the no less +remarkable town of Tipperary, I fell into a meditative mood. + +My eye wandered over a glorious landscape; a broad sea of corn-fields, +that might have gladdened even a golden age, was waving before me; +groups of little cabins, with their poplars, osiers, and light mountain +ashes, clustered shelteringly around them, were scattered over the +plain; the thin blue smoke arose floating through their boughs in the +still evening air. And far away with all their broad lights and shades, +softened with the haze of approaching twilight, stood the bold wild +Galties. + +As I gazed on this scene, whose richness was deepened by the melancholy +glow of the setting sun, the tears rose to my eyes, and I said: + +'Alas, my country! what a mournful beauty is thine. Dressed in +loveliness and laughter, there is mortal decay at thy heart: sorrow, +sin, and shame have mingled thy cup of misery. Strange rulers have +bruised thee, and laughed thee to scorn, and they have made all thy +sweetness bitter. Thy shames and sins are the austere fruits of thy +miseries, and thy miseries have been poured out upon thee by foreign +hands. Alas, my stricken country! clothed with this most pity-moving +smile, with this most unutterably mournful loveliness, thou +sore-grieved, thou desperately-beloved! Is there for thee, my country, a +resurrection?' + +I know not how long I might have continued to rhapsodize in this strain, +had not my wandering thoughts been suddenly recalled to my own immediate +neighbourhood by the monotonous clatter of a horse's hoofs upon the +road, evidently moving, at that peculiar pace which is neither a +walk nor a trot, and yet partakes of both, so much in vogue among the +southern farmers. + +In a moment my pursuer was up with me, and checking his steed into a +walk he saluted me with much respect. The cavalier was a light-built +fellow, with good-humoured sun-burnt features, a shrewd and lively +black eye, and a head covered with a crop of close curly black hair, and +surmounted with a turf-coloured caubeen, in the packthread band of which +was stuck a short pipe, which had evidently seen much service. + +My companion was a dealer in all kinds of local lore, and soon took +occasion to let me see that he was so. + +After two or three short stories, in which the scandalous and +supernatural were happily blended, we happened to arrive at a narrow +road or bohreen leading to a snug-looking farm-house. + +'That's a comfortable bit iv a farm,' observed my comrade, pointing +towards the dwelling with his thumb; 'a shnug spot, and belongs to the +Mooneys this long time. 'Tis a noted place for what happened wid the +famous gandher there in former times.' + +'And what was that?' inquired I. + +'What was it happened wid the gandher!' ejaculated my companion in a +tone of indignant surprise; 'the gandher iv Ballymacrucker, the gandher! +Your raverance must be a stranger in these parts. Sure every fool knows +all about the gandher, and Terence Mooney, that was, rest his sowl. +Begorra, 'tis surprisin' to me how in the world you didn't hear iv the +gandher; and may be it's funnin me ye are, your raverance.' + +I assured him to the contrary, and conjured him to narrate to me the +facts, an unacquaintance with which was sufficient it appeared to stamp +me as an ignoramus of the first magnitude. + +It did not require much entreaty to induce my communicative friend to +relate the circumstance, in nearly the following words: + +'Terence Mooney was an honest boy and well to do; an' he rinted the +biggest farm on this side iv the Galties; an' bein' mighty cute an' a +sevare worker, it was small wonder he turned a good penny every harvest. +But unluckily he was blessed with an ilegant large family iv daughters, +an' iv coorse his heart was allamost bruck, striving to make up fortunes +for the whole of them. An' there wasn't a conthrivance iv any soart or +description for makin' money out iv the farm, but he was up to. + +'Well, among the other ways he had iv gettin' up in the world, he always +kep a power iv turkeys, and all soarts iv poultrey; an' he was out iv +all rason partial to geese--an' small blame to him for that same--for +twice't a year you can pluck them as bare as my hand--an' get a fine +price for the feathers, an' plenty of rale sizable eggs--an' when they +are too ould to lay any more, you can kill them, an' sell them to the +gintlemen for goslings, d'ye see, let alone that a goose is the most +manly bird that is out. + +'Well, it happened in the coorse iv time that one ould gandher tuck a +wondherful likin' to Terence, an' divil a place he could go serenadin' +about the farm, or lookin' afther the men, but the gandher id be at his +heels, an' rubbin' himself agin his legs, an' lookin' up in his face +jist like any other Christian id do; an' begorra, the likes iv it was +never seen--Terence Mooney an' the gandher wor so great. + +'An' at last the bird was so engagin' that Terence would not allow it +to be plucked any more, an' kep it from that time out for love an' +affection--just all as one like one iv his childer. + +'But happiness in perfection never lasts long, an' the neighbours +begin'd to suspect the nathur an' intentions iv the gandher, an' some iv +them said it was the divil, an' more iv them that it was a fairy. + +'Well, Terence could not but hear something of what was sayin', an' you +may be sure he was not altogether asy in his mind about it, an' from one +day to another he was gettin' more ancomfortable in himself, until he +detarmined to sind for Jer Garvan, the fairy docthor in Garryowen, an' +it's he was the ilegant hand at the business, an' divil a sperit id +say a crass word to him, no more nor a priest. An' moreover he was very +great wid ould Terence Mooney--this man's father that' was. + +'So without more about it he was sint for, an' sure enough the divil a +long he was about it, for he kem back that very evenin' along wid the +boy that was sint for him, an' as soon as he was there, an' tuck his +supper, an' was done talkin' for a while, he begined of coorse to look +into the gandher. + +'Well, he turned it this away an' that away, to the right an' to the +left, an' straight-ways an' upside-down, an' when he was tired handlin' +it, says he to Terence Mooney: + +'"Terence," says he, "you must remove the bird into the next room," says +he, "an' put a petticoat," says he, "or anny other convaynience round +his head," says he. + +'"An' why so?" says Terence. + +'"Becase," says Jer, says he. + +'"Becase what?" says Terence. + +'"Becase," says Jer, "if it isn't done you'll never be asy again," says +he, "or pusilanimous in your mind," says he; "so ax no more questions, +but do my biddin'," says he. + +'"Well," says Terence, "have your own way," says he. + +'An' wid that he tuck the ould gandher, an' giv' it to one iv the +gossoons. + +'"An' take care," says he, "don't smother the crathur," says he. + +'Well, as soon as the bird was gone, says Jer Garvan says he: + +'"Do you know what that ould gandher IS, Terence Mooney?" + +'"Divil a taste," says Terence. + +'"Well then," says Jer, "the gandher is your own father," says he. + +'"It's jokin' you are," says Terence, turnin' mighty pale; "how can an +ould gandher be my father?" says he. + +'"I'm not funnin' you at all," says Jer; "it's thrue what I tell you, +it's your father's wandhrin' sowl," says he, "that's naturally tuck +pissession iv the ould gandher's body," says he. "I know him many ways, +and I wondher," says he, "you do not know the cock iv his eye yourself," +says he. + +'"Oh blur an' ages!" says Terence, "what the divil will I ever do at all +at all," says he; "it's all over wid me, for I plucked him twelve times +at the laste," says he. + +'"That can't be helped now," says Jer; "it was a sevare act surely," +says he, "but it's too late to lamint for it now," says he; "the only +way to prevint what's past," says he, "is to put a stop to it before it +happens," says he. + +'"Thrue for you," says Terence, "but how the divil did you come to the +knowledge iv my father's sowl," says he, "bein' in the owld gandher," +says he. + +'"If I tould you," says Jer, "you would not undherstand me," says +he, "without book-larnin' an' gasthronomy," says he; "so ax me no +questions," says he, "an' I'll tell you no lies. But blieve me in this +much," says he, "it's your father that's in it," says he; "an' if I +don't make him spake to-morrow mornin'," says he, "I'll give you lave to +call me a fool," says he. + +'"Say no more," says Terence, "that settles the business," says he; +"an' oh! blur and ages is it not a quare thing," says he, "for a dacent +respictable man," says he, "to be walkin' about the counthry in the +shape iv an ould gandher," says he; "and oh, murdher, murdher! is not +it often I plucked him," says he, "an' tundher and ouns might not I +have ate him," says he; and wid that he fell into a could parspiration, +savin' your prisince, an was on the pint iv faintin' wid the bare +notions iv it. + +'Well, whin he was come to himself agin, says Jerry to him quite an' +asy: + +'"Terence," says he, "don't be aggravatin' yourself," says he; "for I +have a plan composed that 'ill make him spake out," says he, "an' tell +what it is in the world he's wantin'," says he; "an' mind an' don't be +comin' in wid your gosther, an' to say agin anything I tell you," says +he, "but jist purtind, as soon as the bird is brought back," says he, +"how that we're goin' to sind him to-morrow mornin' to market," says he. +"An' if he don't spake to-night," says he, "or gother himself out iv +the place," says he, "put him into the hamper airly, and sind him in the +cart," says he, "straight to Tipperary, to be sould for ating," says he, +"along wid the two gossoons," says he, "an' my name isn't Jer Garvan," +says he, "if he doesn't spake out before he's half-way," says he. "An' +mind," says he, "as soon as iver he says the first word," says he, +"that very minute bring him aff to Father Crotty," says he; "an' if +his raverince doesn't make him ratire," says he, "like the rest iv his +parishioners, glory be to God," says he, "into the siclusion iv the +flames iv purgathory," says he, "there's no vartue in my charums," says +he. + +'Well, wid that the ould gandher was let into the room agin, an' they +all bigined to talk iv sindin' him the nixt mornin' to be sould for +roastin' in Tipperary, jist as if it was a thing andoubtingly settled. +But divil a notice the gandher tuck, no more nor if they wor spaking iv +the Lord-Liftinant; an' Terence desired the boys to get ready the kish +for the poulthry, an' to "settle it out wid hay soft an' shnug," says +he, "for it's the last jauntin' the poor ould gandher 'ill get in this +world," says he. + +'Well, as the night was gettin' late, Terence was growin' mighty +sorrowful an' down-hearted in himself entirely wid the notions iv what +was goin' to happen. An' as soon as the wife an' the crathurs war fairly +in bed, he brought out some illigint potteen, an' himself an' Jer Garvan +sot down to it; an' begorra, the more anasy Terence got, the more he +dhrank, and himself and Jer Garvan finished a quart betune them. It +wasn't an imparial though, an' more's the pity, for them wasn't anvinted +antil short since; but divil a much matther it signifies any longer if +a pint could hould two quarts, let alone what it does, sinst Father +Mathew--the Lord purloin his raverence--begin'd to give the pledge, an' +wid the blessin' iv timperance to deginerate Ireland. + +'An' begorra, I have the medle myself; an' it's proud I am iv that same, +for abstamiousness is a fine thing, although it's mighty dhry. + +'Well, whin Terence finished his pint, he thought he might as well stop; +"for enough is as good as a faste," says he; "an' I pity the vagabond," +says he, "that is not able to conthroul his licquor," says he, "an' +to keep constantly inside iv a pint measure," said he; an' wid that he +wished Jer Garvan a good-night, an' walked out iv the room. + +'But he wint out the wrong door, bein' a thrifle hearty in himself, an' +not rightly knowin' whether he was standin' on his head or his heels, or +both iv them at the same time, an' in place iv gettin' into bed, where +did he thrun himself but into the poulthry hamper, that the boys had +settled out ready for the gandher in the mornin'. An' sure enough he +sunk down soft an' complate through the hay to the bottom; an' wid the +turnin' and roulin' about in the night, the divil a bit iv him but was +covered up as shnug as a lumper in a pittaty furrow before mornin'. + +'So wid the first light, up gets the two boys, that war to take the +sperit, as they consaved, to Tipperary; an' they cotched the ould +gandher, an' put him in the hamper, and clapped a good wisp iv hay an' +the top iv him, and tied it down sthrong wid a bit iv a coard, and med +the sign iv the crass over him, in dhread iv any harum, an' put the +hamper up an the car, wontherin' all the while what in the world was +makin' the ould burd so surprisin' heavy. + +'Well, they wint along quite anasy towards Tipperary, wishin' every +minute that some iv the neighbours bound the same way id happen to fall +in with them, for they didn't half like the notions iv havin' no company +but the bewitched gandher, an' small blame to them for that same. + +'But although they wor shaking in their skhins in dhread iv the ould +bird beginnin' to convarse them every minute, they did not let an' to +one another, bud kep singin' an' whistlin' like mad, to keep the dread +out iv their hearts. + +'Well, afther they war on the road betther nor half an hour, they kem to +the bad bit close by Father Crotty's, an' there was one divil of a rut +three feet deep at the laste; an' the car got sich a wondherful chuck +goin' through it, that it wakened Terence widin in the basket. + +'"Bad luck to ye," says he, "my bones is bruck wid yer thricks; what the +divil are ye doin' wid me?" + +'"Did ye hear anything quare, Thady?" says the boy that was next to the +car, turnin' as white as the top iv a musharoon; "did ye hear anything +quare soundin' out iv the hamper?" says he. + +'"No, nor you," says Thady, turnin' as pale as himself, "it's the ould +gandher that's gruntin' wid the shakin' he's gettin'," says he. + +'"Where the divil have ye put me into," says Terence inside, "bad luck +to your sowls," says he, "let me out, or I'll be smothered this minute," +says he. + +'"There's no use in purtending," says the boy, "the gandher's spakin', +glory be to God," says he. + +'"Let me out, you murdherers," says Terence. + +'"In the name iv the blessed Vargin," says Thady, "an' iv all the holy +saints, hould yer tongue, you unnatheral gandher," says he. + +'"Who's that, that dar to call me nicknames?" says Terence inside, +roaring wid the fair passion, "let me out, you blasphamious infiddles," +says he, "or by this crass I'll stretch ye," says he. + +'"In the name iv all the blessed saints in heaven," says Thady, "who the +divil are ye?" + +'"Who the divil would I be, but Terence Mooney," says he. "It's myself +that's in it, you unmerciful bliggards," says he, "let me out, or by +the holy, I'll get out in spite iv yes," says he, "an' by jaburs, I'll +wallop yes in arnest," says he. + +'"It's ould Terence, sure enough," says Thady, "isn't it cute the fairy +docthor found him out," says he. + +'"I'm an the pint iv snuffication," says Terence, "let me out, I tell +you, an' wait till I get at ye," says he, "for begorra, the divil a bone +in your body but I'll powdher," says he. + +'An' wid that, he biginned kickin' and flingin' inside in the hamper, +and dhrivin his legs agin the sides iv it, that it was a wonder he did +not knock it to pieces. + +'Well, as soon as the boys seen that, they skelped the ould horse into +a gallop as hard as he could peg towards the priest's house, through the +ruts, an' over the stones; an' you'd see the hamper fairly flyin' three +feet up in the air with the joultin'; glory be to God. + +'So it was small wondher, by the time they got to his Raverince's door, +the breath was fairly knocked out of poor Terence, so that he was lyin' +speechless in the bottom iv the hamper. + +'Well, whin his Raverince kem down, they up an' they tould him all +that happened, an' how they put the gandher into the hamper, an' how he +beginned to spake, an' how he confissed that he was ould Terence Mooney; +an' they axed his honour to advise them how to get rid iv the spirit for +good an' all. + +'So says his Raverince, says he: + +'"I'll take my booke," says he, "an' I'll read some rale sthrong holy +bits out iv it," says he, "an' do you get a rope and put it round the +hamper," says he, "an' let it swing over the runnin' wather at the +bridge," says he, "an' it's no matther if I don't make the spirit come +out iv it," says he. + +'Well, wid that, the priest got his horse, and tuck his booke in undher +his arum, an' the boys follied his Raverince, ladin' the horse down to +the bridge, an' divil a word out iv Terence all the way, for he seen +it was no use spakin', an' he was afeard if he med any noise they might +thrait him to another gallop an finish him intirely. + +'Well, as soon as they war all come to the bridge, the boys tuck the +rope they had with them, an' med it fast to the top iv the hamper an' +swung it fairly over the bridge, lettin' it hang in the air about twelve +feet out iv the wather. + +'An' his Raverince rode down to the bank of the river, close by, an' +beginned to read mighty loud and bould intirely. + +'An' when he was goin' on about five minutes, all at onst the bottom iv +the hamper kem out, an' down wint Terence, falling splash dash into the +water, an' the ould gandher a-top iv him. Down they both went to the +bottom, wid a souse you'd hear half a mile off. + +'An' before they had time to rise agin, his Raverince, wid the fair +astonishment, giv his horse one dig iv the spurs, an' before he knew +where he was, in he went, horse an' all, a-top iv them, an' down to the +bottom. + +'Up they all kem agin together, gaspin' and puffin', an' off down wid +the current wid them, like shot in under the arch iv the bridge till +they kem to the shallow wather. + +'The ould gandher was the first out, and the priest and Terence +kem next, pantin' an' blowin' an' more than half dhrounded, an' his +Raverince was so freckened wid the droundin' he got, and wid the sight +iv the sperit, as he consaved, that he wasn't the better of it for a +month. + +'An' as soon as Terence could spake, he swore he'd have the life of the +two gossoons; but Father Crotty would not give him his will. An' as soon +as he was got quiter, they all endivoured to explain it; but Terence +consaved he went raly to bed the night before, and his wife said the +same to shilter him from the suspicion for havin' th' dthrop taken. An' +his Raverince said it was a mysthery, an' swore if he cotched +anyone laughin' at the accident, he'd lay the horsewhip across their +shouldhers. + +'An' Terence grew fonder an' fonder iv the gandher every day, until at +last he died in a wondherful old age, lavin' the gandher afther him an' +a large family iv childher. + +'An' to this day the farm is rinted by one iv Terence Mooney's lenial +and legitimate postariors.' + + + + +BILLY MALOWNEY'S TASTE OF LOVE AND GLORY. + +Let the reader fancy a soft summer evening, the fresh dews falling on +bush and flower. The sun has just gone down, and the thrilling vespers +of thrushes and blackbirds ring with a wild joy through the saddened +air; the west is piled with fantastic clouds, and clothed in tints of +crimson and amber, melting away into a wan green, and so eastward into +the deepest blue, through which soon the stars will begin to peep. + +Let him fancy himself seated upon the low mossy wall of an ancient +churchyard, where hundreds of grey stones rise above the sward, +under the fantastic branches of two or three half-withered ash-trees, +spreading their arms in everlasting love and sorrow over the dead. + +The narrow road upon which I and my companion await the tax-cart that +is to carry me and my basket, with its rich fruitage of speckled trout, +away, lies at his feet, and far below spreads an undulating plain, +rising westward again into soft hills, and traversed (every here and +there visibly) by a winding stream which, even through the mists of +evening, catches and returns the funereal glories of the skies. + +As the eye traces its wayward wanderings, it loses them for a moment +in the heaving verdure of white-thorns and ash, from among which floats +from some dozen rude chimneys, mostly unseen, the transparent blue film +of turf smoke. There we know, although we cannot see it, the steep old +bridge of Carrickadrum spans the river; and stretching away far to the +right the valley of Lisnamoe: its steeps and hollows, its straggling +hedges, its fair-green, its tall scattered trees, and old grey tower, +are disappearing fast among the discoloured tints and haze of evening. + +Those landmarks, as we sit listlessly expecting the arrival of our +modest conveyance, suggest to our companion--a bare-legged Celtic +brother of the gentle craft, somewhat at the wrong side of forty, with +a turf-coloured caubeen, patched frieze, a clear brown complexion, +dark-grey eyes, and a right pleasant dash of roguery in his +features--the tale, which, if the reader pleases, he is welcome to hear +along with me just as it falls from the lips of our humble comrade. + +His words I can give, but your own fancy must supply the advantages +of an intelligent, expressive countenance, and, what is perhaps harder +still, the harmony of his glorious brogue, that, like the melodies of +our own dear country, will leave a burden of mirth or of sorrow with +nearly equal propriety, tickling the diaphragm as easily as it plays +with the heart-strings, and is in itself a national music that, I trust, +may never, never--scouted and despised though it be--never cease, like +the lost tones of our harp, to be heard in the fields of my country, in +welcome or endearment, in fun or in sorrow, stirring the hearts of Irish +men and Irish women. + +My friend of the caubeen and naked shanks, then, commenced, and +continued his relation, as nearly as possible, in the following words: + + +Av coorse ye often heerd talk of Billy Malowney, that lived by the +bridge of Carrickadrum. 'Leum-a-rinka' was the name they put on him, +he was sich a beautiful dancer. An' faix, it's he was the rale sportin' +boy, every way--killing the hares, and gaffing the salmons, an' fightin' +the men, an' funnin' the women, and coortin' the girls; an' be the +same token, there was not a colleen inside iv his jurisdiction but was +breakin' her heart wid the fair love iv him. + +Well, this was all pleasant enough, to be sure, while it lasted; but +inhuman beings is born to misfortune, an' Bill's divarshin was not to +last always. A young boy can't be continially coortin' and kissin' the +girls (an' more's the pity) without exposin' himself to the most eminent +parril; an' so signs all' what should happen Billy Malowney himself, but +to fall in love at last wid little Molly Donovan, in Coolnamoe. + +I never could ondherstand why in the world it was Bill fell in love wid +HER, above all the girls in the country. She was not within four stone +weight iv being as fat as Peg Brallaghan; and as for redness in the +face, she could not hould a candle to Judy Flaherty. (Poor Judy! she +was my sweetheart, the darlin', an' coorted me constant, ever antil she +married a boy of the Butlers; an' it's twenty years now since she was +buried under the ould white-thorn in Garbally. But that's no matther!) + +Well, at any rate, Molly Donovan tuck his fancy, an' that's everything! +She had smooth brown hair--as smooth as silk-an' a pair iv soft coaxin' +eyes--an' the whitest little teeth you ever seen; an', bedad, she was +every taste as much in love wid himself as he was. + +Well, now, he was raly stupid wid love: there was not a bit of fun +left in him. He was good for nothin' an airth bud sittin' under bushes, +smokin' tobacky, and sighin' till you'd wonder how in the world he got +wind for it all. + +An', bedad, he was an illigant scholar, moreover; an', so signs, it's +many's the song he made about her; an' if you'd be walkin' in the +evening, a mile away from Carrickadrum, begorra you'd hear him singing +out like a bull, all across the country, in her praises. + +Well, ye may be sure, ould Tim Donovan and the wife was not a bit too +well plased to see Bill Malowney coortin' their daughter Molly; for, +do ye mind, she was the only child they had, and her fortune was +thirty-five pounds, two cows, and five illigant pigs, three iron pots +and a skillet, an' a trifle iv poultry in hand; and no one knew how much +besides, whenever the Lord id be plased to call the ould people out of +the way into glory! + +So, it was not likely ould Tim Donovan id be fallin' in love wid poor +Bill Malowney as aisy as the girls did; for, barrin' his beauty, an' his +gun, an' his dhudheen, an' his janius, the divil a taste of property iv +any sort or description he had in the wide world! + +Well, as bad as that was, Billy would not give in that her father and +mother had the smallest taste iv a right to intherfare, good or bad. + +'An' you're welcome to rayfuse me,' says he, 'whin I ax your lave,' +says he; 'an' I'll ax your lave,' says he, 'whenever I want to coort +yourselves,' says he; 'but it's your daughter I'm coortin' at the +present,' says he, 'an that's all I'll say,' says he; 'for I'd as soon +take a doase of salts as be discoursin' ye,' says he. + +So it was a rale blazin' battle betune himself and the ould people; +an', begorra, there was no soart iv blaguardin' that did not pass betune +them; an' they put a solemn injection on Molly again seein' him or +meetin' him for the future. + +But it was all iv no use. You might as well be pursuadin' the birds agin +flying, or sthrivin' to coax the stars out iv the sky into your hat, as +be talking common sinse to them that's fairly bothered and burstin' +wid love. There's nothin' like it. The toothache an' cholic together id +compose you betther for an argyment than itself. It leaves you fit for +nothin' bud nansinse. + +It's stronger than whisky, for one good drop iv it will make you drunk +for one year, and sick, begorra, for a dozen. + +It's stronger than the say, for it'll carry you round the world an' +never let you sink, in sunshine or storm; an', begorra, it's stronger +than Death himself, for it is not afeard iv him, bedad, but dares him in +every shape. + +But lovers has quarrels sometimes, and, begorra, when they do, you'd +a'most imagine they hated one another like man and wife. An' so, signs +an', Billy Malowney and Molly Donovan fell out one evening at ould Tom +Dundon's wake; an' whatever came betune them, she made no more about +it but just draws her cloak round her, and away wid herself and the +sarvant-girl home again, as if there was not a corpse, or a fiddle, or a +taste of divarsion in it. + +Well, Bill Malowney follied her down the boreen, to try could he +deludher her back again; but, if she was bitther before, she gave it +to him in airnest when she got him alone to herself, and to that degree +that he wished her safe home, short and sulky enough, an' walked back +again, as mad as the devil himself, to the wake, to pay a respect to +poor Tom Dundon. + +Well, my dear, it was aisy seen there was something wrong avid Billy +Malowney, for he paid no attintion the rest of the evening to any soart +of divarsion but the whisky alone; an' every glass he'd drink it's what +he'd be wishing the divil had the women, an' the worst iv bad luck to +all soarts iv courting, until, at last, wid the goodness iv the sperits, +an' the badness iv his temper, an' the constant flusthration iv cursin', +he grew all as one as you might say almost, saving your presince, +bastely drunk! + +Well, who should he fall in wid, in that childish condition, as he was +deploying along the road almost as straight as the letter S, an' cursin' +the girls, an' roarin' for more whisky, but the recruiting-sargent iv +the Welsh Confusileers. + +So, cute enough, the sargent begins to convarse him, an' it was not long +until he had him sitting in Murphy's public-house, wid an elegant dandy +iv punch before him, an' the king's money safe an' snug in the lowest +wrinkle of his breeches-pocket. + +So away wid him, and the dhrums and fifes playing, an' a dozen more +unforthunate bliggards just listed along with him, an' he shakin' hands +wid the sargent, and swearin' agin the women every minute, until, be the +time he kem to himself, begorra, he was a good ten miles on the road to +Dublin, an' Molly and all behind him. + +It id be no good tellin' you iv the letters he wrote to her from the +barracks there, nor how she was breaking her heart to go and see him +just wanst before he'd go; but the father an' mother would not allow iv +it be no manes. + +An' so in less time than you'd be thinkin' about it, the colonel had him +polished off into it rale elegant soger, wid his gun exercise, and his +bagnet exercise, and his small sword, and broad sword, and pistol and +dagger, an' all the rest, an' then away wid him on boord a man-a-war to +furrin parts, to fight for King George agin Bonyparty, that was great in +them times. + +Well, it was very soon in everyone's mouth how Billy Malowney was batin' +all before him, astonishin' the ginerals, an frightenin' the inimy to +that degree, there was not a Frinchman dare say parley voo outside of +the rounds iv his camp. + +You may be sure Molly was proud iv that same, though she never spoke a +word about it; until at last the news kem home that Billy Malowney was +surrounded an' murdered by the Frinch army, under Napoleon Bonyparty +himself. The news was brought by Jack Brynn Dhas, the peddlar, that said +he met the corporal iv the regiment on the quay iv Limerick, an' how he +brought him into a public-house and thrated him to a naggin, and got all +the news about poor Billy Malowney out iv him while they war dhrinkin' +it; an' a sorrowful story it was. + +The way it happened, accordin' as the corporal tould him, was jist how +the Jook iv Wellington detarmined to fight a rale tarin' battle wid the +Frinch, and Bonyparty at the same time was aiqually detarmined to fight +the divil's own scrimmidge wid the British foorces. + +Well, as soon as the business was pretty near ready at both sides, +Bonyparty and the general next undher himself gets up behind a bush, to +look at their inimies through spyglasses, and thry would they know any +iv them at the distance. + +'Bedadad!' says the gineral, afther a divil iv a long spy, 'I'd bet half +a pint,' says he, 'that's Bill Malowney himself,' says he, 'down there,' +says he. + +'Och!' says Bonypart, 'do you tell me so?' says he--'I'm fairly +heart-scalded with that same Billy Malowney,' says he; 'an' I think if I +was wanst shut iv him I'd bate the rest iv them aisy,' says he. + +'I'm thinking so myself,' says the gineral, says he; 'but he's a tough +bye,' says he. + +'Tough!' says Bonypart, 'he's the divil,' says he. + +'Begorra, I'd be better plased.' says the gineral, says he, 'to take +himself than the Duke iv Willinton,' says he, 'an' Sir Edward Blakeney +into the bargain,' says he. + +'The Duke of Wellinton and Gineral Blakeney,' says Bonypart, 'is great +for planning, no doubt,' says he; 'but Billy Malowney's the boy for +ACTION,' says he--'an' action's everything, just now,' says he. + +So wid that Bonypart pushes up his cocked hat, and begins scratching his +head, and thinning and considherin' for the bare life, and at last says +he to the gineral: + +'Gineral Commandher iv all the Foorces,' says he, 'I've hot it,' says +he: 'ordher out the forlorn hope,' says he, 'an' give them as much +powdher, both glazed and blasting,' says he, 'an' as much bullets do +ye mind, an' swan-dhrops an' chain-shot,' says he, 'an' all soorts iv +waipons an' combustables as they can carry; an' let them surround Bill +Malowney,' says he, 'an' if they can get any soort iv an advantage,' +says he, 'let them knock him to smithereens,' says he, 'an' then take +him presner,' says he; 'an' tell all the bandmen iv the Frinch army,' +says he, 'to play up "Garryowen," to keep up their sperits,' says he, +'all the time they're advancin'. An' you may promise them anything you +like in my name,' says he; for, by my sowl, I don't think its many iv +them 'ill come back to throuble us,' says he, winkin' at him. + +So away with the gineral, an' he ordhers out the forlorn hope, all' +tells the band to play, an' everything else, just as Bonypart desired +him. An' sure enough, whin Billy Malowney heerd the music where he +was standin' taking a blast of the dhudheen to compose his mind for +murdherin' the Frinchmen as usual, being mighty partial to that tune +intirely, he cocks his ear a one side, an' down he stoops to listen to +the music; but, begorra, who should be in his rare all the time but a +Frinch grannideer behind a bush, and seeing him stooped in a convanient +forum, bedad he let flies at him sthraight, and fired him right forward +between the legs an' the small iv the back, glory be to God! with what +they call (saving your presence) a bum-shell. + +Well, Bill Malowney let one roar out iv him, an' away he rowled over the +field iv battle like a slitther (as Bonypart and the Duke iv Wellington, +that was watching the manoeuvres from a distance, both consayved) into +glory. + +An' sure enough the Frinch was overjoyed beyant all bounds, an' small +blame to them--an' the Duke of Wellington, I'm toult, was never all out +the same man sinst. + +At any rate, the news kem home how Billy Malowney was murdhered by the +Frinch in furrin parts. + +Well, all this time, you may be sure, there was no want iv boys comin' +to coort purty Molly Donovan; but one way ar another, she always +kept puttin' them off constant. An' though her father and mother was +nathurally anxious to get rid of her respickably, they did not like to +marry her off in spite iv her teeth. + +An' this way, promising one while and puttin' it off another, she +conthrived to get on from one Shrove to another, until near seven years +was over and gone from the time when Billy Malowney listed for furrin +sarvice. + +It was nigh hand a year from the time whin the news iv Leum-a-rinka +bein' killed by the Frinch came home, an' in place iv forgettin' him, +as the saisins wint over, it's what Molly was growin' paler and more +lonesome every day, antil the neighbours thought she was fallin' into a +decline; and this is the way it was with her whin the fair of Lisnamoe +kem round. + +It was a beautiful evenin', just at the time iv the reapin' iv the oats, +and the sun was shinin' through the red clouds far away over the hills +iv Cahirmore. + +Her father an' mother, an' the boys an' girls, was all away down in the +fair, and Molly Sittin' all alone on the step of the stile, listening +to the foolish little birds whistlin' among the leaves--and the sound of +the mountain-river flowin' through the stones an' bushes--an' the crows +flyin' home high overhead to the woods iv Glinvarlogh--an' down in the +glen, far away, she could see the fair-green iv Lisnamoe in the mist, +an' sunshine among the grey rocks and threes--an' the cows an' the +horses, an' the blue frieze, an' the red cloaks, an' the tents, an' +the smoke, an' the ould round tower--all as soft an' as sorrowful as a +dhrame iv ould times. + +An' while she was looking this way, an' thinking iv Leum-a-rinka--poor +Bill iv the dance, that was sleepin' in his lonesome glory in the fields +iv Spain--she began to sing the song he used to like so well in the ould +times-- + + 'Shule, shule, shale a-roon;' + +an' when she ended the verse, what do you think but she heard a manly +voice just at the other side iv the hedge, singing the last words over +again! + +Well she knew it; her heart flutthered up like a little bird that id +be wounded, and then dhropped still in her breast. It was himself. In a +minute he was through the hedge and standing before her. + +'Leum!' says she. + +'Mavourneen cuishla machree!' says he; and without another word they +were locked in one another's arms. + +Well, it id only be nansinse for me thryin' an' tell ye all the foolish +things they said, and how they looked in one another's faces, an' +laughed, an' cried, an' laughed again; and how, when they came to +themselves, and she was able at last to believe it was raly Billy +himself that was there, actially holdin' her hand, and lookin' in her +eyes the same way as ever, barrin' he was browner and boulder, an' did +not, maybe, look quite as merry in himself as he used to do in former +times--an' fondher for all, an' more lovin' than ever--how he tould her +all about the wars wid the Frinchmen--an' how he was wounded, and left +for dead in the field iv battle, bein' shot through the breast, and how +he was discharged, an' got a pinsion iv a full shillin' a day--and +how he was come back to liv the rest iv his days in the sweet glen iv +Lisnamoe, an' (if only SHE'D consint) to marry herself in spite iv them +all. + +Well, ye may aisily think they had plinty to talk about, afther seven +years without once seein' one another; and so signs on, the time flew by +as swift an' as pleasant as a bird on the wing, an' the sun wint down, +an' the moon shone sweet an' soft instead, an' they two never knew a +ha'porth about it, but kept talkin' an' whisperin', an' whisperin' an' +talkin'; for it's wondherful how often a tinder-hearted girl will bear +to hear a purty boy tellin' her the same story constant over an' over; +ontil at last, sure enough, they heerd the ould man himself comin' up +the boreen, singin' the 'Colleen Rue'--a thing he never done barrin' +whin he had a dhrop in; an' the misthress walkin' in front iv him, an' +two illigant Kerry cows he just bought in the fair, an' the sarvint boys +dhriving them behind. + +'Oh, blessed hour!' says Molly, 'here's my father.' + +'I'll spake to him this minute,' says Bill. + +'Oh, not for the world,' says she; 'he's singin' the "Colleen Rue,"' +says she, 'and no one dar raison with him,' says she. + +'An' where 'll I go, thin?' says he, 'for they're into the haggard an +top iv us,' says he, 'an' they'll see me iv I lep through the hedge,' +says he. + +'Thry the pig-sty,' says she, 'mavourneen,' says she, 'in the name iv +God,' says she. + +'Well, darlint,' says he, 'for your sake,' says he, 'I'll condescend to +them animals,' says he. + +An' wid that he makes a dart to get in; bud, begorra, it was too +late--the pigs was all gone home, and the pig-sty was as full as the +Burr coach wid six inside. + +'Och! blur-an'-agers,' says he, 'there is not room for a suckin'-pig,' +says he, 'let alone a Christian,' says he. + +'Well, run into the house, Billy,' says she, 'this minute,' says she, +'an' hide yourself antil they're quiet,' says she, 'an' thin you can +steal out,' says she, 'anknownst to them all,' says she. + +'I'll do your biddin', says he, 'Molly asthore,' says he. + +'Run in thin,' says she, 'an' I'll go an' meet them,' says she. + +So wid that away wid her, and in wint Billy, an' where 'id he hide +himself bud in a little closet that was off iv the room where the ould +man and woman slep'. So he closed the doore, and sot down in an ould +chair he found there convanient. + +Well, he was not well in it when all the rest iv them comes into the +kitchen, an' ould Tim Donovan singin' the 'Colleen Rue' for the bare +life, an' the rest iv them sthrivin' to humour him, and doin' exactly +everything he bid them, because they seen he was foolish be the manes iv +the liquor. + +Well, to be sure all this kep' them long enough, you may be sure, from +goin' to bed, so that Billy could get no manner iv an advantage to get +out iv the house, and so he sted sittin' in the dark closet in state, +cursin' the 'Colleen Rue,' and wondherin' to the divil whin they'd get +the ould man into his bed. An', as if that was not delay enough, +who should come in to stop for the night but Father O'Flaherty, of +Cahirmore, that was buyin' a horse at the fair! An' av course, there was +a bed to be med down for his raverence, an' some other attintions; an' a +long discoorse himself an' ould Mrs. Donovan had about the slaughter iv +Billy Malowney, an' how he was buried on the field iv battle; an' his +raverence hoped he got a dacent funeral, an' all the other convaniences +iv religion. An' so you may suppose it was pretty late in the night +before all iv them got to their beds. + +Well, Tim Donovan could not settle to sleep at all at all, an' so +he kep' discoorsin' the wife about the new cows he bought, an' the +stripphers he sould, an' so an for better than an hour, ontil from one +thing to another he kem to talk about the pigs, an' the poulthry; and +at last, having nothing betther to discoorse about, he begun at his +daughter Molly, an' all the heartscald she was to him be raison iv +refusin' the men. An' at last says he: + +'I onderstand,' says he, 'very well how it is,' says he. 'It's how she +was in love,' says he, 'wid that bliggard, Billy Malowney,' says he, +'bad luck to him!' says he; for by this time he was coming to his +raison. + +'Ah!' says the wife, says she, 'Tim darlint, don't be cursin' them +that's dead an' buried,' says she. + +'An' why would not I,' says he, 'if they desarve it?' says he. + +'Whisht,' says she, 'an' listen to that,' says she. 'In the name of the +Blessed Vargin,' says she, 'what IS it?' says she. + +An' sure enough what was it but Bill Malowney that was dhroppin' asleep +in the closet, an' snorin' like a church organ. + +'Is it a pig,' says he, 'or is it a Christian?' + +'Arra! listen to the tune iv it,' says she; 'sure a pig never done the +like is that,' says she. + +'Whatever it is,' says he, 'it's in the room wid us,' says he. 'The Lord +be marciful to us!' says he. + +'I tould you not to be cursin',' says she; 'bad luck to you,' says she, +'for an ommadhaun!' for she was a very religious woman in herself. + +'Sure, he's buried in Spain,' says he; 'an' it is not for one little +innocent expression,' says he, 'he'd be comin' all that a way to annoy +the house,' says he. + +Well, while they war talkin', Bill turns in the way he was sleepin' +into an aisier imposture; and as soon as he stopped snorin' ould Tim +Donovan's courage riz agin, and says he: + +'I'll go to the kitchen,' says he, 'an' light a rish,' says he. + +An' with that away wid him, an' the wife kep' workin' the beads all the +time, an' before he kem back Bill was snorin' as loud as ever. + +'Oh! bloody wars--I mane the blessed saints about us!--that deadly +sound,' says he; 'it's going on as lively as ever,' says he. + +'I'm as wake as a rag,' says his wife, says she, 'wid the fair +anasiness,' says she. 'It's out iv the little closet it's comin,' says +she. + +'Say your prayers,' says he, 'an' hould your tongue,' says he, 'while +I discoorse it,' says he. 'An' who are ye,' says he, 'in the name iv of +all the holy saints?' says he, givin' the door a dab iv a crusheen that +wakened Bill inside. 'I ax,' says he, 'who are you?' says he. + +Well, Bill did not rightly remember where in the world he was, but he +pushed open the door, an' says he: + +'Billy Malowney's my name,' says he, 'an' I'll thank ye to tell me a +betther,' says he. + +Well, whin Tim Donovan heard that, an' actially seen that it was Bill +himself that was in it, he had not strength enough to let a bawl out iv +him, but he dhropt the candle out iv his hand, an' down wid himself on +his back in the dark. + +Well, the wife let a screech you'd hear at the mill iv Killraghlin, +an'-- + +'Oh,' says she, 'the spirit has him, body an' bones!' says she. 'Oh, +holy St. Bridget--oh, Mother iv Marcy--oh, Father O'Flaherty!' says she, +screechin' murdher from out iv her bed. + +Well, Bill Malowney was not a minute remimberin' himself, an' so out wid +him quite an' aisy, an' through the kitchen; bud in place iv the door +iv the house, it's what he kem to the door iv Father O'Flaherty's little +room, where he was jist wakenin' wid the noise iv the screechin' an' +battherin'; an' bedad, Bill makes no more about it, but he jumps, wid +one boult, clever an' clane into his raverance's bed. + +'What do ye mane, you uncivilised bliggard?' says his raverance. 'Is +that a venerable way,' says he, 'to approach your clargy?' says he. + +'Hould your tongue,' says Bill, 'an' I'll do ye no harum,' says he. + +'Who are you, ye scoundhrel iv the world?' says his raverance. + +'Whisht!' says he? 'I'm Billy Malowney,' says he. + +'You lie!' says his raverance for he was frightened beyont all +bearin'--an' he makes but one jump out iv the bed at the wrong side, +where there was only jist a little place in the wall for a press, +an' his raverance could not as much as turn in it for the wealth iv +kingdoms. 'You lie,' says he; 'but for feared it's the truth you're +tellin',' says he, 'here's at ye in the name iv all the blessed saints +together!' says he. + +An' wid that, my dear, he blazes away at him wid a Latin prayer iv the +strongest description, an', as he said himself afterwards, that was iv +a nature that id dhrive the divil himself up the chimley like a puff iv +tobacky smoke, wid his tail betune his legs. + +'Arra, what are ye sthrivin' to say,' says Bill; says he, 'if ye don't +hould your tongue,' says he, 'wid your parly voo;' says he, 'it's what +I'll put my thumb on your windpipe,' says he, 'an' Billy Malowney never +wint back iv his word yet,' says he. + +'Thundher-an-owns,' says his raverance, says he--seein' the Latin took +no infect on him, at all at all an' screechin' that you'd think he'd +rise the thatch up iv the house wid the fair fright--'and thundher and +blazes, boys, will none iv yes come here wid a candle, but lave your +clargy to be choked by a spirit in the dark?' says he. + +Well, be this time the sarvint boys and the rest iv them wor up an' half +dressed, an' in they all run, one on top iv another, wid pitchforks and +spades, thinkin' it was only what his raverence slep' a dhrame iv the +like, by means of the punch he was afther takin' just before he rowl'd +himself into the bed. But, begorra, whin they seen it was raly Bill +Malowney himself that was in it, it was only who'd be foremost out +agin, tumblin' backways, one over another, and his raverence roarin' an' +cursin' them like mad for not waitin' for him. + +Well, my dear, it was betther than half an hour before Billy Malowney +could explain to them all how it raly was himself, for begorra they were +all iv them persuadin' him that he was a spirit to that degree it's a +wondher he did not give in to it, if it was only to put a stop to the +argiment. + +Well, his raverence tould the ould people then, there was no use in +sthrivin' agin the will iv Providence an' the vagaries iv love united; +an' whin they kem to undherstand to a sartinty how Billy had a shillin' +a day for the rest iv his days, begorra they took rather a likin' +to him, and considhered at wanst how he must have riz out of all his +nansinse entirely, or his gracious Majesty id never have condescinded +to show him his countenance that way every day of his life, on a silver +shillin'. + +An' so, begorra, they never stopt till it was all settled--an' there was +not sich a weddin' as that in the counthry sinst. It's more than forty +years ago, an' though I was no more nor a gossoon myself, I remimber it +like yestherday. Molly never looked so purty before, an' Billy Malowney +was plisant beyont all hearin,' to that degree that half the girls in it +was fairly tarin' mad--only they would not let on--they had not him +to themselves in place iv her. An' begorra I'd be afeared to tell ye, +because you would not believe me, since that blessid man Father Mathew +put an end to all soorts of sociality, the Lord reward him, how many +gallons iv pottieen whisky was dhrank upon that most solemn and tindher +occasion. + +Pat Hanlon, the piper, had a faver out iv it; an' Neddy Shawn Heigue, +mountin' his horse the wrong way, broke his collarbone, by the manes +iv fallin' over his tail while he was feelin' for his head; an' Payther +Brian, the horse-docther, I am tould, was never quite right in the head +ever afther; an' ould Tim Donovan was singin' the 'Colleen Rue' night +and day for a full week; an' begorra the weddin' was only the foundation +iv fun, and the beginning iv divarsion, for there was not a year for ten +years afther, an' more, but brought round a christenin' as regular as +the sasins revarted. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Purcell Papers, by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PURCELL PAPERS *** + +***** This file should be named 511.txt or 511.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/5/1/511/ + +Produced by Judith Boss and Charles Keller + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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