the purcell papers-2-第13章

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no　respecter　of　persons；　its　blessings　and

its　inflictions　are　apportioned　with　an

undistinguishing　hand；　and　until　the　race　is

over；　and　life　be　done；　none　can　know

whether　those　perfections；　which　seemed

its　goodliest　gifts；　many　not　prove　its　most

fatal；　but　enough　of　this。





＇1＇　Father　Purcell　seems　to　have　had　an　admiration

for　the　beauties　of　nature；　particularly　as　developed　in

the　fair　sex；　a　habit　of　mind　which　has　been　rather

improved　upon　than　discontinued　by　his　successors

from　Maynooth。ED；





Dwyer　strolled　carelessly　onward　by

the　banks　of　the　stream；　leaving　his

young　companion　leaning　over　the　gate

in　close　and　interesting　parlance　with

Ellen　Heathcote；　as　he　moved　on；　he

half　thought；　half　uttered　words　to　this

effect：



'Insolent　young　spawn　of　ingratitude

and　guilt；　how　long　must　I　submit　to　be

trod　upon　thus；　and　yet　why　should　I

murmurhis　day　is　even　now　declining

and　if　I　live　a　year；　I　shall　see　the

darkness　cover　him　and　his　for　ever。　Scarce

half　his　broad　estates　shall　save　himbut

I　must　waitI　am　but　a　pauper　nowa

beggar's　accusation　is　always　a　libelthey

must　reward　me　soonand　were　I

independent　once；　I'd　make　them　feel　my

power；　and　feel　it　SO；　that　I　should　die　the

richest　or　the　best　avenged　servant　of　a

great　man　that　has　ever　been　heard　of

yes；　I　must　waitI　must　make　sure　of

something　at　leastI　must　be　able　to

stand　by　myselfand　thenand　then'

He　clutched　his　fingers　together；　as　if　in

the　act　of　strangling　the　object　of　his

hatred。　'But　one　thing　shall　save　him

but　one　thing　onlyhe　shall　pay　me　my

own　priceand　if　he　acts　liberally；　as　no

doubt　he　will　do；　upon　compulsion；　why

he　saves　his　reputationperhaps　his　neck

the　insolent　young　whelp　yonder　would

speak　in　an　humbler　key　if　he　but　knew

his　father's　jeopardybut　all　in　good

time。'



He　now　stood　upon　the　long；　steep；

narrow　bridge；　which　crossed　the　river

close　to　Carrigvarah；　the　family　mansion

of　the　O'Maras；　he　looked　back　in　the

direction　in　which　he　had　left　his

companion；　and　leaning　upon　the　battlement；

he　ruminated　long　and　moodily。　At

length　he　raised　himself　and　said：



'He　loves　the　girl；　and　WILL　love　her

moreI　have　an　opportunity　of　winning

favour；　of　doing　service；　which　shall　bind

him　to　me；　yes；　he　shall　have　the　girl；　if

I　have　art　to　compass　the　matter。　I　must

think　upon　it。'



He　entered　the　avenue　and　was　soon

lost　in　the　distance。



Days　and　weeks　passed　on；　and　young

O'Mara　daily　took　his　rod　and　net；　and

rambled　up　the　river；　and　scarce　twelve

hours　elapsed　in　which　some　of　those

accidents；　which　invariably　bring　lovers

together；　did　not　secure　him　a　meeting　of

longer　or　shorter　duration；　with　the

beautiful　girl　whom　he　so　fatally

loved。



One　evening；　after　a　long　interview　with

her；　in　which　he　had　been　almost　irresistibly

prompted　to　declare　his　love；　and

had　all　but　yielded　himself　up　to　the

passionate　impulse；　upon　his　arrival　at

home　he　found　a　letter　on　the　table

awaiting　his　return；　it　was　from　his

father　to　the　following　effect：





　　　　　　　　　　'To　Richard　O'Mara。

　　　　　　　　　　'September；　17；　Lm；　England。



　　　　　'MY　DEAR　SON；

　'I　have　just　had　a　severe　attack　of

my　old　and　almost　forgotten　enemy；　the

gout。　This　I　regard　as　a　good　sign；　the

doctors　telling　me　that　it　is　the　safest

development　of　peccant　humours；　and　I

think　my　chest　is　less　tormenting　and

oppressed　than　I　have　known　it　for　some

years。　My　chief　reason　for　writing　to

you　now；　as　I　do　it　not　without　difficulty；

is　to　let　you　know　my　pleasure　in　certain

matters；　in　which　I　suspect　some　shameful；

and；　indeed；　infatuated　neglect　on　your

part；　〃quem　perdere　vult　deus　prius

dementat：〃　how　comes　it　that　you　have

neglected　to　write　to　Lady　Emily　or　any　of

that　family？　the　understood　relation

subsisting　between　you　is　one　of　extreme

delicacy；　and　which　calls　for　marked　and

courteous；　nay；　devoted　attention　upon

your　side。　Lord　　is　already　offended；

beware　what　you　do；　for　as　you　will　find；

if　this　match　be　lost　by　your　fault　or　folly；

by　　I　will　cut　you　off　with　a　shilling。

I　am　not　in　the　habit　of　using　threats

when　I　do　not　mean　to　fulfil　them；　and

that　you　well　know；　however　I　do　not

think　you　have　much　real　cause　for　alarm

in　this　case。　Lady　Emily；　who；　by　the

way；　looks　if　possible　more　charming　than

ever；　is　anything　but　hard…hearted；　at

least　when　YOU　solicit；　but　do　as　I　desire；

and　lose　no　time　in　making　what　excuse

you　may；　and　let　me　hear　from　you　when

you　can　fix　a　time　to　join　me　and　your

mother　here。

　　　　　　　　　　'Your　sincere　well…wisher　and　father；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'RICHARD　O'MARA。'





In　this　letter　was　inclosed　a　smaller　one；

directed　to　Dwyer；　and　containing　a

cheque　for　twelve　pounds；　with　the　following

words：





'Make　use　of　the　enclosed；　and　let　me

hear　if　Richard　is　upon　any　wild　scheme

at　present：　I　am　uneasy　about　him；　and

not　without　reason；　report　to　me　speedily

the　result　of　your　vigilance。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'R。　O'MARA。'





Dwyer　just　glanced　through　this　brief；

but　not　unwelcome；　epistle；　and　deposited

it　and　its　contents　in　the　secret　recesses　of

his　breeches　pocket；　and　then　fixed　his

eyes　upon　the　face　of　his　companion；　who

sat　opposite；　utterly　absorbed　in　the　perusal

of　his　father's　letter；　which　he　read　again

and　again；　pausing　and　muttering　between

whiles；　and　apparently　lost　in　no　very

pleasing　reflections。　At　length　he　very

abruptly　exclaimed：



'A　delicate　epistle；　trulyand　a　politic

would　that　my　tongue　had　been　burned

through　before　I　assented　to　that　doubly…

cursed　contract。　Why；　I　am　not　pledged

yetI　am　not；　there　is　neither　writing；

nor　troth；　nor　word　of　honour；　passed

between　us。　My　father　has　no　right　to

pledge　me；　even　though　I　told　him　I　liked

the　girl；　and　would　wish　the　match。　'Tis

not　enough　that　my　father　offers　her　my

heart　and　hand；　he　has　no　right　to　do　it；

a　delicate　woman　would　not　accept　professions

made　by　proxy。　Lady　Emily！　Lady

Emily！　with　all　the　tawdry　frippery；　and

finery　of　dress　and　demeanourcompare

HER　with　　Pshaw！　Ridiculous！　How

blind；　how　idiotic　I　have　been。'



He　relapsed　into　moody　reflections；

which　Dwyer　did　not　care　to　disturb；　and

some　ten　minutes　might　have　passed　before

he　spoke　again。　When　he　did；　it　was　in

the　calm　tone　of　one　who　has　irrevocably

resolved　upon　some　decided　and　important

act。



'Dwyer；'　he　said；　rising　and　approaching

that　person；　'whatever　god　or　demon　told

you；　even　before　my　own　heart　knew　it；

that　I　loved　Ellen　Heathcote；　spoke　truth。

I　love　her　madlyI　never　dreamed　till

now　how　fervently；　how　irrevocably；　I　am

hershow　dead　to　me　all　other　interests

are。　Dwyer；　I　know　something　of　your

disposition；　and　you　no　doubt　think　it

strange　that　I　should　tell　to　you；　of　all

persons；　SUCH　a　secret；　but　whatever　be

your　faults；　I　think　you　are　attached　to

our　family。　I　am　satisfied　you　will　not

betray　me。　I　know'




'Pardon　me；'　said　Dwyer；　'if　I　say　that

great　professions　of　confidence　too

frequently　mark　distrust。　I　have　no　possible

motive　to　induce　me　to　betray　you；　on　the

contrary；　I　would　gladly　assist　and　direct

whatever　plans　you　may　have　formed。

Command　me　as　you　please；　I　have　said

enough。'



'I　will　not　doubt　you；　Dwyer；'　said

O'Mara；　'　I　have　taken　my　resolutionI

have；　I　think；　firmness　to　act　up　to　it。　To

marry　Ellen　Heathcote；　situated　as　I　am；

were　madness；　to　propose　anything　else

were　worse；　were　villainy　not　to　be　named。

I　will　leave　the　country　to…morrow；　cost

what　pain　it　may；　for　England。　I　will　at

once　break　off　the　proposed　alliance　with

Lady　Emily；　and　will　wait　until　I　am　my

own　master；　to　open　my　heart　to　Ellen。

My　father　may　say　and　do　what　he　likes；

but　his　passion　will　not　last。　He　will

forgive　me；　and　even