the purcell papers-2-第14章

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My　father　may　say　and　do　what　he　likes；

but　his　passion　will　not　last。　He　will

forgive　me；　and　even　were　he　to　disinherit

me；　as　he　threatens；　there　is　some　property

which　must　descend　to　me；　which　his　will

cannot　affect。　He　cannot　ruin　my

interests；　he　SHALL　NOT　ruin　my　happiness。

Dwyer；　give　me　pen　and　ink；　I　will　write

this　moment。'



This　bold　plan　of　proceeding　for　many

reasons　appeared　inexpedient　to　Dwyer；

and　he　determined　not　to　consent　to　its

adoption　without　a　struggle。



'I　commend　your　prudence；'　said　he；　'in

determining　to　remove　yourself　from　the

fascinating　influence　which　has　so　long

bound　you　here；　but　beware　of　offending

your　father。　Colonel　O'Mara　is　not　a　man

to　forgive　an　act　of　deliberate　disobedience；

and　surely　you　are　not　mad　enough　to

ruin　yourself　with　him　by　offering　an　out…

rageous　insult　to　Lady　Emily　and　to　her

family　in　her　person；　therefore　you　must

not　break　off　the　understood　contract　which

subsists　between　you　by　any　formal　act

hear　me　out　patiently。　You　must　let　Lady

Emily　perceive；　as　you　easily　may；　without

rudeness　or　even　coldness　of　manner；　that

she　is　perfectly　indifferent　to　you；　and

when　she　understands　this　to　be　the　case；

it　she　possesses　either　delicacy　or　spirit；

she　will　herself　break　off　the　engagement。

Make　what　delay　it　is　possible　to　effect；

it　is　very　possible　that　your　father；　who

cannot；　in　all　probability；　live　many

months；　may　not　live　as　many　days　if

harassed　and　excited　by　such　scenes　as

your　breaking　off　your　engagement　must

produce。'



'Dwyer；'　said　O'Mara；　'I　will　hear　you

outproceed。'



'Besides；　sir；　remember；'　he　continued；

'the　understanding　which　we　have　termed

an　engagement　was　entered　into　without

any　direct　sanction　upon　your　part；　your

father　has　committed　HIMSELF；　not　YOU；　to

Lord　。　Before　a　real　contract　can

subsist；　you　must　be　an　assenting　party　to

it。　I　know　of　no　casuistry　subtle　enough

to　involve　you　in　any　engagement　whatever；

without　such　an　ingredient。　Tush！

you　have　an　easy　card　to　play。'



'Well；'　said　the　young　man；　'I　will

think　on　what　you　have　said；　in　the

meantime；　I　will　write　to　my　father　to

announce　my　immediate　departure；　in　order

to　join　him。'



'Excuse　me；'　said　Dwyer；　'but　I　would

suggest　that　by　hastening　your　departure

you　but　bring　your　dangers　nearer。　While

you　are　in　this　country　a　letter　now　and

then　keeps　everything　quiet；　but　once

across　the　Channel　and　with　the　colonel；

you　must　either　quarrel　with　him　to　your

own　destruction；　or　you　must　dance　attendance

upon　Lady　Emily　with　such　assiduity

as　to　commit　yourself　as　completely　as　if

you　had　been　thrice　called　with　her　in　the

parish　church。　No；　no；　keep　to　this　side

of　the　Channel　as　long　as　you　decently

can。　Besides；　your　sudden　departure　must

appear　suspicious；　and　will　probably　excite

inquiry。　Every　good　end　likely　to　be

accomplished　by　your　absence　will　be

effected　as　well　by　your　departure　for

Dublin；　where　you　may　remain　for　three

weeks　or　a　month　without　giving　rise　to

curiosity　or　doubt　of　an　unpleasant　kind；

I　would　therefore　advise　you　strongly　to

write　immediately　to　the　colonel；　stating

that　business　has　occurred　to　defer　your

departure　for　a　month；　and　you　can　then

leave　this　place；　if　you　think　fit；

immediately；　that　is；　within　a　week　or　so。'



Young　O'Mara　was　not　hard　to　be　persuaded。

Perhaps　it　was　that；　unacknowledged

by　himself；　any　argument　which

recommended　his　staying；　even　for　an

hour　longer　than　his　first　decision　had

announced；　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Ellen

Heathcote；　appeared　peculiarly　cogent　and

convincing；　however　this　may　have　been；

it　is　certain　that　he　followed　the　counsel　of

his　cool…headed　follower；　who　retired　that

night　to　bed　with　the　pleasing　conviction

that　he　was　likely　soon　to　involve　his

young　patron　in　all　the　intricacies　of

disguise　and　intriguea　consummation　which

would　leave　him　totally　at　the　mercy　of

the　favoured　confidant　who　should　possess

his　secret。





Young　O'Mara's　reflections　were　more

agitating　and　less　satisfactory　than　those

of　his　companion。　He　resolved　upon

leaving　the　country　before　two　days　had

passed。　He　felt　that　he　could　not　fairly

seek　to　involve　Ellen　Heathcote　in　his

fate　by　pledge　or　promise；　until　he　had

extricated　himself　from　those　trammels

which　constrained　and　embarrassed　all　his

actions。　His　determination　was　so　far

prudent；　but；　alas！　he　also　resolved　that

it　was　but　right；　but　necessary；　that　he

should　see　her　before　his　departure。　His

leaving　the　country　without　a　look　or　a

word　of　parting　kindness　interchanged；

must　to　her　appear　an　act　of　cold　and

heartless　caprice；　he　could　not　bear　the

thought。



'No；'　said　he；　'I　am　not　child　enough

to　say　more　than　prudence　tells　me　

ought　to　say；　this　cowardly　distrust　of　my

firmness　I　should　and　will　contemn。

Besides；　why　should　I　commit　myself？　It　is

possible　the　girl　may　not　care　for　me。　No；

no；　I　need　not　shrink　from　this　interview。

I　have　no　reason　to　doubt　my　firmness

nonenone。　I　must　cease　to　be　governed

by　impulse。　I　am　involved　in　rocks

and　quicksands；　and　a　collected　spirit；

a　quick　eye；　and　a　steady　hand；　alone　can

pilot　me　through。　God　grant　me　a　safe

voyage！'



The　next　day　came；　and　young　O'Mara

did　not　take　his　fishing…rod　as　usual；　but

wrote　two　letters；　the　one　to　his　father；

announcing　his　intention　of　departing

speedily　for　England；　the　other　to　Lady

Emily；　containing　a　cold　but　courteous

apology　for　his　apparent　neglect。　Both

these　were　despatched　to　the　post…office

that　evening；　and　upon　the　next　morning

he　was　to　leave　the　country。



Upon　the　night　of　the　momentous　day

of　which　we　have　just　spoken；　Ellen　Heathcote

glided　silently　and　unperceived　from

among　the　busy　crowds　who　were　engaged

in　the　gay　dissipation　furnished　by　what

is　in　Ireland　commonly　called　a　dance

（the　expenses　attendant　upon　which；　music；

etc。；　are　defrayed　by　a　subscription　of　one

halfpenny　each）；　and　having　drawn　her

mantle　closely　about　her；　was　proceeding

with　quick　steps　to　traverse　the　small

field　which　separated　her　from　her　father's

abode。　She　had　not　walked　many　yards

when　she　became　aware　that　a　solitary

figure；　muffled　in　a　cloak；　stood　in　the

pathway。　It　approached；　a　low　voice

whispered：



'Ellen。'



'Is　it　you；　Master　Richard？'　she　replied。



He　threw　back　the　cloak　which　had

concealed　his　features。



'It　is　I；　Ellen；　he　said；　'I　have　been

watching　for　you。　I　will　not　delay　you

long。'



He　took　her　hand；　and　she　did　not

attempt　to　withdraw　it；　for　she　was　too

artless　to　think　any　evil；　too　confiding　to

dread　it。



'Ellen；'　he　continued；　even　now　unconsciously

departing　from　the　rigid　course

which　prudence　had　marked　out；　'Ellen；

I　am　going　to　leave　the　country；　going

to…morrow。　I　have　had　letters　from

England。　I　must　go；　and　the　sea　will　soon

be　between　us。'



He　paused；　and　she　was　silent。



'There　is　one　request；　one　entreaty　I

have　to　make；'　he　continued；　'I　would；

when　I　am　far　away；　have　something　to

look　at　which　belonged　to　you。　Will　you

give　medo　not　refuse　itone　little　lock

of　your　beautiful　hair？'



With　artless　alacrity；　but　with　trembling

hand；　she　took　the　scissors；　which　in　simple

fashion　hung　by　her　side；　and　detached　one

of　the　long　and　beautiful　locks　which

parted　over　her　forehead。　She　placed　it

in　his　hand。



Again　he　took　her　hand；　and　twice　he

attempted　to　speak　in　vain；　at　length　he

said：



'Ellen；　when　I　am　gonewhen　I　am

awaywill　you　sometimes　remember；

sometimes　think　of　me？'



Ellen　Heathcote　had　as　much；　perhaps

more；　of　what　is　noble　in　pride　than　the

haughtiest　beauty　that　ever　trod　a　court；

but　the　effort　was　useless；　the　honest

struggle　was　in　vain；　and　she　burst　into

floods　of　tears；　b