the purcell papers-2-第16章

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and　Lady　Emily　was　obliged　to　leave　the

Park　in　less　than　half　an　hour　after　the

unpleasant　meeting　which　we　have　just

mentioned。



Young　O'Mara　and；　at　a　sign　from

him；　Dwyer　having　escorted　the　lady

to　the　door　of　Colonel　O'Mara's　house；

pretended　an　engagement；　and　departed

together。



Richard　O'Mara　instantly　questioned

his　comrade　upon　the　subject　of　his

anxiety；　but　Dwyer　had　nothing　to

communicate　of　a　satisfactory　nature。　He

had　only　time；　while　the　captain　had　been

engaged　with　Lady　Emily　and　her

companion；　to　say　to　Heathcote：



'Be　secret；　as　you　value　your　existence：

everything　will　be　right；　if　you　be　but

secret。'



To　this　Heathcote　had　replied：　'Never

fear　me；　I　understand　what　I　am

about。'



This　was　said　in　such　an　ambiguous

manner　that　it　was　impossible　to　conjecture

whether　he　intended　or　not　to　act　upon

Dwyer's　exhortation。　The　conclusion

which　appeared　most　natural；　was　by　no

means　an　agreeable　one。



It　was　much　to　be　feared　that　Heathcote

having　heard　some　vague　report　of

O'Mara's　engagement　with　Lady　Emily；

perhaps　exaggerated；　by　the　repetition；

into　a　speedily　approaching　marriage；　had

become　alarmed　for　his　daughter's　interest；

and　had　taken　this　decisive　step　in　order

to　prevent；　by　a　disclosure　of　the　circumstances

of　his　clandestine　union　with　Ellen；

the　possibility　of　his　completing　a　guilty

alliance　with　Captain　N's　sister。　If

he　entertained　the　suspicions　which　they

attributed　to　him；　he　had　certainly　taken

the　most　effectual　means　to　prevent　their

being　realised。　Whatever　his　object　might

be；　his　presence　in　Dublin；　in　company

with　Captain　N；　boded　nothing　good

to　O'Mara。



They　entered　's　tavern；　in　Dame

Street；　together；　and　there；　over　a　hasty

and　by　no　means　a　comfortable　meal；　they

talked　over　their　plans　and　conjectures。

Evening　closed　in；　and　found　them　still

closeted　together；　with　nothing　to　interrupt；

and　a　large　tankard　of　claret　to　sustain

their　desultory　conversation。



Nothing　had　been　determined　upon；

except　that　Dwyer　and　O'Mara　should

proceed　under　cover　of　the　darkness　to

search　the　town　for　Heathcote；　and　by

minute　inquiries　at　the　most　frequented

houses　of　entertainment；　to　ascertain　his

place　of　residence；　in　order　to　procuring　a

full　and　explanatory　interview　with　him。

They　had　each　filled　their　last　glass；　and

were　sipping　it　slowly；　seated　with　their

feet　stretched　towards　a　bright　cheerful

fire；　the　small　table　which　sustained　the

flagon　of　which　we　have　spoken；　together

with　two　pair　of　wax　candles；　placed

between　them；　so　as　to　afford　a　convenient

resting…place　for　the　long　glasses　out　of

which　they　drank。



'One　good　result；　at　all　events；　will　be

effected　by　Heathcote's　visit；'　said　O'Mara。

'Before　twenty…four　hours　I　shall　do　that

which　I　should　have　done　long　ago。　I

shall；　without　reserve；　state　everything。

I　can　no　longer　endure　this　suspensethis

dishonourable　secrecythis　apparent

dissimulation。　Every　moment　I　have　passed

since　my　departure　from　the　country　has

been　one　of　embarrassment；　of　pain；　of

humiliation。　To…morrow　I　will　brave

the　storm；　whether　successfully　or　not　is

doubtful；　but　I　had　rather　walk　the　high

roads　a　beggar；　than　submit　a　day　longer

to　be　made　the　degraded　sport　of　every

accidentthe　miserable　dependent　upon　a

successful　system　of　deception。　Though

PASSIVE　deception；　it　is　still　unmanly；

unworthy；　unjustifiable　deception。　I

cannot　bear　to　think　of　it。　I　despise　myself；

but　I　will　cease　to　be　the　despicable　thing

I　have　become。　To…morrow　sees　me　free；

and　this　harassing　subject　for　ever　at

rest。'



He　was　interrupted　here　by　the　sound

of　footsteps　heavily　but　rapidly　ascending

the　tavern　staircase。　The　room　door

opened；　and　Captain　N；　accompanied

by　a　fashionably…attired　young　man；

entered　the　room。



Young　O'Mara　had　risen　from　his　seat

on　the　entrance　of　their　unexpected

visitants；　and　the　moment　Captain　N

recognised　his　person；　an　evident　and

ominous　change　passed　over　his　countenance。

He　turned　hastily　to　withdraw；　but；

as　it　seemed；　almost　instantly　changed　his

mind；　for　he　turned　again　abruptly。



'This　chamber　is　engaged；　sir；'　said　the

waiter。



'Leave　the　room；　sir；'　was　his　only

reply。



'The　room　is　engaged；　sir；'　repeated　the

waiter；　probably　believing　that　his　first

suggestion　had　been　unheard。



'Leave　the　room；　or　go　to　hell！'　shouted

Captain　N；　at　the　same　time　seizing

the　astounded　waiter　by　the　shoulder；　he

hurled　him　headlong　into　the　passage；

and　flung　the　door　to　with　a　crash　that

shook　the　walls。　'Sir；'　continued　he；

addressing　himself　to　O'Mara；　'I　did　not

hope　to　have　met　you　until　to…morrow。

Fortune　has　been　kind　to　medraw；　and

defend　yourself。'



At　the　same　time　he　drew　his　sword；

and　placed　himself　in　an　attitude　of

attack。



'I　will　not　draw　upon　YOU；'　said　O'Mara。

'I　have；　indeed；　wronged　you。　I　have

given　you　just　cause　for　resentment；　but

against　your　life　I　will　never　lift　my

hand。'



'You　are　a　coward；　sir；'　replied　Captain

N；　with　almost　frightful　vehemence；

'as　every　trickster　and　swindler　IS。　You

are　a　contemptible　dastarda　despicable；

damned　villain！　Draw　your　sword；　sir；

and　defend　your　life；　or　every　post

and　pillar　in　this　town　shall　tell　your

infamy。'



'Perhaps；'　said　his　friend；　with　a　sneer；

'the　gentleman　can　do　better　without　his

honour　than　without　his　wife。'



'Yes；'　shouted　the　captain；　'his　wife

a　trulla　common'



'Silence；　sir！'　cried　O'Mara；　all　the

fierceness　of　his　nature　roused　by　this　last

insult'your　object　is　gained；　your　blood

be　upon　your　own　head。'　At　the　same

time　he　sprang　across　a　bench　which　stood

in　his　way；　and　pushing　aside　the　table

which　supported　the　lights；　in　an　instant

their　swords　crossed；　and　they　were

engaged　in　close　and　deadly　strife。



Captain　N　was　far　the　stronger　of

the　two；　but；　on　the　other　hand；　O'Mara

possessed　far　more　skill　in　the　use　of　the

fatal　weapon　which　they　employed。　But

the　narrowness　of　the　room　rendered　this

advantage　hardly　available。



Almost　instantly　O'Mara　received　a

slight　wound　upon　the　forehead；　which；

though　little　more　than　a　scratch；　bled　so

fast　as　to　obstruct　his　sight　considerably。



Those　who　have　used　the　foil　can　tell

how　slight　a　derangement　of　eye　or　of

hand　is　sufficient　to　determine　a　contest　of

this　kind；　and　this　knowledge　will　prevent

their　being　surprised　when　I　say；　that；

spite　of　O'Mara's　superior　skill　and

practice；　his　adversary's　sword　passed

twice　through　and　through　his　body；　and

he　fell　heavily　and　helplessly　upon　the

floor　of　the　chamber。



Without　saying　a　word；　the　successful

combatant　quitted　the　room　along　with

his　companion；　leaving　Dwyer　to　shift

as　best　he　might　for　his　fallen　comrade。



With　the　assistance　of　some　of　the

wondering　menials　of　the　place；　Dwyer

succeeded　in　conveying　the　wounded　man

into　an　adjoining　room；　where　he　was　laid

upon　a　bed；　in　a　state　bordering　upon

insensibilitythe　blood　flowing；　I　might

say　WELLING；　from　the　wounds　so　fast　as

to　show　that　unless　the　bleeding　were

speedily　and　effectually　stopped；　he　could

not　live　for　half　an　hour。



Medical　aid　was；　of　course；　instantly

procured；　and　Colonel　O'Mara；　though　at

the　time　seriously　indisposed；　was　urgently

requested　to　attend　without　loss　of　time。

He　did　so；　but　human　succour　and

support　were　all　too　late。　The　wound　had

been　truly　dealtthe　tide　of　life　had　ebbed；

and　his　father　had　not　arrived　five　minutes

when　young　O'Mara　was　a　corpse。　His

body　rests　in　the　vaults　of　Christ　Church；　in

Dublin；　without　a　stone　to　mark　the　spot。



The　counsels　of　the　wicked　are　always

dark；　and　their　motives　often　beyond

fathoming；　and　strange；　unaccountable；

incredible　as　it　may　seem；　I　do　bel