the purcell papers-2-第10章

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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　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

（t