the purcell papers-2-第9章

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girl？'　inquired　Dwyer。



'Altogether　so；'　was　the　reply。



'Then　I　have　a　request　to　make；'

continued　Dwyer；　'and　I　may　as　well　urge

it　now　as　at　any　other　time。　I　have

been　for　nearly　twenty　years　the　faithful；

and　by　no　means　useless；　servant　of　your

family；　you　know　that　I　have　rendered

your　father　critical　and　important

services'　he　paused；　and　added　hastily：

'you　are　not　in　the　moodI　tire　you；

sir。'



'Nay；'　cried　O'Mara；　'I　listen　patiently

proceed。'



'For　all　these　services；　and　they　were

not；　as　I　have　said；　few　or　valueless；　I

have　received　little　more　reward　than

liberal　promises；　you　have　told　me　often

that　this　should　be　mendedI'll　make　it

easily　doneI'm　not　unreasonableI

should　be　contented　to　hold　Heathcote's

ground；　along　with　this　small　farm　on

which　we　stand；　as　full　quittance　of　all

obligations　and　promises　between　us。'



'But　how　the　devil　can　I　effect　that

for　you；　this　farm；　it　is　true；　I；　or　my

father；　rather；　may　lease　to　you；　but

Heathcote's　title　we　cannot　impugn；　and

even　if　we　could；　you　would　not　expect

us　to　ruin　an　honest　man；　in　order　to

make　way　for　YOU；　Ned。'



'What　I　am；'　replied　Dwyer；　with　the

calmness　of　one　who　is　so　accustomed　to

contemptuous　insinuations　as　to　receive

them　with　perfect　indifference；　'is　to　be

attributed　to　my　devotedness　to　your

honourable　familybut　that　is　neither

here　nor　there。　I　do　not　ask　you　to

displace　Heathcote；　in　order　to　made

room　for　me。　I　know　it　is　out　of　your

power　to　do　so。　Now　hearken　to　me　for

a　moment；　Heathcote's　property；　that

which　he　has　set　out　to　tenants；　is　worth；

say　in　rents；　at　most；　one　hundred

pounds：　half　of　this　yearly　amount　is

assigned　to　your　father；　until　payment　be

made　of　a　bond　for　a　thousand　pounds；

with　interest　and　soforth。　Hear　me

patiently　for　a　moment　and　I　have　done。

Now　go　you　to　Heathcote；　and　tell　him

your　father　will　burn　the　bond；　and　cancel

the　debt；　upon　one　conditionthat　when

I　am　in　possession　of　this　farm；　which　you

can　lease　to　me　on　what　terms　you　think

suitable；　he　will　convey　over　his　property

to　me；　reserving　what　life…interest　may

appear　fair；　I　engaging　at　the　same　time

to　marry　his　daughter；　and　make　such

settlements　upon　her　as　shall　be　thought

fittinghe　is　not　a　foolthe　man　will

close　with　the　offer。'



O'Mara　turned　shortly　upon　Dwyer；

and　gazed　upon　him　for　a　moment　with

an　expression　of　almost　unmixed　resentment。



'How；'　said　he　at　length；　'YOU　contract

to　marry　Ellen　Heathcote？　the　poor；

innocent；　confiding；　light…hearted　girl。

No；　no；　Edward　Dwyer；　I　know　you　too

well　for　thatyour　services；　be　they　what

they　will；　must　not；　shall　not　go　unrewarded

your　avarice　shall　be　appeased

but　not　with　a　human　sacrifice！　Dwyer；

I　speak　to　you　without　disguise；　you

know　me　to　be　acquainted　with　your

history；　and　what's　more；　with　your

character。　Now　tell　me　frankly；　were　I

to　do　as　you　desire　me；　in　cool　blood；

should　I　not　prove　myself　a　more

uncompromising　and　unfeeling　villain　than

humanity　even　in　its　most　monstrous

shapes　has　ever　yet　given　birth

to？'



Dwyer　met　this　impetuous　language

with　the　unmoved　and　impenetrable　calmness

which　always　marked　him　when

excitement　would　have　appeared　in

others；　he　even　smiled　as　he　replied：

（and　Dwyer's　smile；　for　I　have　seen　it；

was　characteristically　of　that　unfortunate

kind　which　implies；　as　regards　the

emotions　of　others；　not　sympathy　but

derision）。



'This　eloquence　goes　to　prove　Ellen

Heathcote　something　nearer　to　your　heart

than　your　great　indifference　would　have

led　me　to　suppose。'



There　was　something　in　the　tone；

perhaps　in　the　truth　of　the　insinuation；　which

at　once　kindled　the　quick　pride　and　the

anger　of　O'Mara；　and　he　instantly　replied：



'Be　silent；　sir；　this　is　insolent

folly。'



Whether　it　was　that　Dwyer　was　more

keenly　interested　in　the　success　of　his　suit；

or　more　deeply　disappointed　at　its　failure

than　he　cared　to　express；　or　that　he　was　in

a　less　complacent　mood　than　was　his　wont；

it　is　certain　that　his　countenance　expressed

more　emotion　at　this　direct　insult　than　it

had　ever　exhibited　before　under　similar

circumstances；　for　his　eyes　gleamed　for　an

instant　with　savage　and　undisguised　ferocity

upon　the　young　man；　and　a　dark　glow

crossed　his　brow；　and　for　the　moment　he

looked　about　to　spring　at　the　throat　of　his

insolent　patron；　but　the　impulse　whatever

it　might　be；　was　quickly　suppressed；　and

before　O'Mara　had　time　to　detect　the

scowl；　it　had　vanished。



'Nay；　sir；'　said　Dwyer；　'I　meant　no

offence；　and　I　will　take　none；　at　your

hands　at　least。　I　will　confess　I　care　not；

in　love　and　soforth；　a　single　bean　for　the

girl；　she　was　the　mere　channel　through

which　her　father's　wealth；　if　such　a　pittance

deserves　the　name；　was　to　have　flowed　into

my　possession'twas　in　respect　of　your

family　finances　the　most　economical

provision　for　myself　which　I　could　devisea

matter　in　which　you；　not　I；　are　interested。

As　for　women；　they　are　all　pretty　much

alike　to　me。　I　am　too　old　myself　to　make

nice　distinctions；　and　too　ugly　to　succeed　by

Cupid's　arts；　and　when　a　man　despairs　of

success；　he　soon　ceases　to　care　for　it。　So；

if　you　know　me；　as　you　profess　to　do；　rest

satisfied　〃caeteris　paribus；〃　the　money　part

of　the　transaction　being　equally　advantageous；

I　should　regret　the　loss　of　Ellen

Heathcote　just　as　little　as　I　should　the

escape　of　a　minnow　from　my　landing…net。'



They　walked　on　for　a　few　minutes　in

silence；　which　was　not　broken　till　Dwyer；

who　had　climbed　a　stile　in　order　to　pass　a

low　stone　wall　which　lay　in　their　way；

exclaimed：



'By　the　rood；　she's　herehow　like　a

philosopher　you　look。〃



The　conscious　blood　mounted　to　O'Mara's

cheek；　he　crossed　the　stile；　and；　separated

from　him　only　by　a　slight　fence　and　a　gate；

stood　the　subject　of　their　recent　and　somewhat

angry　discussion。



'God　save　you；　Miss　Heathcote；'　cried

Dwyer；　approaching　the　gate。



The　salutation　was　cheerfully　returned；

and　before　anything　more　could　pass；

O'Mara　had　joined　the　party。



My　friend；　that　you　may　understand　the

strength　and　depth　of　those　impetuous

passions；　that　you　may　account　for　the

fatal　infatuation　which　led　to　the　catastrophe

which　I　have　to　relate；　I　must　tell

you；　that　though　I　have　seen　the　beauties

of　cities　and　of　courts；　with　all　the　splendour

of　studied　ornament　about　them　to

enhance　their　graces；　possessing　charms

which　had　made　them　known　almost

throughout　the　world；　and　worshipped　with

the　incense　of　a　thousand　votaries；　yet

never；　nowhere　did　I　behold　a　being　of

such　exquisite　and　touching　beauty；　as

that　possessed　by　the　creature　of　whom　I

have　just　spoken。　At　the　moment　of

which　I　write；　she　was　standing　near　the

gate；　close　to　which　several　brown…armed；

rosy…cheeked　damsels　were　engaged　in

milking　the　peaceful　cows；　who　stood

picturesquely　grouped　together。　She　had

just　thrown　back　the　hood　which　is　the

graceful　characteristic　of　the　Irish　girl's

attire；　so　that　her　small　and　classic　head　was

quite　uncovered；　save　only　by　the　dark…

brown　hair；　which　with　graceful　simplicity

was　parted　above　her　forehead。　There

was　nothing　to　shade　the　clearness　of　her

beautiful　complexion；　the　delicately…formed

features；　so　exquisite　when　taken　singly；　so

indescribable　when　combined；　so　purely

artless；　yet　so　meet　for　all　expression。　She

was　a　thing　so　very　beautiful；　you　could

not　look　on　her　without　feeling　your　heart

touched　as　by　sweet　music。　Whose

lightest　action　was　a　gracewhose　lightest

word　a　spellno　limner's　art；　though　ne'er

so　perfect；　could　shadow　forth　her　beauty；

and　do　I　dare　with　feeble　words　try　to

make　you　see　it？＇1＇　Providence　is　indeed

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　th