THE PURCELL PAPERS. 

BY THE LATE

JOSEPH SHERIDAN LE FANU, AUTHOR OF 'UNCLE SILAS. '

With a Memoir by

ALFRED PERCEVAL GRAVES

IN THREE VOLUMES. 

VOL. III. 

LONDON: RICHARD BENTLEY AND SON, Publishers in Ordinary to Her Majesty the Queen. 

1880. 

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

LeFanu, Joseph Sheridan, 1814-1873. 

The Purcell papers. 

Reprint of the 1880 ed. Published by R. Bentley, London. 

I. Title. PZ3. L518Pu5 (PR4879. L7) 823'. 8 71-148813 ISBN 0-404-08880-5

Reprinted from an original copy in the collection of the University ofChicago Library. 

From the edition of 1880, London First AMS edition published in 1975Manufactured in the United States of America

International Standard Book Number: Complete Set: 0-404-08880-5 VolumeIII: 0-404-08883-X

AMS PRESS INC. 

NEW YORK, N. Y. 10003

CONTENTS:

 JIM SULIVAN'S ADVENTURES IN THE GREAT SNOW A CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY OF A TYRONE FAMILY AN ADVENTURE OF HARDRESS FITZGERALD, A ROYALIST CAPTAIN 'THE QUARE GANDER' BILLY MALOWNEY'S TASTE OF LOVE AND GLORY

JIM SULIVAN'S ADVENTURES IN THE GREAT SNOW. 

 Being a Ninth Extract from the Legacy of the late Francis Purcell, P. P. Of Drumcoolagh. 

Jim Sulivan was a dacent, honest boy as you'd find in the sevenparishes, an' he was a beautiful singer, an' an illegant dancerintirely, an' a mighty plisant boy in himself; but he had the divil'sbad luck, for he married for love, an 'av coorse he niver had an asyminute afther. 

Nell Gorman was the girl he fancied, an' a beautiful slip of a girl shewas, jist twinty to the minute when he married her. She was as roundan' as complate in all her shapes as a firkin, you'd think, an' her twocheeks was as fat an' as red, it id open your heart to look at them. 

But beauty is not the thing all through, an' as beautiful as she wasshe had the divil's tongue, an' the divil's timper, an' the divil'sbehaviour all out; an' it was impossible for him to be in the house withher for while you'd count tin without havin' an argymint, an' as sureas she riz an argymint with him she'd hit him a wipe iv a skillet orwhatever lay next to her hand. 

Well, this wasn't at all plasin' to Jim Sulivan you may be sure, an'there was scarce a week that his head wasn't plasthered up, or his backbint double, or his nose swelled as big as a pittaty, with the vilenceiv her timper, an' his heart was scalded everlastin'ly with her tongue;so he had no pace or quietness in body or soul at all at all, with theway she was goin' an. 

Well, your honour, one cowld snowin' evenin' he kim in afther his day'swork regulatin' the men in the farm, an' he sat down very quite by thefire, for he had a scrimmidge with her in the mornin', an' all he wantedwas an air iv the fire in pace; so divil a word he said but dhrew astool an' sat down close to the fire. Well, as soon as the woman sawhim, 'Move aff, ' says she, 'an' don't be inthrudin' an the fire, ' says she. 

Well, he kept never mindin', an' didn't let an' to hear a word she wassayin', so she kim over an' she had a spoon in her hand, an' she tookjist the smallest taste in life iv the boilin' wather out iv the pot, an' she dhropped it down an his shins, an' with that he let a roar you'dthink the roof id fly aff iv the house. 

'Hould your tongue, you barbarrian, ' says she; 'you'll waken the child, 'says she. 

'An' if I done right, ' says he, for the spoonful of boilin' wather rizhim entirely, 'I'd take yourself, ' says he, 'an' I'd stuff you into thepot an the fire, an' boil you. ' says he, 'into castor oil, ' says he. 

'That's purty behavour, ' says she; 'it's fine usage you're givin' me, isn't it?' says she, gettin' wickeder every minute; 'but before I'mboiled, ' says she, 'thry how you like THAT, ' says she; an', sure enough, before he had time to put up his guard, she hot him a rale terribleclink iv the iron spoon acrass the jaw. 

'Hould me, some iv ye, or I'll murdher her, ' says he. 

'Will you?' says she, an' with that she hot him another tin times asgood as the first. 

'By jabers, ' says he, slappin' himself behind, 'that's the last saluteyou'll ever give me, ' says he; 'so take my last blessin', ' says he, 'youungovernable baste!' says he--an' with that he pulled an his hat an'walked out iv the door. 

Well, she never minded a word he said, for he used to say the same thingall as one every time she dhrew blood; an' she had no expectation at allbut he'd come back by the time supper id be ready; but faix the storydidn't go quite so simple this time, for while he was walkin', lonesomeenough, down the borheen, with his heart almost broke with the pain, for his shins an' his jaw was mighty troublesome, av course, with thethratement he got, who did he see but Mick Hanlon, his uncle's sarvintby, ridin' down, quite an asy, an the ould black horse, with a halter aslong as himself. 

'Is that Mr. Soolivan?' says the by. Says he, as soon as he saw him agood bit aff. 

'To be sure it is, ye spalpeen, you, ' says Jim, roarin' out; 'what doyou want wid me this time a-day?' says he. 

'Don't you know me?' says the gossoon, 'it's Mick Hanlon that's in it, 'says he. 

'Oh, blur an agers, thin, it's welcome you are, Micky asthore, ' saysJim; 'how is all wid the man an' the woman beyant?' says he. 

'Oh!' says Micky, 'bad enough, ' says he; 'the ould man's jist aff, an'if you don't hurry like shot, ' says he, 'he'll be in glory before youget there, ' says he. 

'It's jokin' ye are, ' says Jim, sorrowful enough, for he was mightypartial to his uncle intirely. 

'Oh, not in the smallest taste, ' says Micky; 'the breath was jist outiv him, ' says he, 'when I left the farm. "An", says he, "take the ouldblack horse, " says he, "for he's shure-footed for the road, " says he, "an' bring, Jim Soolivan here, " says he, "for I think I'd die asy af Icould see him onst, " says he. '

'Well, ' says Jim, 'will I have time, ' says he, 'to go back to the house, for it would be a consolation, ' says he, 'to tell the bad news to thewoman?' says he. 

'It's too late you are already, ' says Micky, 'so come up behind me, forGod's sake, ' says he, 'an' don't waste time;' an' with that he broughtthe horse up beside the ditch, an' Jim Soolivan mounted up behind Micky, an' they rode off; an' tin good miles it was iv a road, an' at the otherside iv Keeper intirely; an' it was snowin' so fast that the ould bastecould hardly go an at all at all, an' the two bys an his back was jistlike a snowball all as one, an' almost fruz an' smothered at the sametime, your honour; an' they wor both mighty sorrowful intirely, an'their toes almost dhroppin' aff wid the could. 

And when Jim got to the farm his uncle was gettin' an illegantly, an' hewas sittin' up sthrong an' warm in the bed, an' improvin' every minute, an' no signs av dyin' an him at all at all; so he had all his throublefor nothin'. 

But this wasn't all, for the snow kem so thick that it was impassible toget along the roads at all at all; an' faix, instead iv gettin' betther, next mornin' it was only tin times worse; so Jim had jist to take itasy, an' stay wid his uncle antil such times as the snow id melt. 

Well, your honour, the evenin' Jim Soolivan wint away, whin the darkwas closin' in, Nell Gorman, his wife, beginned to get mighty anasy inherself whin she didn't see him comin' back at all; an' she was gettin'more an' more frightful in herself every minute till the dark kem an', an' divil a taste iv her husband was coming at all at all. 

'Oh!' says she, 'there's no use in purtendin', I know he's kilt himself;he has committed infantycide an himself, ' says she, 'like a dissipatedbliggard as he always was, ' says she, 'God rest his soul. Oh, thin, isn't it me an' not you, Jim Soolivan, that's the unforthunate woman, 'says she, 'for ain't I cryin' here, an' isn't he in heaven, thebliggard, ' says she. 'Oh, voh, voh, it's not at home comfortable withyour wife an' family that you are, Jim Soolivan, ' says she, 'but in theother world, you aumathaun, in glory wid the saints I hope, ' says she. 'It's I that's the unforthunate famale, ' says she, 'an' not yourself, Jim Soolivan, ' says she. 

An' this way she kep' an till mornin', cryin' and lamintin; an' wid thefirst light she called up all the sarvint bys, an' she tould them togo out an' to sarch every inch iv ground to find the corpse, 'for I'msure, ' says she, 'it's not to go hide himself he would, ' says she. 

Well, they went as well as they could, rummagin' through the snow, antil, at last, what should they come to, sure enough, but the corpseof a poor thravelling man, that fell over the quarry the night beforeby rason of the snow and some liquor he had, maybe; but, at any rate, he was as dead as a herrin', an' his face was knocked all to pieces jistlike an over-boiled pitaty, glory be to God; an' divil a taste iv a noseor a chin, or a hill or a hollow from one end av his face to the otherbut was all as flat as a pancake. An' he was about Jim Soolivan's size, an' dhressed out exactly the same, wid a ridin' coat an' new corderhoys;so they carried him home, an' they were all as sure as daylight it wasJim Soolivan himself, an' they were wondhering he'd do sich a dirty turnas to go kill himself for spite. 

Well, your honour, they waked him as well as they could, with whatneighbours they could git togither, but by rason iv the snow, therewasn't enough gothered to make much divarsion; however it was a plisintwake enough, an' the churchyard an' the priest bein' convanient, as soonas the youngsthers had their bit iv fun and divarsion out iv the corpse, they burried it without a great dale iv throuble; an' about three daysafther the berrin, ould Jim Mallowney, from th'other side iv the littlehill, her own cousin by the mother's side--he had a snug bit iv a farman' a house close by, by the same token--kem walkin' in to see how shewas in her health, an' he dhrew a chair, an' he sot down an' beginned toconvarse her about one thing an' another, antil he got her quite an' asyinto middlin' good humour, an' as soon as he seen it was time:

'I'm wondherin', says he, 'Nell Gorman, sich a handsome, likely girl, id be thinkin' iv nothin' but lamintin' an' the likes, ' says he, 'an'lingerin' away her days without any consolation, or gettin' a husband, 'says he. 

'Oh, ' says she, 'isn't it only three days since I burried the poor man, 'says she, 'an' isn't it rather soon to be talkin iv marryin' agin?'

'Divil a taste, ' says he, 'three days is jist the time to a minute forcryin' afther a husband, an' there's no occasion in life to be keepin'it up, ' says he; 'an' besides all that, ' says he, 'Shrovetide is almostover, an' if you don't be sturrin' yourself an' lookin' about you, you'll be late, ' says he, 'for this year at any rate, an' that's twelvemonths lost; an' who's to look afther the farm all that time, ' says he, 'an' to keep the men to their work?' says he. 

'It's thrue for you, Jim Mallowney, ' says she, 'but I'm afeard theneighbours will be all talkin' about it, ' says she. 

'Divil's cure to the word, ' says he. 

'An' who would you advise?' says she. 

'Young Andy Curtis is the boy, ' says he. 

'He's a likely boy in himself, ' says she. 

'An' as handy a gossoon as is out, ' says he. 

'Well, thin, Jim Mallowney, ' says she, 'here's my hand, an' you maybe talkin' to Andy Curtis, an' if he's willin' I'm agreeble--is thatenough?' says she. 

So with that he made off with himself straight to Andy Curtis; an'before three days more was past, the weddin' kem an', an' Nell Gormanan' Andy Curtis was married as complate as possible; an' if the wake wasplisint the weddin' was tin times as agreeble, an' all the neighboursthat could make their way to it was there, an' there was three fiddlersan' lots iv pipers, an' ould Connor Shamus(1) the piper himself was init--by the same token it was the last weddin' he ever played music at, for the next mornin', whin he was goin' home, bein' mighty heartyan' plisint in himself, he was smothered in the snow, undher the ouldcastle; an' by my sowl he was a sore loss to the bys an' girls twentymiles round, for he was the illigantest piper, barrin' the liquor alone, that ever worked a bellas. 

 (1) Literally, Cornelius James--the last name employed as a patronymic. Connor is commonly used. Corney, pronounced Kurny, is just as much used in the South, as the short name for Cornelius. 

Well, a week passed over smart enough, an' Nell an' her new husband wasmighty well continted with one another, for it was too soon for her tobegin to regulate him the way she used with poor Jim Soolivan, so theywor comfortable enough; but this was too good to last, for the thaw keman', an' you may be sure Jim Soolivan didn't lose a minute's time as soonas the heavy dhrift iv snow was melted enough between him and home tolet him pass, for he didn't hear a word iv news from home sinst he liftit, by rason that no one, good nor bad, could thravel at all, with theway the snow was dhrifted. 

So one night, when Nell Gorman an' her new husband, Andy Curtis, wassnug an' warm in bed, an' fast asleep, an' everything quite, who shouldcome to the door, sure enough, but Jim Soolivan himself, an' he beginnedflakin' the door wid a big blackthorn stick he had, an' roarin' out likethe divil to open the door, for he had a dhrop taken. 

'What the divil's the matther?' says Andy Curtis, wakenin' out iv hissleep. 

'Who's batin' the door?' says Nell; 'what's all the noise for?' saysshe. 

'Who's in it?' says Andy. 

'It's me, ' says Jim. 

'Who are you?' says Andy; 'what's your name?'

'Jim Soolivan, ' says he. 

'By jabers, you lie, ' says Andy. 

'Wait till I get at you, ' says Jim, hittin' the door a lick iv thewattle you'd hear half a mile off. 

'It's him, sure enough, ' says Nell; 'I know his speech; it's hiswandherin' sowl that can't get rest, the crass o' Christ betune us an'harm. '

'Let me in, ' says Jim, 'or I'll dhrive the door in a top iv yis. '

'Jim Soolivan--Jim Soolivan, ' says Nell, sittin' up in the bed, an'gropin' for a quart bottle iv holy wather she used to hang by the backiv the bed, 'don't come in, darlin'--there's holy wather here, ' saysshe; 'but tell me from where you are is there anything that's throublin'your poor sinful sowl?' says she. 'An' tell me how many masses 'ill makeyou asy, an' by this crass, I'll buy you as many as you want, ' says she. 

'I don't know what the divil you mane, ' says Jim. 

'Go back, ' says she, 'go back to glory, for God's sake, ' says she. 

'Divil's cure to the bit iv me 'ill go back to glory, or anywhere else, 'says he, 'this blessed night; so open the door at onst' an' let me in, 'says he. 

'The Lord forbid, ' says she. 

'By jabers, you'd betther, ' says he, 'or it 'ill be the worse for you, 'says he; an' wid that he fell to wallopin' the door till he was fairlytired, an' Andy an' his wife crassin' themselves an' sayin' theirprayers for the bare life all the time. 

'Jim Soolivan, ' says she, as soon as he was done, 'go back, for God'ssake, an' don't be freakenin' me an' your poor fatherless childhren, 'says she. 

'Why, you bosthoon, you, ' says Jim, 'won't you let your husband in, 'says he, 'to his own house?' says he. 

'You WOR my husband, sure enough, ' says she, 'but it's well you know, Jim Soolivan, you're not my husband NOW, ' says she. 

'You're as dhrunk as can be consaved, says Jim. 

'Go back, in God's name, pacibly to your grave, ' says Nell. 

'By my sowl, it's to my grave you'll sind me, sure enough, ' says he, 'you hard-hearted bain', for I'm jist aff wid the cowld, ' says he. 

'Jim Sulivan, ' says she, 'it's in your dacent coffin you should be, youunforthunate sperit, ' says she; 'what is it's annoyin' your sowl, in thewide world, at all?' says she; 'hadn't you everything complate?' saysshe, 'the oil, an' the wake, an' the berrin'?' says she. 

'Och, by the hoky, ' says Jim, 'it's too long I'm makin' a fool ivmysilf, gostherin' wid you outside iv my own door, ' says he, 'for it'splain to be seen, ' says he, 'you don't know what your're sayin', an' noone ELSE knows what you mane, you unforthunate fool, ' says he; 'so, onstfor all, open the door quietly, ' says he, 'or, by my sowkins, I'll notlave a splinther together, ' says he. 

Well, whin Nell an' Andy seen he was getting vexed, they beginned tobawl out their prayers, with the fright, as if the life was lavin' them;an' the more he bate the door, the louder they prayed, until at last Jimwas fairly tired out. 

'Bad luck to you, ' says he; 'for a rale divil av a woman, ' says he. I'can't get any advantage av you, any way; but wait till I get hould ivyou, that's all, ' says he. An' he turned aff from the door, an' wintround to the cow-house, an' settled himself as well as he could, inthe sthraw; an' he was tired enough wid the thravellin' he had in theday-time, an' a good dale bothered with what liquor he had taken; so hewas purty sure of sleepin' wherever he thrun himself. 

But, by my sowl, it wasn't the same way with the man an' the woman inthe house--for divil a wink iv sleep, good or bad, could they get atall, wid the fright iv the sperit, as they supposed; an' with the firstlight they sint a little gossoon, as fast as he could wag, straight off, like a shot, to the priest, an' to desire him, for the love o' God, to come to them an the minute, an' to bring, if it was plasin' to hisraverence, all the little things he had for sayin' mass, an' savin'sowls, an' banishin' sperits, an' freakenin' the divil, an' the likesiv that. An' it wasn't long till his raverence kem down, sure enough, on the ould grey mare, wid the little mass-boy behind him, an' theprayer-books an' Bibles, an' all the other mystarious articles that waswantin', along wid him; an' as soon as he kem in, 'God save all here, 'says he. 

'God save ye, kindly, your raverence, ' says they. 

'An' what's gone wrong wid ye?' says he; 'ye must be very bad, ' sayshe, ' entirely, to disturb my devotions, ' says he, 'this way, jist atbreakfast-time, ' says he. 

'By my sowkins, ' says Nell, 'it's bad enough we are, your raverence, 'says she, 'for it's poor Jim's sperit, ' says she; 'God rest his sowl, wherever it is, ' says she, 'that was wandherin' up an' down, opossitethe door all night, ' says she, 'in the way it was no use at all, thryin'to get a wink iv sleep, ' says she. 

'It's to lay it, you want me, I suppose, ' says the priest. 

'If your raverence 'id do that same, it 'id be plasin' to us, ' saysAndy. 

'It'll be rather expinsive, ' says the priest. 

'We'll not differ about the price, your raverence, ' says Andy. 

'Did the sperit stop long?' says the priest. 

'Most part iv the night, ' says Nell, 'the Lord be merciful to us all!'says she. 

'That'll make it more costly than I thought, ' says he. 'An' did it makemuch noise?' says he. 

'By my sowl, it's it that did, ' says Andy; 'leatherin' the door widsticks and stones, ' says he, 'antil I fairly thought every minute, ' sayshe, 'the ould boords id smash, an' the sperit id be in an top iv us--Godbless us, ' says he. 

'Phiew!' says the priest; 'it'll cost a power iv money. '

'Well, your raverence, ' says Andy, 'take whatever you like, ' says he;'only make sure it won't annoy us any more, ' says he. 

'Oh! by my sowkins, ' says the priest, 'it'll be the quarest ghost in thesiven parishes, ' says he, 'if it has the courage to come back, ' says he, 'afther what I'll do this mornin', plase God, ' says he; 'so we'll saytwelve pounds; an' God knows it's chape enough, ' says he, 'considherin'all the sarcumstances, ' says he. 

Well, there wasn't a second word to the bargain; so they paid him themoney down, an' he sot the table doun like an althar, before the door, an' he settled it out vid all the things he had wid him; an' he lit abit iv a holy candle, an' he scathered his holy wather right an' left;an' he took up a big book, an' he wint an readin' for half an hour, good; an' whin he kem to the end, he tuck hould iv his little bell, andhe beginned to ring it for the bare life; an', by my sowl, he rung itso well, that he wakened Jim Sulivan in the cowhouse, where he wassleepin', an' up he jumped, widout a minute's delay, an' med right forthe house, where all the family, an' the priest, an' the little mass-boywas assimbled, layin' the ghost; an' as soon as his raverence seen himcomin' in at the door, wid the fair fright, he flung the bell at hishead, an' hot him sich a lick iv it in the forehead, that he sthretchedhim on the floor; but fain; he didn't wait to ax any questions, but hecut round the table as if the divil was afther him, an' out at the door, an' didn't stop even as much as to mount an his mare, but leathered awaydown the borheen as fast as his legs could carry him, though the mud wasup to his knees, savin' your presence. 

Well, by the time Jim kem to himself, the family persaved the mistake, an' Andy wint home, lavin' Nell to make the explanation. An' as soonas Jim heerd it all, he said he was quite contint to lave her to Andy, entirely; but the priest would not hear iv it; an' he jist med him marryhis wife over again, an' a merry weddin' it was, an' a fine collectionfor his raverence. An' Andy was there along wid the rest, an' the priestput a small pinnance upon him, for bein' in too great a hurry to marry awiddy. 

An' bad luck to the word he'd allow anyone to say an the business, everafter, at all, at all; so, av coorse, no one offinded his raverence, byspakin' iv the twelve pounds he got for layin' the sperit. 

An' the neighbours wor all mighty well plased, to be sure, for gettin'all the divarsion of a wake, an' two weddin's for nothin. '

A CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY OF A TYRONE FAMILY

 Being a Tenth Extract from the Legacy of the late Francis Purcell, P. P. Of Drumcoolagh. 

INTRODUCTION. 

In the following narrative, I have endeavoured to give as nearly aspossible the ipsissima verba of the valued friend from whom I receivedit, conscious that any aberration from HER mode of telling the tale ofher own life would at once impair its accuracy and its effect. 

Would that, with her words, I could also bring before you her animatedgesture, her expressive countenance, the solemn and thrilling air andaccent with which she related the dark passages in her strange story;and, above all, that I could communicate the impressive consciousnessthat the narrator had seen with her own eyes, and personally acted inthe scenes which she described; these accompaniments, taken with theadditional circumstance that she who told the tale was one far toodeeply and sadly impressed with religious principle to misrepresentor fabricate what she repeated as fact, gave to the tale a depth ofinterest which the events recorded could hardly, themselves, haveproduced. 

I became acquainted with the lady from whose lips I heard this narrativenearly twenty years since, and the story struck my fancy so much thatI committed it to paper while it was still fresh in my mind; and shouldits perusal afford you entertainment for a listless half hour, my labourshall not have been bestowed in vain. 

I find that I have taken the story down as she told it, in the firstperson, and perhaps this is as it should be. 

She began as follows:

My maiden name was Richardson, (1) the designation of a family of somedistinction in the county of Tyrone. I was the younger of two daughters, and we were the only children. There was a difference in our ages ofnearly six years, so that I did not, in my childhood, enjoy that closecompanionship which sisterhood, in other circumstances, necessarilyinvolves; and while I was still a child, my sister was married. 

 (1) I have carefully altered the names as they appear in the original MSS. , for the reader will see that some of the circumstances recorded are not of a kind to reflect honour upon those involved in them; and as many are still living, in every way honoured and honourable, who stand in close relation to the principal actors in this drama, the reader will see the necessity of the course which we have adopted. 

The person upon whom she bestowed her hand was a Mr. Carew, a gentlemanof property and consideration in the north of England. 

I remember well the eventful day of the wedding; the throngingcarriages, the noisy menials, the loud laughter, the merry faces, andthe gay dresses. Such sights were then new to me, and harmonised illwith the sorrowful feelings with which I regarded the event which was toseparate me, as it turned out, for ever from a sister whose tendernessalone had hitherto more than supplied all that I wanted in my mother'saffection. 

The day soon arrived which was to remove the happy couple from AshtownHouse. The carriage stood at the hall-door, and my poor sister kissed meagain and again, telling me that I should see her soon. 

The carriage drove away, and I gazed after it until my eyes filled withtears, and, returning slowly to my chamber, I wept more bitterly and, soto speak, more desolately, than ever I had done before. 

My father had never seemed to love or to take an interest in me. He haddesired a son, and I think he never thoroughly forgave me my unfortunatesex. 

My having come into the world at all as his child he regarded as a kindof fraudulent intrusion, and as his antipathy to me had its origin inan imperfection of mine, too radical for removal, I never even hoped tostand high in his good graces. 

My mother was, I dare say, as fond of me as she was of anyone; butshe was a woman of a masculine and a worldly cast of mind. She had notenderness or sympathy for the weaknesses, or even for the affections, of woman's nature and her demeanour towards me was peremptory, and ofteneven harsh. 

It is not to be supposed, then, that I found in the society of myparents much to supply the loss of my sister. About a year after hermarriage, we received letters from Mr. Carew, containing accounts of mysister's health, which, though not actually alarming, were calculatedto make us seriously uneasy. The symptoms most dwelt upon were loss ofappetite and cough. 

The letters concluded by intimating that he would avail himself of myfather and mother's repeated invitation to spend some time at Ashtown, particularly as the physician who had been consulted as to my sister'shealth had strongly advised a removal to her native air. 

There were added repeated assurances that nothing serious wasapprehended, as it was supposed that a deranged state of the liver wasthe only source of the symptoms which at first had seemed to intimateconsumption. 

In accordance with this announcement, my sister and Mr. Carew arrived inDublin, where one of my father's carriages awaited them, in readiness tostart upon whatever day or hour they might choose for their departure. 

It was arranged that Mr. Carew was, as soon as the day upon which theywere to leave Dublin was definitely fixed, to write to my father, whointended that the two last stages should be performed by his own horses, upon whose speed and safety far more reliance might be placed thanupon those of the ordinary post-horses, which were at that time, almostwithout exception, of the very worst order. The journey, one of aboutninety miles, was to be divided; the larger portion being reserved forthe second day. 

On Sunday a letter reached us, stating that the party would leave Dublinon Monday, and, in due course, reach Ashtown upon Tuesday evening. 

Tuesday came the evening closed in, and yet no carriage; darkness cameon, and still no sign of our expected visitors. 

Hour after hour passed away, and it was now past twelve; the night wasremarkably calm, scarce a breath stirring, so that any sound, suchas that produced by the rapid movement of a vehicle, would have beenaudible at a considerable distance. For some such sound I was feverishlylistening. 

It was, however, my father's rule to close the house at nightfall, andthe window-shutters being fastened, I was unable to reconnoitre theavenue as I would have wished. It was nearly one o'clock, and we beganalmost to despair of seeing them upon that night, when I thought Idistinguished the sound of wheels, but so remote and faint as to makeme at first very uncertain. The noise approached; it became louder andclearer; it stopped for a moment. 

I now heard the shrill screaming of the rusty iron, as the avenue-gaterevolved on its hinges; again came the sound of wheels in rapid motion. 

'It is they, ' said I, starting up; 'the carriage is in the avenue. '

We all stood for a few moments breathlessly listening. On thundered thevehicle with the speed of a whirlwind; crack went the whip, and clatterwent the wheels, as it rattled over the uneven pavement of the court. A general and furious barking from all the dogs about the house, hailedits arrival. 

We hurried to the hall in time to hear the steps let down with the sharpclanging noise peculiar to the operation, and the hum of voices exertedin the bustle of arrival. The hall-door was now thrown open, and we allstepped forth to greet our visitors. 

The court was perfectly empty; the moon was shining broadly and brightlyupon all around; nothing was to be seen but the tall trees with theirlong spectral shadows, now wet with the dews of midnight. 

We stood gazing from right to left, as if suddenly awakened from adream; the dogs walked suspiciously, growling and snuffing about thecourt, and by totally and suddenly ceasing their former loud barking, expressing the predominance of fear. 

We stared one upon another in perplexity and dismay, and I think I neverbeheld more pale faces assembled. By my father's direction, we lookedabout to find anything which might indicate or account for the noisewhich we had heard; but no such thing was to be seen--even the mirewhich lay upon the avenue was undisturbed. We returned to the house, more panic-struck than I can describe. 

On the next day, we learned by a messenger, who had ridden hard thegreater part of the night, that my sister was dead. On Sunday evening, she had retired to bed rather unwell, and, on Monday, her indispositiondeclared itself unequivocally to be malignant fever. She became hourlyworse and, on Tuesday night, a little after midnight, she expired. (2)

 (2) The residuary legatee of the late Frances Purcell, who has the honour of selecting such of his lamented old friend's manuscripts as may appear fit for publication, in order that the lore which they contain may reach the world before scepticism and utility have robbed our species of the precious gift of credulity, and scornfully kicked before them, or trampled into annihilation those harmless fragments of picturesque superstition which it is our object to preserve, has been subjected to the charge of dealing too largely in the marvellous; and it has been half insinuated that such is his love for diablerie, that he is content to wander a mile out of his way, in order to meet a fiend or a goblin, and thus to sacrifice all regard for truth and accuracy to the idle hope of affrighting the imagination, and thus pandering to the bad taste of his reader. He begs leave, then, to take this opportunity of asserting his perfect innocence of all the crimes laid to his charge, and to assure his reader that he never PANDERED TO HIS BAD TASTE, nor went one inch out of his way to introduce witch, fairy, devil, ghost, or any other of the grim fraternity of the redoubted Raw-head-and-bloody-bones. His province, touching these tales, has been attended with no difficulty and little responsibility; indeed, he is accountable for nothing more than an alteration in the names of persons mentioned therein, when such a step seemed necessary, and for an occasional note, whenever he conceived it possible, innocently, to edge in a word. These tales have been WRITTEN DOWN, as the heading of each announces, by the Rev. Francis Purcell, P. P. , of Drumcoolagh; and in all the instances, which are many, in which the present writer has had an opportunity of comparing the manuscript of his departed friend with the actual traditions which are current amongst the families whose fortunes they pretend to illustrate, he has uniformly found that whatever of supernatural occurred in the story, so far from having been exaggerated by him, had been rather softened down, and, wherever it could be attempted, accounted for. 

I mention this circumstance, because it was one upon which a thousandwild and fantastical reports were founded, though one would have thoughtthat the truth scarcely required to be improved upon; and again, becauseit produced a strong and lasting effect upon my spirits, and indeed, Iam inclined to think, upon my character. 

I was, for several years after this occurrence, long after the violenceof my grief subsided, so wretchedly low-spirited and nervous, thatI could scarcely be said to live; and during this time, habits ofindecision, arising out of a listless acquiescence in the will ofothers, a fear of encountering even the slightest opposition, and adisposition to shrink from what are commonly called amusements, grewupon me so strongly, that I have scarcely even yet altogether overcomethem. 

We saw nothing more of Mr. Carew. He returned to England as soon as themelancholy rites attendant upon the event which I have just mentionedwere performed; and not being altogether inconsolable, he married againwithin two years; after which, owing to the remoteness of our relativesituations, and other circumstances, we gradually lost sight of him. 

I was now an only child; and, as my elder sister had died without issue, it was evident that, in the ordinary course of things, my father'sproperty, which was altogether in his power, would go to me; and theconsequence was, that before I was fourteen, Ashtown House was besiegedby a host of suitors. However, whether it was that I was too young, orthat none of the aspirants to my hand stood sufficiently high in rank orwealth, I was suffered by both parents to do exactly as I pleased;and well was it for me, as I afterwards found, that fortune, or ratherProvidence, had so ordained it, that I had not suffered my affectionsto become in any degree engaged, for my mother would never havesuffered any SILLY FANCY of mine, as she was in the habit of styling anattachment, to stand in the way of her ambitious views--views which shewas determined to carry into effect, in defiance of every obstacle, andin order to accomplish which she would not have hesitated to sacrificeanything so unreasonable and contemptible as a girlish passion. 

When I reached the age of sixteen, my mother's plans began to developthemselves; and, at her suggestion, we moved to Dublin to sojourn forthe winter, in order that no time might be lost in disposing of me tothe best advantage. 

I had been too long accustomed to consider myself as of no importancewhatever, to believe for a moment that I was in reality the cause of allthe bustle and preparation which surrounded me, and being thus relievedfrom the pain which a consciousness of my real situation would haveinflicted, I journeyed towards the capital with a feeling of totalindifference. 

My father's wealth and connection had established him in the bestsociety, and, consequently, upon our arrival in the metropolis wecommanded whatever enjoyment or advantages its gaieties afforded. 

The tumult and novelty of the scenes in which I was involved did notfail considerably to amuse me, and my mind gradually recovered its tone, which was naturally cheerful. 

It was almost immediately known and reported that I was an heiress, andof course my attractions were pretty generally acknowledged. 

Among the many gentlemen whom it was my fortune to please, one, erelong, established himself in my mother's good graces, to the exclusionof all less important aspirants. However, I had not understood or evenremarked his attentions, nor in the slightest degree suspected his ormy mother's plans respecting me, when I was made aware of them ratherabruptly by my mother herself. 

We had attended a splendid ball, given by Lord M----, at his residencein Stephen's Green, and I was, with the assistance of my waiting-maid, employed in rapidly divesting myself of the rich ornaments which, inprofuseness and value, could scarcely have found their equals in anyprivate family in Ireland. 

I had thrown myself into a lounging-chair beside the fire, listless andexhausted, after the fatigues of the evening, when I was arousedfrom the reverie into which I had fallen by the sound of footstepsapproaching my chamber, and my mother entered. 

'Fanny, my dear, ' said she, in her softest tone, 'I wish to say a wordor two with you before I go to rest. You are not fatigued, love, Ihope?'

'No, no, madam, I thank you, ' said I, rising at the same time from myseat, with the formal respect so little practised now. 

'Sit down, my dear, ' said she, placing herself upon a chair beside me;'I must chat with you for a quarter of an hour or so. Saunders' (to themaid) 'you may leave the room; do not close the room-door, but shut thatof the lobby. '

This precaution against curious ears having been taken as directed, mymother proceeded. 

'You have observed, I should suppose, my dearest Fanny--indeed, you MUSThave observed Lord Glenfallen's marked attentions to you?'

'I assure you, madam----' I began. 

'Well, well, that is all right, ' interrupted my mother; 'of course youmust be modest upon the matter; but listen to me for a few moments, mylove, and I will prove to your satisfaction that your modesty is quiteunnecessary in this case. You have done better than we could have hoped, at least so very soon. Lord Glenfallen is in love with you. I give youjoy of your conquest;' and saying this, my mother kissed my forehead. 

'In love with me!' I exclaimed, in unfeigned astonishment. 

'Yes, in love with you, ' repeated my mother; 'devotedly, distractedly inlove with you. Why, my dear, what is there wonderful in it? Look in theglass, and look at these, ' she continued, pointing with a smile to thejewels which I had just removed from my person, and which now lay aglittering heap upon the table. 

'May there not, ' said I, hesitating between confusion and realalarm--'is it not possible that some mistake may be at the bottom of allthis?'

'Mistake, dearest! none, ' said my mother. 'None; none in the world. Judge for yourself; read this, my love. ' And she placed in my hand aletter, addressed to herself, the seal of which was broken. I readit through with no small surprise. After some very fine complimentaryflourishes upon my beauty and perfections, as also upon the antiquityand high reputation of our family, it went on to make a formal proposalof marriage, to be communicated or not to me at present, as my mothershould deem expedient; and the letter wound up by a request that thewriter might be permitted, upon our return to Ashtown House, which wassoon to take place, as the spring was now tolerably advanced, to visitus for a few days, in case his suit was approved. 

'Well, well, my dear, ' said my mother, impatiently; 'do you know whoLord Glenfallen is?'

'I do, madam, ' said I rather timidly, for I dreaded an altercation withmy mother. 

'Well, dear, and what frightens you?' continued she. 'Are you afraid ofa title? What has he done to alarm you? he is neither old nor ugly. '

I was silent, though I might have said, 'He is neither young norhandsome. '

'My dear Fanny, ' continued my mother, 'in sober seriousness you havebeen most fortunate in engaging the affections of a nobleman such asLord Glenfallen, young and wealthy, with first-rate--yes, acknowledgedFIRST-RATE abilities, and of a family whose influence is not exceededby that of any in Ireland. Of course you see the offer in the same lightthat I do--indeed I think you MUST. '

This was uttered in no very dubious tone. I was so much astonished bythe suddenness of the whole communication that I literally did not knowwhat to say. 

'You are not in love?' said my mother, turning sharply, and fixing herdark eyes upon me with severe scrutiny. 

'No, madam, ' said I, promptly; horrified, as what young lady would nothave been, at such a query. 

'I'm glad to hear it, ' said my mother, drily. 'Once, nearly twentyyears ago, a friend of mine consulted me as to how he should deal with adaughter who had made what they call a love-match--beggared herself, anddisgraced her family; and I said, without hesitation, take no carefor her, but cast her off. Such punishment I awarded for an offencecommitted against the reputation of a family not my own; and what Iadvised respecting the child of another, with full as small compunctionI would DO with mine. I cannot conceive anything more unreasonable orintolerable than that the fortune and the character of a family shouldbe marred by the idle caprices of a girl. '

She spoke this with great severity, and paused as if she expected someobservation from me. 

I, however, said nothing. 

'But I need not explain to you, my dear Fanny, ' she continued, 'my viewsupon this subject; you have always known them well, and I have never yethad reason to believe you likely, voluntarily, to offend me, or to abuseor neglect any of those advantages which reason and duty tell youshould be improved. Come hither, my dear; kiss me, and do not look sofrightened. Well, now, about this letter, you need not answer it yet; ofcourse you must be allowed time to make up your mind. In the meantimeI will write to his lordship to give him my permission to visit us atAshtown. Good-night, my love. '

And thus ended one of the most disagreeable, not to say astounding, conversations I had ever had. It would not be easy to describe exactlywhat were my feelings towards Lord Glenfallen;--whatever might have beenmy mother's suspicions, my heart was perfectly disengaged--and hitherto, although I had not been made in the slightest degree acquainted with hisreal views, I had liked him very much, as an agreeable, well-informedman, whom I was always glad to meet in society. He had served in thenavy in early life, and the polish which his manners received in hisafter intercourse with courts and cities had not served to obliteratethat frankness of manner which belongs proverbially to the sailor. 

Whether this apparent candour went deeper than the outward bearing, Iwas yet to learn. However, there was no doubt that, as far as I had seenof Lord Glenfallen, he was, though perhaps not so young as might havebeen desired in a lover, a singularly pleasing man; and whatever feelingunfavourable to him had found its way into my mind, arose altogetherfrom the dread, not an unreasonable one, that constraint might bepractised upon my inclinations. I reflected, however, that LordGlenfallen was a wealthy man, and one highly thought of; and although Icould never expect to love him in the romantic sense of the term, yet Ihad no doubt but that, all things considered, I might be more happy withhim than I could hope to be at home. 

When next I met him it was with no small embarrassment, his tact andgood breeding, however, soon reassured me, and effectually prevented myawkwardness being remarked upon. And I had the satisfaction of leavingDublin for the country with the full conviction that nobody, noteven those most intimate with me, even suspected the fact of LordGlenfallen's having made me a formal proposal. 

This was to me a very serious subject of self-gratulation, for, besidesmy instinctive dread of becoming the topic of the speculations ofgossip, I felt that if the situation which I occupied in relation tohim were made publicly known, I should stand committed in a manner whichwould scarcely leave me the power of retraction. 

The period at which Lord Glenfallen had arranged to visit Ashtown Housewas now fast approaching, and it became my mother's wish to formme thoroughly to her will, and to obtain my consent to the proposedmarriage before his arrival, so that all things might proceed smoothly, without apparent opposition or objection upon my part. Whateverobjections, therefore, I had entertained were to be subdued; whateverdisposition to resistance I had exhibited or had been supposed to feel, were to be completely eradicated before he made his appearance; and mymother addressed herself to the task with a decision and energy againstwhich even the barriers, which her imagination had created, could hardlyhave stood. 

If she had, however, expected any determined opposition from me, she wasagreeably disappointed. My heart was perfectly free, and all my feelingsof liking and preference were in favour of Lord Glenfallen; and I wellknew that in case I refused to dispose of myself as I was desired, my mother had alike the power and the will to render my existence asutterly miserable as even the most ill-assorted marriage could possiblyhave done. 

You will remember, my good friend, that I was very young and verycompletely under the control of my parents, both of whom, my motherparticularly, were unscrupulously determined in matters of this kind, and willing, when voluntary obedience on the part of those within theirpower was withheld, to compel a forced acquiescence by an unsparing useof all the engines of the most stern and rigorous domestic discipline. 

All these combined, not unnaturally, induced me to resolve upon yieldingat once, and without useless opposition, to what appeared almost to bemy fate. 

The appointed time was come, and my now accepted suitor arrived; he wasin high spirits, and, if possible, more entertaining than ever. 

I was not, however, quite in the mood to enjoy his sprightliness; butwhatever I wanted in gaiety was amply made up in the triumphant andgracious good-humour of my mother, whose smiles of benevolence andexultation were showered around as bountifully as the summer sunshine. 

I will not weary you with unnecessary prolixity. Let it suffice to say, that I was married to Lord Glenfallen with all the attendant pomp andcircumstance of wealth, rank, and grandeur. According to the usage ofthe times, now humanely reformed, the ceremony was made, until long pastmidnight, the season of wild, uproarious, and promiscuous feasting andrevelry. 

Of all this I have a painfully vivid recollection, and particularly ofthe little annoyances inflicted upon me by the dull and coarse jokesof the wits and wags who abound in all such places, and upon all suchoccasions. 

I was not sorry when, after a few days, Lord Glenfallen's carriageappeared at the door to convey us both from Ashtown; for any changewould have been a relief from the irksomeness of ceremonial andformality which the visits received in honour of my newly-acquiredtitles hourly entailed upon me. 

It was arranged that we were to proceed to Cahergillagh, one of theGlenfallen estates, lying, however, in a southern county, so that, owingto the difficulty of the roads at the time, a tedious journey of threedays intervened. 

I set forth with my noble companion, followed by the regrets of some, and by the envy of many; though God knows I little deserved the latter. The three days of travel were now almost spent, when, passing the browof a wild heathy hill, the domain of Cahergillagh opened suddenly uponour view. 

It formed a striking and a beautiful scene. A lake of considerableextent stretching away towards the west, and reflecting from its broad, smooth waters, the rich glow of the setting sun, was overhung by steephills, covered by a rich mantle of velvet sward, broken here and thereby the grey front of some old rock, and exhibiting on their shelvingsides, their slopes and hollows, every variety of light and shade;a thick wood of dwarf oak, birch, and hazel skirted these hills, andclothed the shores of the lake, running out in rich luxuriance uponevery promontory, and spreading upward considerably upon the side of thehills. 

'There lies the enchanted castle, ' said Lord Glenfallen, pointingtowards a considerable level space intervening between two of thepicturesque hills, which rose dimly around the lake. 

This little plain was chiefly occupied by the same low, wild wood whichcovered the other parts of the domain; but towards the centre a massof taller and statelier forest trees stood darkly grouped together, and among them stood an ancient square tower, with many buildings of ahumbler character, forming together the manorhouse, or, as it was moreusually called, the Court of Cahergillagh. 

As we approached the level upon which the mansion stood, the windingroad gave us many glimpses of the time-worn castle and its surroundingbuildings; and seen as it was through the long vistas of the fine oldtrees, and with the rich glow of evening upon it, I have seldom beheldan object more picturesquely striking. 

I was glad to perceive, too, that here and there the blue curling smokeascended from stacks of chimneys now hidden by the rich, dark ivy which, in a great measure, covered the building. Other indications of comfortmade themselves manifest as we approached; and indeed, though the placewas evidently one of considerable antiquity, it had nothing whatever ofthe gloom of decay about it. 

'You must not, my love, ' said Lord Glenfallen, 'imagine this place worsethan it is. I have no taste for antiquity--at least I should not choosea house to reside in because it is old. Indeed I do not recollect that Iwas even so romantic as to overcome my aversion to rats and rheumatism, those faithful attendants upon your noble relics of feudalism; andI much prefer a snug, modern, unmysterious bedroom, with well-airedsheets, to the waving tapestry, mildewed cushions, and all the otherinteresting appliances of romance. However, though I cannot promise youall the discomfort generally belonging to an old castle, you will findlegends and ghostly lore enough to claim your respect; and if oldMartha be still to the fore, as I trust she is, you will soon have asupernatural and appropriate anecdote for every closet and corner ofthe mansion; but here we are--so, without more ado, welcome toCahergillagh!'

We now entered the hall of the castle, and while the domestics wereemployed in conveying our trunks and other luggage which we had broughtwith us for immediate use to the apartments which Lord Glenfallenhad selected for himself and me, I went with him into a spacioussitting-room, wainscoted with finely polished black oak, and hung roundwith the portraits of various worthies of the Glenfallen family. 

This room looked out upon an extensive level covered with the softestgreen sward, and irregularly bounded by the wild wood I have beforementioned, through the leafy arcade formed by whose boughs and trunksthe level beams of the setting sun were pouring. In the distance a groupof dairymaids were plying their task, which they accompanied throughoutwith snatches of Irish songs which, mellowed by the distance, floatednot unpleasingly to the ear; and beside them sat or lay, with all thegrave importance of conscious protection, six or seven large dogs ofvarious kinds. Farther in the distance, and through the cloisters of thearching wood, two or three ragged urchins were employed in driving suchstray kine as had wandered farther than the rest to join their fellows. 

As I looked upon this scene which I have described, a feeling oftranquillity and happiness came upon me, which I have never experiencedin so strong a degree; and so strange to me was the sensation that myeyes filled with tears. 

Lord Glenfallen mistook the cause of my emotion, and taking me kindlyand tenderly by the hand, he said:

'Do not suppose, my love, that it is my intention to SETTLE here. Whenever you desire to leave this, you have only to let me know yourwish, and it shall be complied with; so I must entreat of you not tosuffer any circumstances which I can control to give you one moment'suneasiness. But here is old Martha; you must be introduced to her, oneof the heirlooms of our family. '

A hale, good-humoured, erect old woman was Martha, and an agreeablecontrast to the grim, decrepid hag which my fancy had conjured up, asthe depository of all the horrible tales in which I doubted not this oldplace was most fruitful. 

She welcomed me and her master with a profusion of gratulations, alternately kissing our hands and apologising for the liberty, until atlength Lord Glenfallen put an end to this somewhat fatiguing ceremonialby requesting her to conduct me to my chamber if it were prepared for myreception. 

I followed Martha up an old-fashioned oak staircase into a long, dimpassage, at the end of which lay the door which communicated with theapartments which had been selected for our use; here the old womanstopped, and respectfully requested me to proceed. 

I accordingly opened the door, and was about to enter, when somethinglike a mass of black tapestry, as it appeared, disturbed by my suddenapproach, fell from above the door, so as completely to screen theaperture; the startling unexpectedness of the occurrence, and therustling noise which the drapery made in its descent, caused meinvoluntarily to step two or three paces backwards. I turned, smilingand half-ashamed, to the old servant, and said:

'You see what a coward I am. '

The woman looked puzzled, and, without saying any more, I was about todraw aside the curtain and enter the room, when, upon turning to do so, I was surprised to find that nothing whatever interposed to obstruct thepassage. 

I went into the room, followed by the servant-woman, and was amazed tofind that it, like the one below, was wainscoted, and that nothing likedrapery was to be found near the door. 

'Where is it?' said I; 'what has become of it?'

'What does your ladyship wish to know?' said the old woman. 

'Where is the black curtain that fell across the door, when I attemptedfirst to come to my chamber?' answered I. 

'The cross of Christ about us!' said the old woman, turning suddenlypale. 

'What is the matter, my good friend?' said I; 'you seem frightened. '

'Oh no, no, your ladyship, ' said the old woman, endeavouring to concealher agitation; but in vain, for tottering towards a chair, she sank intoit, looking so deadly pale and horror-struck that I thought every momentshe would faint. 

'Merciful God, keep us from harm and danger!' muttered she at length. 

'What can have terrified you so?' said I, beginning to fear that shehad seen something more than had met my eye. 'You appear ill, my poorwoman!'

'Nothing, nothing, my lady, ' said she, rising. 'I beg your ladyship'spardon for making so bold. May the great God defend us from misfortune!'

'Martha, ' said I, 'something HAS frightened you very much, and I insiston knowing what it is; your keeping me in the dark upon the subject willmake me much more uneasy than anything you could tell me. I desire you, therefore, to let me know what agitates you; I command you to tell me. '

'Your ladyship said you saw a black curtain falling across the door whenyou were coming into the room, ' said the old woman. 

'I did, ' said I; 'but though the whole thing appears somewhat strange, Icannot see anything in the matter to agitate you so excessively. '

'It's for no good you saw that, my lady, ' said the crone; 'somethingterrible is coming. It's a sign, my lady--a sign that never fails. '

'Explain, explain what you mean, my good woman, ' said I, in spite ofmyself, catching more than I could account for, of her superstitiousterror. 

'Whenever something--something BAD is going to happen to the Glenfallenfamily, some one that belongs to them sees a black handkerchief orcurtain just waved or falling before their faces. I saw it myself, 'continued she, lowering her voice, 'when I was only a little girl, andI'll never forget it. I often heard of it before, though I never saw ittill then, nor since, praised be God. But I was going into Lady Jane'sroom to waken her in the morning; and sure enough when I got first tothe bed and began to draw the curtain, something dark was waved acrossthe division, but only for a moment; and when I saw rightly into thebed, there was she lying cold and dead, God be merciful to me! So, my lady, there is small blame to me to be daunted when any one of thefamily sees it; for it's many's the story I heard of it, though I saw itbut once. '

I was not of a superstitious turn of mind, yet I could not resist afeeling of awe very nearly allied to the fear which my companion hadso unreservedly expressed; and when you consider my situation, theloneliness, antiquity, and gloom of the place, you will allow that theweakness was not without excuse. 

In spite of old Martha's boding predictions, however, time flowed onin an unruffled course. One little incident however, though triflingin itself, I must relate, as it serves to make what follows moreintelligible. 

Upon the day after my arrival, Lord Glenfallen of course desired to makeme acquainted with the house and domain; and accordingly we set forthupon our ramble. When returning, he became for some time silentand moody, a state so unusual with him as considerably to excite mysurprise. 

I endeavoured by observations and questions to arouse him--but invain. At length, as we approached the house, he said, as if speaking tohimself:

''Twere madness--madness--madness, ' repeating the words bitterly--'sureand speedy ruin. '

There was here a long pause; and at length, turning sharply towards me, in a tone very unlike that in which he had hitherto addressed me, hesaid:

'Do you think it possible that a woman can keep a secret?'

'I am sure, ' said I, 'that women are very much belied upon the scoreof talkativeness, and that I may answer your question with the samedirectness with which you put it--I reply that I DO think a woman cankeep a secret. '

'But I do not, ' said he, drily. 

We walked on in silence for a time. I was much astonished at hisunwonted abruptness--I had almost said rudeness. 

After a considerable pause he seemed to recollect himself, and with aneffort resuming his sprightly manner, he said:

'Well, well, the next thing to keeping a secret well is, not to desireto possess one--talkativeness and curiosity generally go together. NowI shall make test of you, in the first place, respecting the latter ofthese qualities. I shall be your BLUEBEARD--tush, why do I trifle thus?Listen to me, my dear Fanny; I speak now in solemn earnest. What Idesire is intimately, inseparably, connected with your happiness andhonour as well as my own; and your compliance with my request will notbe difficult. It will impose upon you a very trifling restraint duringyour sojourn here, which certain events which have occurred since ourarrival have determined me shall not be a long one. You must promiseme, upon your sacred honour, that you will visit ONLY that part of thecastle which can be reached from the front entrance, leaving the backentrance and the part of the building commanded immediately by it to themenials, as also the small garden whose high wall you see yonder; andnever at any time seek to pry or peep into them, nor to open the doorwhich communicates from the front part of the house through the corridorwith the back. I do not urge this in jest or in caprice, but froma solemn conviction that danger and misery will be the certainconsequences of your not observing what I prescribe. I cannot explainmyself further at present. Promise me, then, these things, as you hopefor peace here, and for mercy hereafter. '

I did make the promise as desired, and he appeared relieved; his mannerrecovered all its gaiety and elasticity: but the recollection of thestrange scene which I have just described dwelt painfully upon my mind. 

More than a month passed away without any occurrence worth recording;but I was not destined to leave Cahergillagh without further adventure. One day, intending to enjoy the pleasant sunshine in a ramble throughthe woods, I ran up to my room to procure my bonnet and shawl. Uponentering the chamber, I was surprised and somewhat startled to find itoccupied. Beside the fireplace, and nearly opposite the door, seated ina large, old-fashioned elbow-chair, was placed the figure of a lady. Sheappeared to be nearer fifty than forty, and was dressed suitably toher age, in a handsome suit of flowered silk; she had a profusionof trinkets and jewellery about her person, and many rings upon herfingers. But although very rich, her dress was not gaudy or in illtaste. But what was remarkable in the lady was, that although herfeatures were handsome, and upon the whole pleasing, the pupil of eacheye was dimmed with the whiteness of cataract, and she was evidentlystone-blind. I was for some seconds so surprised at this unaccountableapparition, that I could not find words to address her. 

'Madam, ' said I, 'there must be some mistake here--this is mybed-chamber. '

'Marry come up, ' said the lady, sharply; 'YOUR chamber! Where is LordGlenfallen?'

'He is below, madam, ' replied I; 'and I am convinced he will be not alittle surprised to find you here. '

'I do not think he will, ' said she; 'with your good leave, talk ofwhat you know something about. Tell him I want him. Why does the minxdilly-dally so?'

In spite of the awe which this grim lady inspired, there was somethingin her air of confident superiority which, when I considered ourrelative situations, was not a little irritating. 

'Do you know, madam, to whom you speak?' said I. 

'I neither know nor care, ' said she; 'but I presume that you are someone about the house, so again I desire you, if you wish to continuehere, to bring your master hither forthwith. '

'I must tell you, madam, ' said I, 'that I am Lady Glenfallen. '

'What's that?' said the stranger, rapidly. 

'I say, madam, ' I repeated, approaching her that I might be moredistinctly heard, 'that I am Lady Glenfallen. '

'It's a lie, you trull!' cried she, in an accent which made me start, and at the same time, springing forward, she seized me in her grasp, andshook me violently, repeating, 'It's a lie--it's a lie!' with a rapidityand vehemence which swelled every vein of her face. The violence of heraction, and the fury which convulsed her face, effectually terrified me, and disengaging myself from her grasp, I screamed as loud as I could forhelp. The blind woman continued to pour out a torrent of abuse uponme, foaming at the mouth with rage, and impotently shaking her clenchedfists towards me. 

I heard Lord Glenfallen's step upon the stairs, and I instantly ran out;as I passed him I perceived that he was deadly pale, and just caught thewords: 'I hope that demon has not hurt you?'

I made some answer, I forget what, and he entered the chamber, the doorof which he locked upon the inside. What passed within I know not; butI heard the voices of the two speakers raised in loud and angryaltercation. 

I thought I heard the shrill accents of the woman repeat the words, 'Let her look to herself;' but I could not be quite sure. This shortsentence, however, was, to my alarmed imagination, pregnant with fearfulmeaning. 

The storm at length subsided, though not until after a conferenceof more than two long hours. Lord Glenfallen then returned, pale andagitated. 

'That unfortunate woman, ' said he, 'is out of her mind. I daresay shetreated you to some of her ravings; but you need not dread any furtherinterruption from her: I have brought her so far to reason. She did nothurt you, I trust. '

'No, no, ' said I; 'but she terrified me beyond measure. '

'Well, ' said he, 'she is likely to behave better for the future; and Idare swear that neither you nor she would desire, after what has passed, to meet again. '

This occurrence, so startling and unpleasant, so involved in mystery, and giving rise to so many painful surmises, afforded me no veryagreeable food for rumination. 

All attempts on my part to arrive at the truth were baffled; LordGlenfallen evaded all my inquiries, and at length peremptorily forbidany further allusion to the matter. I was thus obliged to rest satisfiedwith what I had actually seen, and to trust to time to resolve theperplexities in which the whole transaction had involved me. 

Lord Glenfallen's temper and spirits gradually underwent a complete andmost painful change; he became silent and abstracted, his manner to mewas abrupt and often harsh, some grievous anxiety seemed ever present tohis mind; and under its influence his spirits sunk and his temper becamesoured. 

I soon perceived that his gaiety was rather that which the stir andexcitement of society produce, than the result of a healthy habitof mind; every day confirmed me in the opinion, that the considerategood-nature which I had so much admired in him was little more thana mere manner; and to my infinite grief and surprise, the gay, kind, open-hearted nobleman who had for months followed and flattered me, wasrapidly assuming the form of a gloomy, morose, and singularly selfishman. This was a bitter discovery, and I strove to conceal it from myselfas long as I could; but the truth was not to be denied, and I was forcedto believe that Lord Glenfallen no longer loved me, and that he was atlittle pains to conceal the alteration in his sentiments. 

One morning after breakfast, Lord Glenfallen had been for some timewalking silently up and down the room, buried in his moody reflections, when pausing suddenly, and turning towards me, he exclaimed:

'I have it--I have it! We must go abroad, and stay there too; andif that does not answer, why--why, we must try some more effectualexpedient. Lady Glenfallen, I have become involved in heavyembarrassments. A wife, you know, must share the fortunes of herhusband, for better for worse; but I will waive my right if you preferremaining here--here at Cahergillagh. For I would not have you seenelsewhere without the state to which your rank entitles you; besides, itwould break your poor mother's heart, ' he added, with sneering gravity. 'So make up your mind--Cahergillagh or France. I will start if possiblein a week, so determine between this and then. '

He left the room, and in a few moments I saw him ride past the window, followed by a mounted servant. He had directed a domestic to inform methat he should not be back until the next day. 

I was in very great doubt as to what course of conduct I should pursue, as to accompanying him in the continental tour so suddenly determinedupon. I felt that it would be a hazard too great to encounter; for atCahergillagh I had always the consciousness to sustain me, that if histemper at any time led him into violent or unwarrantable treatment ofme, I had a remedy within reach, in the protection and support of my ownfamily, from all useful and effective communication with whom, if oncein France, I should be entirely debarred. 

As to remaining at Cahergillagh in solitude, and, for aught I knew, exposed to hidden dangers, it appeared to me scarcely less objectionablethan the former proposition; and yet I feared that with one or other Imust comply, unless I was prepared to come to an actual breach with LordGlenfallen. Full of these unpleasing doubts and perplexities, I retiredto rest. 

I was wakened, after having slept uneasily for some hours, by someperson shaking me rudely by the shoulder; a small lamp burned in myroom, and by its light, to my horror and amazement, I discovered that myvisitant was the self-same blind old lady who had so terrified me a fewweeks before. 

I started up in the bed, with a view to ring the bell, and alarm thedomestics; but she instantly anticipated me by saying:

'Do not be frightened, silly girl! If I had wished to harm you I couldhave done it while you were sleeping; I need not have wakened you. Listen to me, now, attentively and fearlessly, for what I have to sayinterests you to the full as much as it does me. Tell me here, in thepresence of God, did Lord Glenfallen marry you--ACTUALLY MARRY you?Speak the truth, woman. '

'As surely as I live and speak, ' I replied, 'did Lord Glenfallen marryme, in presence of more than a hundred witnesses. '

'Well, ' continued she, 'he should have told you THEN, before youmarried him, that he had a wife living, which wife I am. I feel youtremble--tush! do not be frightened. I do not mean to harm you. Markme now--you are NOT his wife. When I make my story known you will beso neither in the eye of God nor of man. You must leave this house uponto-morrow. Let the world know that your husband has another wife living;go you into retirement, and leave him to justice, which will surelyovertake him. If you remain in this house after to-morrow you will reapthe bitter fruits of your sin. '

So saying, she quitted the room, leaving me very little disposed tosleep. 

Here was food for my very worst and most terrible suspicions; stillthere was not enough to remove all doubt. I had no proof of the truth ofthis woman's statement. 

Taken by itself, there was nothing to induce me to attach weight to it;but when I viewed it in connection with the extraordinary mystery ofsome of Lord Glenfallen's proceedings, his strange anxiety to exclude mefrom certain portions of the mansion, doubtless lest I should encounterthis person--the strong influence, nay, command which she possessed overhim, a circumstance clearly established by the very fact of her residingin the very place where, of all others, he should least have desired tofind her--her thus acting, and continuing to act in direct contradictionto his wishes; when, I say, I viewed her disclosure in connection withall these circumstances, I could not help feeling that there was atleast a fearful verisimilitude in the allegations which she had made. 

Still I was not satisfied, nor nearly so. Young minds have areluctance almost insurmountable to believing, upon anything short ofunquestionable proof, the existence of premeditated guilt in anyone whomthey have ever trusted; and in support of this feeling I was assuredthat if the assertion of Lord Glenfallen, which nothing in this woman'smanner had led me to disbelieve, were true, namely that her mind wasunsound, the whole fabric of my doubts and fears must fall to theground. 

I determined to state to Lord Glenfallen freely and accurately thesubstance of the communication which I had just heard, and in his wordsand looks to seek for its proof or refutation. Full of these thoughts, I remained wakeful and excited all night, every moment fancying that Iheard the step or saw the figure of my recent visitor, towards whom Ifelt a species of horror and dread which I can hardly describe. 

There was something in her face, though her features had evidently beenhandsome, and were not, at first sight, unpleasing, which, upon a nearerinspection, seemed to indicate the habitual prevalence and indulgenceof evil passions, and a power of expressing mere animal anger, with anintenseness that I have seldom seen equalled, and to which an almostunearthly effect was given by the convulsive quivering of the sightlesseyes. 

You may easily suppose that it was no very pleasing reflection to me toconsider that, whenever caprice might induce her to return, I was withinthe reach of this violent and, for aught I knew, insane woman, who had, upon that very night, spoken to me in a tone of menace, of which hermere words, divested of the manner and look with which she uttered them, can convey but a faint idea. 

Will you believe me when I tell you that I was actually afraid to leavemy bed in order to secure the door, lest I should again encounterthe dreadful object lurking in some corner or peeping from behind thewindow-curtains, so very a child was I in my fears. 

The morning came, and with it Lord Glenfallen. I knew not, and indeed Icared not, where he might have been; my thoughts were wholly engrossedby the terrible fears and suspicions which my last night's conferencehad suggested to me. He was, as usual, gloomy and abstracted, and Ifeared in no very fitting mood to hear what I had to say with patience, whether the charges were true or false. 

I was, however, determined not to suffer the opportunity to pass, or Lord Glenfallen to leave the room, until, at all hazards, I hadunburdened my mind. 

'My lord, ' said I, after a long silence, summoning up all myfirmness--'my lord, I wish to say a few words to you upon a matter ofvery great importance, of very deep concernment to you and to me. '

I fixed my eyes upon him to discern, if possible, whether theannouncement caused him any uneasiness; but no symptom of any suchfeeling was perceptible. 

'Well, my dear, ' said he, 'this is no doubt a very grave preface, andportends, I have no doubt, something extraordinary. Pray let us have itwithout more ado. '

He took a chair, and seated himself nearly opposite to me. 

'My lord, ' said I, 'I have seen the person who alarmed me so much ashort time since, the blind lady, again, upon last night. ' His face, upon which my eyes were fixed, turned pale; he hesitated for a moment, and then said:

'And did you, pray, madam, so totally forget or spurn my expresscommand, as to enter that portion of the house from which your promise, I might say your oath, excluded you?--answer me that!' he addedfiercely. 

'My lord, ' said I, 'I have neither forgotten your COMMANDS, since suchthey were, nor disobeyed them. I was, last night, wakened from my sleep, as I lay in my own chamber, and accosted by the person whom I havementioned. How she found access to the room I cannot pretend to say. '

'Ha! this must be looked to, ' said he, half reflectively; 'and pray, 'added he, quickly, while in turn he fixed his eyes upon me, 'what didthis person say? since some comment upon her communication forms, nodoubt, the sequel to your preface. '

'Your lordship is not mistaken, ' said I; 'her statement was soextraordinary that I could not think of withholding it from you. Shetold me, my lord, that you had a wife living at the time you married me, and that she was that wife. '

Lord Glenfallen became ashy pale, almost livid; he made two or threeefforts to clear his voice to speak, but in vain, and turning suddenlyfrom me, he walked to the window. The horror and dismay which, in theolden time, overwhelmed the woman of Endor when her spells unexpectedlyconjured the dead into her presence, were but types of what I felt whenthus presented with what appeared to be almost unequivocal evidence ofthe guilt whose existence I had before so strongly doubted. 

There was a silence of some moments, during which it were hard toconjecture whether I or my companion suffered most. 

Lord Glenfallen soon recovered his self-command; he returned to thetable, again sat down and said:

'What you have told me has so astonished me, has unfolded such a tissueof motiveless guilt, and in a quarter from which I had so little reasonto look for ingratitude or treachery, that your announcement almostdeprived me of speech; the person in question, however, has one excuse, her mind is, as I told you before, unsettled. You should have rememberedthat, and hesitated to receive as unexceptionable evidence against thehonour of your husband, the ravings of a lunatic. I now tell you thatthis is the last time I shall speak to you upon this subject, and, inthe presence of the God who is to judge me, and as I hope for mercy inthe day of judgment, I swear that the charge thus brought against me isutterly false, unfounded, and ridiculous; I defy the world in any pointto taint my honour; and, as I have never taken the opinion of madmentouching your character or morals, I think it but fair to require thatyou will evince a like tenderness for me; and now, once for all, neveragain dare to repeat to me your insulting suspicions, or the clumsy andinfamous calumnies of fools. I shall instantly let the worthy lady whocontrived this somewhat original device, understand fully my opinionupon the matter. Good morning;' and with these words he left me again indoubt, and involved in all horrors of the most agonising suspense. 

I had reason to think that Lord Glenfallen wreaked his vengeance uponthe author of the strange story which I had heard, with a violence whichwas not satisfied with mere words, for old Martha, with whom I was agreat favourite, while attending me in my room, told me that she fearedher master had ill-used the poor blind Dutch woman, for that she hadheard her scream as if the very life were leaving her, but added arequest that I should not speak of what she had told me to any one, particularly to the master. 

'How do you know that she is a Dutch woman?' inquired I, anxious tolearn anything whatever that might throw a light upon the historyof this person, who seemed to have resolved to mix herself up in myfortunes. 

'Why, my lady, ' answered Martha, 'the master often calls her the Dutchhag, and other names you would not like to hear, and I am sure she isneither English nor Irish; for, whenever they talk together, they speaksome queer foreign lingo, and fast enough, I'll be bound. But I oughtnot to talk about her at all; it might be as much as my place is worthto mention her--only you saw her first yourself, so there can be nogreat harm in speaking of her now. '

'How long has this lady been here?' continued I. 

'She came early on the morning after your ladyship's arrival, ' answeredshe; 'but do not ask me any more, for the master would think nothing ofturning me out of doors for daring to speak of her at all, much less toyou, my lady. '

I did not like to press the poor woman further, for her reluctance tospeak on this topic was evident and strong. 

You will readily believe that upon the very slight grounds which myinformation afforded, contradicted as it was by the solemn oath of myhusband, and derived from what was, at best, a very questionable source, I could not take any very decisive measure whatever; and as to themenace of the strange woman who had thus unaccountably twice intrudedherself into my chamber, although, at the moment, it occasioned me someuneasiness, it was not, even in my eyes, sufficiently formidable toinduce my departure from Cahergillagh. 

A few nights after the scene which I have just mentioned, LordGlenfallen having, as usual, early retired to his study, I was leftalone in the parlour to amuse myself as best I might. 

It was not strange that my thoughts should often recur to the agitatingscenes in which I had recently taken a part. 

The subject of my reflections, the solitude, the silence, and thelateness of the hour, as also the depression of spirits to which I hadof late been a constant prey, tended to produce that nervous excitementwhich places us wholly at the mercy of the imagination. 

In order to calm my spirits I was endeavouring to direct my thoughtsinto some more pleasing channel, when I heard, or thought I heard, uttered, within a few yards of me, in an odd, half-sneering tone, thewords, 'There is blood upon your ladyship's throat. '

So vivid was the impression that I started to my feet, and involuntarilyplaced my hand upon my neck. 

I looked around the room for the speaker, but in vain. 

I went then to the room-door, which I opened, and peered into thepassage, nearly faint with horror lest some leering, shapeless thingshould greet me upon the threshold. 

When I had gazed long enough to assure myself that no strange object waswithin sight, 'I have been too much of a rake lately; I am racking outmy nerves, ' said I, speaking aloud, with a view to reassure myself. 

I rang the bell, and, attended by old Martha, I retired to settle forthe night. 

While the servant was--as was her custom--arranging the lamp which Ihave already stated always burned during the night in my chamber, Iwas employed in undressing, and, in doing so, I had recourse to a largelooking-glass which occupied a considerable portion of the wall in whichit was fixed, rising from the ground to a height of about six feet--thismirror filled the space of a large panel in the wainscoting opposite thefoot of the bed. 

I had hardly been before it for the lapse of a minute when somethinglike a black pall was slowly waved between me and it. 

'Oh, God! there it is, ' I exclaimed, wildly. 'I have seen it again, Martha--the black cloth. '

'God be merciful to us, then!' answered she, tremulously crossingherself. 'Some misfortune is over us. '

'No, no, Martha, ' said I, almost instantly recovering my collectedness;for, although of a nervous temperament, I had never been superstitious. 'I do not believe in omens. You know I saw, or fancied I saw, this thingbefore, and nothing followed. '

'The Dutch lady came the next morning, ' replied she. 

'But surely her coming scarcely deserved such a dreadful warning, ' Ireplied. 

'She is a strange woman, my lady, ' said Martha; 'and she is not GONEyet--mark my words. '

'Well, well, Martha, ' said I, 'I have not wit enough to change youropinions, nor inclination to alter mine; so I will talk no more of thematter. Good-night, ' and so I was left to my reflections. 

After lying for about an hour awake, I at length fell into a kind ofdoze; but my imagination was still busy, for I was startled from thisunrefreshing sleep by fancying that I heard a voice close to my faceexclaim as before:

'There is blood upon your ladyship's throat. '

The words were instantly followed by a loud burst of laughter. 

Quaking with horror, I awakened, and heard my husband enter the room. Even this was it relief. 

Scared as I was, however, by the tricks which my imagination had playedme, I preferred remaining silent, and pretending to sleep, to attemptingto engage my husband in conversation, for I well knew that his mood wassuch, that his words would not, in all probability, convey anything thathad not better be unsaid and unheard. 

Lord Glenfallen went into his dressing-room, which lay upon theright-hand side of the bed. The door lying open, I could see him byhimself, at full length upon a sofa, and, in about half an hour, Ibecame aware, by his deep and regularly drawn respiration, that he wasfast asleep. 

When slumber refuses to visit one, there is something peculiarlyirritating, not to the temper, but to the nerves, in the consciousnessthat some one is in your immediate presence, actually enjoying the boonwhich you are seeking in vain; at least, I have always found it so, andnever more than upon the present occasion. 

A thousand annoying imaginations harassed and excited me; every objectwhich I looked upon, though ever so familiar, seemed to have acquireda strange phantom-like character, the varying shadows thrown by theflickering of the lamplight, seemed shaping themselves into grotesqueand unearthly forms, and whenever my eyes wandered to the sleepingfigure of my husband, his features appeared to undergo the strangest andmost demoniacal contortions. 

Hour after hour was told by the old clock, and each succeeding one foundme, if possible, less inclined to sleep than its predecessor. 

It was now considerably past three; my eyes, in their involuntarywanderings, happened to alight upon the large mirror which was, as Ihave said, fixed in the wall opposite the foot of the bed. A view of itwas commanded from where I lay, through the curtains. As I gazed fixedlyupon it, I thought I perceived the broad sheet of glass shifting itsposition in relation to the bed; I riveted my eyes upon it with intensescrutiny; it was no deception, the mirror, as if acting of its ownimpulse, moved slowly aside, and disclosed a dark aperture in the wall, nearly as large as an ordinary door; a figure evidently stood in this, but the light was too dim to define it accurately. 

It stepped cautiously into the chamber, and with so little noise, thathad I not actually seen it, I do not think I should have been aware ofits presence. It was arrayed in a kind of woollen night-dress, and awhite handkerchief or cloth was bound tightly about the head; I had nodifficulty, spite of the strangeness of the attire, in recognising theblind woman whom I so much dreaded. 

She stooped down, bringing her head nearly to the ground, and in thatattitude she remained motionless for some moments, no doubt in order toascertain if any suspicious sound were stirring. 

She was apparently satisfied by her observations, for she immediatelyrecommenced her silent progress towards a ponderous mahoganydressing-table of my husband's. When she had reached it, she pausedagain, and appeared to listen attentively for some minutes; she thennoiselessly opened one of the drawers, from which, having groped forsome time, she took something, which I soon perceived to be a case ofrazors. She opened it, and tried the edge of each of the two instrumentsupon the skin of her hand; she quickly selected one, which she fixedfirmly in her grasp. She now stooped down as before, and having listenedfor a time, she, with the hand that was disengaged, groped her way intothe dressing-room where Lord Glenfallen lay fast asleep. 

I was fixed as if in the tremendous spell of a nightmare. I could notstir even a finger; I could not lift my voice; I could not even breathe;and though I expected every moment to see the sleeping man murdered, Icould not even close my eyes to shut out the horrible spectacle, which Ihad not the power to avert. 

I saw the woman approach the sleeping figure, she laid the unoccupiedhand lightly along his clothes, and having thus ascertained hisidentity, she, after a brief interval, turned back and again entered mychamber; here she bent down again to listen. 

I had now not a doubt but that the razor was intended for my throat; yetthe terrific fascination which had locked all my powers so long, stillcontinued to bind me fast. 

I felt that my life depended upon the slightest ordinary exertion, andyet I could not stir one joint from the position in which I lay, noreven make noise enough to waken Lord Glenfallen. 

The murderous woman now, with long, silent steps, approached the bed;my very heart seemed turning to ice; her left hand, that which wasdisengaged, was upon the pillow; she gradually slid it forward towardsmy head, and in an instant, with the speed of lightning, it was clutchedin my hair, while, with the other hand, she dashed the razor at mythroat. 

A slight inaccuracy saved me from instant death; the blow fell short, the point of the razor grazing my throat. In a moment, I know not how, Ifound myself at the other side of the bed, uttering shriek after shriek;the wretch was, however, determined if possible to murder me. 

Scrambling along by the curtains, she rushed round the bed towards me;I seized the handle of the door to make my escape. It was, however, fastened. At all events, I could not open it. From the mere instinct ofrecoiling terror, I shrunk back into a corner. She was now within a yardof me. Her hand was upon my face. 

I closed my eyes fast, expecting never to open them again, when a blow, inflicted from behind by a strong arm, stretched the monster senselessat my feet. At the same moment the door opened, and several domestics, alarmed by my cries, entered the apartment. 

I do not recollect what followed, for I fainted. One swoon succeededanother, so long and death-like, that my life was considered verydoubtful. 

At about ten o'clock, however, I sunk into a deep and refreshing sleep, from which I was awakened at about two, that I might swear my depositionbefore a magistrate, who attended for that purpose. 

I accordingly did so, as did also Lord Glenfallen, and the woman wasfully committed to stand her trial at the ensuing assizes. 

I shall never forget the scene which the examination of the blind womanand of the other parties afforded. 

She was brought into the room in the custody of two servants. She worea kind of flannel wrapper which had not been changed since the nightbefore. It was torn and soiled, and here and there smeared with blood, which had flowed in large quantities from a wound in her head. The whitehandkerchief had fallen off in the scuffle, and her grizzled hair fellin masses about her wild and deadly pale countenance. 

She appeared perfectly composed, however, and the only regret sheexpressed throughout, was at not having succeeded in her attempt, theobject of which she did not pretend to conceal. 

On being asked her name, she called herself the Countess Glenfallen, andrefused to give any other title. 

'The woman's name is Flora Van-Kemp, ' said Lord Glenfallen. 

'It WAS, it WAS, you perjured traitor and cheat!' screamed the woman;and then there followed a volley of words in some foreign language. 'Is there a magistrate here?' she resumed; 'I am Lord Glenfallen'swife--I'll prove it--write down my words. I am willing to be hanged orburned, so HE meets his deserts. I did try to kill that doll of his; butit was he who put it into my head to do it--two wives were too many; Iwas to murder her, or she was to hang me; listen to all I have to say. '

Here Lord Glenfallen interrupted. 

'I think, sir, ' said he, addressing the magistrate, 'that we had betterproceed to business; this unhappy woman's furious recriminations butwaste our time. If she refuses to answer your questions, you had better, I presume, take my depositions. '

'And are you going to swear away my life, you black-perjured murderer?'shrieked the woman. 'Sir, sir, sir, you must hear me, ' she continued, addressing the magistrate; 'I can convict him--he bid me murder thatgirl, and then, when I failed, he came behind me, and struck me down, and now he wants to swear away my life. Take down all I say. '

'If it is your intention, ' said the magistrate, 'to confess the crimewith which you stand charged, you may, upon producing sufficientevidence, criminate whom you please. '

'Evidence!--I have no evidence but myself, ' said the woman. 'I willswear it all--write down my testimony--write it down, I say--we shallhang side by side, my brave lord--all your own handy-work, my gentlehusband. '

This was followed by a low, insolent, and sneering laugh, which, fromone in her situation, was sufficiently horrible. 

'I will not at present hear anything, ' replied he, 'but distinct answersto the questions which I shall put to you upon this matter. '

'Then you shall hear nothing, ' replied she sullenly, and no inducementor intimidation could bring her to speak again. 

Lord Glenfallen's deposition and mine were then given, as also those ofthe servants who had entered the room at the moment of my rescue. 

The magistrate then intimated that she was committed, and must proceeddirectly to gaol, whither she was brought in a carriage; of LordGlenfallen's, for his lordship was naturally by no means indifferent tothe effect which her vehement accusations against himself might produce, if uttered before every chance hearer whom she might meet with betweenCahergillagh and the place of confinement whither she was despatched. 

During the time which intervened between the committal and the trialof the prisoner, Lord Glenfallen seemed to suffer agonies of mind whichbaffle all description; he hardly ever slept, and when he did, hisslumbers seemed but the instruments of new tortures, and his wakinghours were, if possible, exceeded in intensity of terrors by the dreamswhich disturbed his sleep. 

Lord Glenfallen rested, if to lie in the mere attitude of repose wereto do so, in his dressing-room, and thus I had an opportunity ofwitnessing, far oftener than I wished it, the fearful workings ofhis mind. His agony often broke out into such fearful paroxysmsthat delirium and total loss of reason appeared to be impending. Hefrequently spoke of flying from the country, and bringing with him allthe witnesses of the appalling scene upon which the prosecution wasfounded; then, again, he would fiercely lament that the blow which hehad inflicted had not ended all. 

The assizes arrived, however, and upon the day appointed Lord Glenfallenand I attended in order to give our evidence. 

The cause was called on, and the prisoner appeared at the bar. 

Great curiosity and interest were felt respecting the trial, so that thecourt was crowded to excess. 

The prisoner, however, without appearing to take the trouble oflistening to the indictment, pleaded guilty, and no representations onthe part of the court availed to induce her to retract her plea. 

After much time had been wasted in a fruitless attempt to prevail uponher to reconsider her words, the court proceeded, according to the usualform, to pass sentence. 

This having been done, the prisoner was about to be removed, when shesaid, in a low, distinct voice:

'A word--a word, my lord!--Is Lord Glenfallen here in the court?'

On being told that he was, she raised her voice to a tone of loudmenace, and continued:

'Hardress, Earl of Glenfallen, I accuse you here in this court ofjustice of two crimes, --first, that you married a second wife, whilethe first was living; and again, that you prompted me to the murder, forattempting which I am to die. Secure him--chain him--bring him here. '

There was a laugh through the court at these words, which were naturallytreated by the judge as a violent extemporary recrimination, and thewoman was desired to be silent. 

'You won't take him, then?' she said; 'you won't try him? You'll let himgo free?'

It was intimated by the court that he would certainly be allowed 'to gofree, ' and she was ordered again to be removed. 

Before, however, the mandate was executed, she threw her arms wildlyinto the air, and uttered one piercing shriek so full of preternaturalrage and despair, that it might fitly have ushered a soul into thoserealms where hope can come no more. 

The sound still rang in my ears, months after the voice that had utteredit was for ever silent. 

The wretched woman was executed in accordance with the sentence whichhad been pronounced. 

For some time after this event, Lord Glenfallen appeared, if possible, to suffer more than he had done before, and altogether his language, which often amounted to half confessions of the guilt imputed to him, and all the circumstances connected with the late occurrences, formed amass of evidence so convincing that I wrote to my father, detailing thegrounds of my fears, and imploring him to come to Cahergillagh withoutdelay, in order to remove me from my husband's control, previously totaking legal steps for a final separation. 

Circumstanced as I was, my existence was little short of intolerable, for, besides the fearful suspicions which attached to my husband, Iplainly perceived that if Lord Glenfallen were not relieved, and thatspeedily, insanity must supervene. I therefore expected my father'sarrival, or at least a letter to announce it, with indescribableimpatience. 

About a week after the execution had taken place, Lord Glenfallen onemorning met me with an unusually sprightly air. 

'Fanny, ' said he, 'I have it now for the first time in my power toexplain to your satisfaction everything which has hitherto appearedsuspicious or mysterious in my conduct. After breakfast come with me tomy study, and I shall, I hope, make all things clear. '

This invitation afforded me more real pleasure than I had experiencedfor months. Something had certainly occurred to tranquillize myhusband's mind in no ordinary degree, and I thought it by no meansimpossible that he would, in the proposed interview, prove himself themost injured and innocent of men. 

Full of this hope, I repaired to his study at the appointed hour. He waswriting busily when I entered the room, and just raising his eyes, herequested me to be seated. 

I took a chair as he desired, and remained silently awaiting hisleisure, while he finished, folded, directed, and sealed his letter. Laying it then upon the table with the address downward, he said, 'My dearest Fanny, I know I must have appeared very strange to you andvery unkind--often even cruel. Before the end of this week I will showyou the necessity of my conduct--how impossible it was that I shouldhave seemed otherwise. I am conscious that many acts of mine must haveinevitably given rise to painful suspicions--suspicions which, indeed, upon one occasion, you very properly communicated to me. I have got twoletters from a quarter which commands respect, containing information asto the course by which I may be enabled to prove the negative of all thecrimes which even the most credulous suspicion could lay to my charge. Iexpected a third by this morning's post, containing documents which willset the matter for ever at rest, but owing, no doubt, to some neglect, or, perhaps, to some difficulty in collecting the papers, someinevitable delay, it has not come to hand this morning, according to myexpectation. I was finishing one to the very same quarter when you camein, and if a sound rousing be worth anything, I think I shall have aspecial messenger before two days have passed. I have been anxiouslyconsidering with myself, as to whether I had better imperfectly clearup your doubts by submitting to your inspection the two letters which Ihave already received, or wait till I can triumphantly vindicate myselfby the production of the documents which I have already mentioned, and Ihave, I think, not unnaturally decided upon the latter course. However, there is a person in the next room whose testimony is not without itsvalue excuse me for one moment. '

So saying, he arose and went to the door of a closet which opened fromthe study; this he unlocked, and half opening the door, he said, 'It isonly I, ' and then slipped into the room and carefully closed and lockedthe door behind him. 

I immediately heard his voice in animated conversation. My curiosityupon the subject of the letter was naturally great, so, smotheringany little scruples which I might have felt, I resolved to look at theaddress of the letter which lay, as my husband had left it, with itsface upon the table. I accordingly drew it over to me and turned up thedirection. 

For two or three moments I could scarce believe my eyes, but therecould be no mistake--in large characters were traced the words, 'To theArchangel Gabriel in Heaven. '

I had scarcely returned the letter to its original position, and insome degree recovered the shock which this unequivocal proof of insanityproduced, when the closet door was unlocked, and Lord Glenfallenre-entered the study, carefully closing and locking the door again uponthe outside. 

'Whom have you there?' inquired I, making a strong effort to appearcalm. 

'Perhaps, ' said he, musingly, 'you might have some objection to seeingher, at least for a time. '

'Who is it?' repeated I. 

'Why, ' said he, 'I see no use in hiding it--the blind Dutchwoman. I havebeen with her the whole morning. She is very anxious to get out of thatcloset; but you know she is odd, she is scarcely to be trusted. '

A heavy gust of wind shook the door at this moment with a sound as ifsomething more substantial were pushing against it. 

'Ha, ha, ha!--do you hear her?' said he, with an obstreperous burst oflaughter. 

The wind died away in a long howl, and Lord Glenfallen, suddenlychecking his merriment, shrugged his shoulders, and muttered:

'Poor devil, she has been hardly used. '

'We had better not tease her at present with questions, ' said I, in asunconcerned a tone as I could assume, although I felt every moment as ifI should faint. 

'Humph! may be so, ' said he. 'Well, come back in an hour or two, or whenyou please, and you will find us here. '

He again unlocked the door, and entered with the same precautionswhich he had adopted before, locking the door upon the inside; and asI hurried from the room, I heard his voice again exerted as if in eagerparley. 

I can hardly describe my emotions; my hopes had been raised to thehighest, and now, in an instant, all was gone--the dreadful consummationwas accomplished--the fearful retribution had fallen upon the guiltyman--the mind was destroyed--the power to repent was gone. 

The agony of the hours which followed what I would still call my AWFULinterview with Lord Glenfallen, I cannot describe; my solitude was, however, broken in upon by Martha, who came to inform me of the arrivalof a gentleman, who expected me in the parlour. 

I accordingly descended, and, to my great joy, found my father seated bythe fire. 

This expedition upon his part was easily accounted for: mycommunications had touched the honour of the family. I speedily informedhim of the dreadful malady which had fallen upon the wretched man. 

My father suggested the necessity of placing some person to watch him, to prevent his injuring himself or others. 

I rang the bell, and desired that one Edward Cooke, an attached servantof the family, should be sent to me. 

I told him distinctly and briefly the nature of the service requiredof him, and, attended by him, my father and I proceeded at once to thestudy. The door of the inner room was still closed, and everything inthe outer chamber remained in the same order in which I had left it. 

We then advanced to the closet-door, at which we knocked, but withoutreceiving any answer. 

We next tried to open the door, but in vain--it was locked upon theinside. We knocked more loudly, but in vain. 

Seriously alarmed, I desired the servant to force the door, which was, after several violent efforts, accomplished, and we entered the closet. 

Lord Glenfallen was lying on his face upon a sofa. 

'Hush!' said I, 'he is asleep. ' We paused for a moment. 

'He is too still for that, ' said my father. 

We all of us felt a strong reluctance to approach the figure. 

'Edward, ' said I, 'try whether your master sleeps. '

The servant approached the sofa where Lord Glenfallen lay. He leant hisear towards the head of the recumbent figure, to ascertain whether thesound of breathing was audible. He turned towards us, and said:

'My lady, you had better not wait here; I am sure he is dead!'

'Let me see the face, ' said I, terribly agitated; 'you MAY be mistaken. '

The man then, in obedience to my command, turned the body round, and, gracious God! what a sight met my view. He was, indeed, perfectly dead. 

The whole breast of the shirt, with its lace frill, was drenched withgore, as was the couch underneath the spot where he lay. 

The head hung back, as it seemed, almost severed from the body by afrightful gash, which yawned across the throat. The instrument which hadinflicted it was found under his body. 

All, then, was over; I was never to learn the history in whosetermination I had been so deeply and so tragically involved. 

The severe discipline which my mind had undergone was not bestowed invain. I directed my thoughts and my hopes to that place where there isno more sin, nor danger, nor sorrow. 

Thus ends a brief tale whose prominent incidents many will recogniseas having marked the history of a distinguished family; and though itrefers to a somewhat distant date, we shall be found not to have taken, upon that account, any liberties with the facts, but in our statementof all the incidents to have rigorously and faithfully adhered to thetruth. 

AN ADVENTURE OF HARDRESS FITZGERALD, A ROYALIST CAPTAIN. 

 Being an Eleventh Extract from the Legacy of the late Francis Purcell, P. P. Of Drumcoolagh. 

The following brief narrative contains a faithful account of one ofthe many strange incidents which chequered the life of HardressFitzgerald--one of the now-forgotten heroes who flourished during themost stirring and, though the most disastrous, by no means the leastglorious period of our eventful history. 

He was a captain of horse in the army of James, and shared the fortunesof his master, enduring privations, encountering dangers, and submittingto vicissitudes the most galling and ruinous, with a fortitude and aheroism which would, if coupled with his other virtues have rendered theunhappy monarch whom he served, the most illustrious among unfortunateprinces. 

I have always preferred, where I could do so with any approach toaccuracy, to give such relations as the one which I am about to submitto you, in the first person, and in the words of the original narrator, believing that such a form of recitation not only gives freshness tothe tale, but in this particular instance, by bringing before me andsteadily fixing in my mind's eye the veteran royalist who himselfrelated the occurrence which I am about to record, furnishes anadditional stimulant to my memory, and a proportionate check upon myimagination. 

As nearly as I can recollect then, his statement was as follows:

After the fatal battle of the Boyne, I came up in disguise to Dublin, as did many in a like situation, regarding the capital as furnishingat once a good central position of observation, and as secure alurking-place as I cared to find. 

I would not suffer myself to believe that the cause of my royal masterwas so desperate as it really was; and while I lay in my lodgings, whichconsisted of the garret of a small dark house, standing in the lanewhich runs close by Audoen's Arch, I busied myself with continualprojects for the raising of the country, and the re-collecting of thefragments of the defeated army--plans, you will allow, sufficientlymagnificent for a poor devil who dared scarce show his face abroad inthe daylight. 

I believe, however, that I had not much reason to fear for my personalsafety, for men's minds in the city were greatly occupied with publicevents, and private amusements and debaucheries, which were, aboutthat time, carried to an excess which our country never knew before, by reason of the raking together from all quarters of the empire, andindeed from most parts of Holland, the most dissolute and desperateadventurers who cared to play at hazard for their lives; and thus thereseemed to be but little scrutiny into the characters of those who soughtconcealment. 

I heard much at different times of the intentions of King James and hisparty, but nothing with certainty. 

Some said that the king still lay in Ireland; others, that he hadcrossed over to Scotland, to encourage the Highlanders, who, with Dundeeat their head, had been stirring in his behoof; others, again, saidthat he had taken ship for France, leaving his followers to shift forthemselves, and regarding his kingdom as wholly lost, which last was thetrue version, as I afterwards learned. 

Although I had been very active in the wars in Ireland, and had donemany deeds of necessary but dire severity, which have often sincetroubled me much to think upon, yet I doubted not but that I mighteasily obtain protection for my person and property from the Prince ofOrange, if I sought it by the ordinary submissions; but besides that myconscience and my affections resisted such time-serving concessions, Iwas resolved in my own mind that the cause of the royalist party was byno means desperate, and I looked to keep myself unimpeded by any pledgeor promise given to the usurping Dutchman, that I might freely andhonourably take a share in any struggle which might yet remain to bemade for the right. 

I therefore lay quiet, going forth from my lodgings but little, and thatchiefly under cover of the dusk, and conversing hardly at all, exceptwith those whom I well knew. 

I had like once to have paid dearly for relaxing this caution; for goinginto a tavern one evening near the Tholsel, I had the confidence tothrow off my hat, and sit there with my face quite exposed, when afellow coming in with some troopers, they fell a-boozing, and beingsomewhat warmed, they began to drink 'Confusion to popery, ' and thelike, and to compel the peaceable persons who happened to sit there, tojoin them in so doing. 

Though I was rather hot-blooded, I was resolved to say nothing toattract notice; but, at the same time, if urged to pledge the toastswhich they were compelling others to drink, to resist doing so. 

With the intent to withdraw myself quietly from the place, I paid myreckoning, and putting on my hat, was going into the street, when thecountryman who had come in with the soldiers called out:

'Stop that popish tom-cat!'

And running across the room, he got to the door before me, and, shuttingit, placed his back against it, to prevent my going out. 

Though with much difficulty, I kept an appearance of quietness, andturning to the fellow, who, from his accent, I judged to be northern, and whose face I knew--though, to this day, I cannot say where I hadseen him before--I observed very calmly:

'Sir, I came in here with no other design than to refresh myself, without offending any man. I have paid my reckoning, and now desire togo forth. If there is anything within reason that I can do to satisfyyou, and to prevent trouble and delay to myself, name your terms, and ifthey be but fair, I will frankly comply with them. '

He quickly replied:

'You are Hardress Fitzgerald, the bloody popish captain, that hanged thetwelve men at Derry. '

I felt that I was in some danger, but being a strong man, and used toperils of all kinds, it was not easy to disconcert me. 

I looked then steadily at the fellow, and, in a voice of muchconfidence, I said:

'I am neither a Papist, a Royalist, nor a Fitzgerald, but an honesterProtestant, mayhap, than many who make louder professions. '

'Then drink the honest man's toast, ' said he. 'Damnation to the pope, and confusion to skulking Jimmy and his runaway crew. '

'Yourself shall hear me, ' said I, taking the largest pewter pot thatlay within my reach. 'Tapster, fill this with ale; I grieve to say I canafford nothing better. '

I took the vessel of liquor in my hand, and walking up to him, I firstmade a bow to the troopers who sat laughing at the sprightliness oftheir facetious friend, and then another to himself, when saying, 'G----damn yourself and your cause!' I flung the ale straight into his face;and before he had time to recover himself, I struck him with my wholeforce and weight with the pewter pot upon the head, so strong a blow, that he fell, for aught I know, dead upon the floor, and nothing but thehandle of the vessel remained in my hand. 

I opened the door, but one of the dragoons drew his sabre, and ran atme to avenge his companion. With my hand I put aside the blade of thesword, narrowly escaping what he had intended for me, the point actuallytearing open my vest. Without allowing him time to repeat his thrust, I struck him in the face with my clenched fist so sound a blow that herolled back into the room with the force of a tennis ball. 

It was well for me that the rest were half drunk, and the evening dark;for otherwise my folly would infallibly have cost me my life. As it was, I reached my garret in safety, with a resolution to frequent taverns nomore until better times. 

My little patience and money were wellnigh exhausted, when, after muchdoubt and uncertainty, and many conflicting reports, I was assured thatthe flower of the Royalist army, under the Duke of Berwick and GeneralBoisleau, occupied the city of Limerick, with a determination to holdthat fortress against the prince's forces; and that a French fleet ofgreat power, and well freighted with arms, ammunition, and men, wasriding in the Shannon, under the walls of the town. But this last reportwas, like many others then circulated, untrue; there being, indeed, apromise and expectation of such assistance, but no arrival of it tilltoo late. 

The army of the Prince of Orange was said to be rapidly approaching thetown, in order to commence the siege. 

On hearing this, and being made as certain as the vagueness andunsatisfactory nature of my information, which came not from anyauthentic source, would permit; at least, being sure of the main point, which all allowed--namely, that Limerick was held for the king--andbeing also naturally fond of enterprise, and impatient of idleness, Itook the resolution to travel thither, and, if possible, to throw myselfinto the city, in order to lend what assistance I might to my formercompanions in arms, well knowing that any man of strong constitutionand of some experience might easily make himself useful to a garrison intheir straitened situation. 

When I had taken this resolution, I was not long in putting it intoexecution; and, as the first step in the matter, I turned half of themoney which remained with me, in all about seventeen pounds, into smallwares and merchandise such as travelling traders used to deal in; andthe rest, excepting some shillings which I carried home for my immediateexpenses, I sewed carefully in the lining of my breeches waistband, hoping that the sale of my commodities might easily supply me withsubsistence upon the road. 

I left Dublin upon a Friday morning in the month of September, with atolerably heavy pack upon my back. 

I was a strong man and a good walker, and one day with another travelledeasily at the rate of twenty miles in each day, much time being lostin the towns of any note on the way, where, to avoid suspicion, I wasobliged to make some stay, as if to sell my wares. 

I did not travel directly to Limerick, but turned far into Tipperary, going near to the borders of Cork. 

Upon the sixth day after my departure from Dublin I learned, CERTAINLY, from some fellows who were returning from trafficking with the soldiers, that the army of the prince was actually encamped before Limerick, uponthe south side of the Shannon. 

In order, then, to enter the city without interruption, I must needscross the river, and I was much in doubt whether to do so by boat fromKerry, which I might have easily done, into the Earl of Clare's land, and thus into the beleaguered city, or to take what seemed the easierway, one, however, about which I had certain misgivings--which, by theway, afterwards turned out to be just enough. This way was to cross theShannon at O'Brien's Bridge, or at Killaloe, into the county of Clare. 

I feared, however, that both these passes were guarded by the prince'sforces, and resolved, if such were the case, not to essay to cross, forI was not fitted to sustain a scrutiny, having about me, though prettysafely secured, my commission from King James--which, though a dangerouscompanion, I would not have parted from but with my life. 

I settled, then, in my own mind, that if the bridges were guardedI would walk as far as Portumna, where I might cross, though at aconsiderable sacrifice of time; and, having determined upon this course, I turned directly towards Killaloe. 

I reached the foot of the mountain, or rather high hill, calledKeeper--which had been pointed out to me as a landmark--lying directlybetween me and Killaloe, in the evening, and, having ascended some way, the darkness and fog overtook me. 

The evening was very chilly, and myself weary, hungry, and much in needof sleep, so that I preferred seeking to cross the hill, though at somerisk, to remaining upon it throughout the night. Stumbling over rocksand sinking into bog-mire, as the nature of the ground varied, I slowlyand laboriously plodded on, making very little way in proportion to thetoil it cost me. 

After half an hour's slow walking, or rather rambling, for, owing tothe dark, I very soon lost my direction, I at last heard the sound ofrunning water, and with some little trouble reached the edge of a brook, which ran in the bottom of a deep gully. This I knew would furnisha sure guide to the low grounds, where I might promise myself that Ishould speedily meet with some house or cabin where I might find shelterfor the night. 

The stream which I followed flowed at the bottom of a rough and swampyglen, very steep and making many abrupt turns, and so dark, owing moreto the fog than to the want of the moon (for, though not high, I believeit had risen at the time), that I continually fell over fragments ofrock and stumbled up to my middle into the rivulet, which I sought tofollow. 

In this way, drenched, weary, and with my patience almost exhausted, Iwas toiling onward, when, turning a sharp angle in the winding glen, Ifound myself within some twenty yards of a group of wild-looking men, gathered in various attitudes round a glowing turf fire. 

I was so surprised at this rencontre that I stopped short, and for atime was in doubt whether to turn back or to accost them. 

A minute's thought satisfied me that I ought to make up to the fellows, and trust to their good faith for whatever assistance they could giveme. 

I determined, then, to do this, having great faith in the impulses ofmy mind, which, whenever I have been in jeopardy, as in my life I oftenhave, always prompted me aright. 

The strong red light of the fire showed me plainly enough that the groupconsisted, not of soldiers, but of Irish kernes, or countrymen, mostof them wrapped in heavy mantles, and with no other covering for theirheads than that afforded by their long, rough hair. 

There was nothing about them which I could see to intimate whether theirobject were peaceful or warlike; but I afterwards found that they hadweapons enough, though of their own rude fashion. 

There were in all about twenty persons assembled around the fire, somesitting upon such blocks of stone as happened to lie in the way; othersstretched at their length upon the ground. 

'God save you, boys!' said I, advancing towards the party. 

The men who had been talking and laughing together instantly paused, and two of them--tall and powerful fellows--snatched up each a weapon, something like a short halberd with a massive iron head, an instrumentwhich they called among themselves a rapp, and with two or three longstrides they came up with me, and laying hold upon my arms, drew me, not, you may easily believe, making much resistance, towards the fire. 

When I reached the place where the figures were seated, the two menstill held me firmly, and some others threw some handfuls of dry fuelupon the red embers, which, blazing up, cast a strong light upon me. 

When they had satisfied themselves as to my appearance, they began toquestion me very closely as to my purpose in being upon the hill atsuch an unseasonable hour, asking me what was my occupation, where I hadbeen, and whither I was going. 

These questions were put to me in English by an old half-militarylooking man, who translated into that language the suggestions which hiscompanions for the most part threw out in Irish. 

I did not choose to commit myself to these fellows by telling them myreal character and purpose, and therefore I represented myself as apoor travelling chapman who had been at Cork, and was seeking his wayto Killaloe, in order to cross over into Clare and thence to the city ofGalway. 

My account did not seem fully to satisfy the men. 

I heard one fellow say in Irish, which language I understood, 'Maybe heis a spy. '

They then whispered together for a time, and the little man who wastheir spokesman came over to me and said:

'Do you know what we do with spies? we knock their brains out, myfriend. '

He then turned back to them with whom he had been whispering, and talkedin a low tone again with them for a considerable time. 

I now felt very uncomfortable, not knowing what these savages--for theyappeared nothing better--might design against me. 

Twice or thrice I had serious thoughts of breaking from them, but thetwo guards who were placed upon me held me fast by the arms; and evenhad I succeeded in shaking them off, I should soon have been overtaken, encumbered as I was with a heavy pack, and wholly ignorant of the lie ofthe ground; or else, if I were so exceedingly lucky as to escape out oftheir hands, I still had the chance of falling into those of some otherparty of the same kind. 

I therefore patiently awaited the issue of their deliberations, which Imade no doubt affected me nearly. 

I turned to the men who held me, and one after the other asked them, intheir own language, 'Why they held me?' adding, 'I am but a poor pedlar, as you see. I have neither money nor money's worth, for the sake ofwhich you should do me hurt. You may have my pack and all that itcontains, if you desire it--but do not injure me. '

To all this they gave no answer, but savagely desired me to hold mytongue. 

I accordingly remained silent, determined, if the worst came, to declareto the whole party, who, I doubted not, were friendly, as were all theIrish peasantry in the south, to the Royal cause, my real character anddesign; and if this avowal failed me, I was resolved to make a desperateeffort to escape, or at least to give my life at the dearest price Icould. 

I was not kept long in suspense, for the little veteran who had spokento me at first came over, and desiring the two men to bring me afterhim, led the way along a broken path, which wound by the side of thesteep glen. 

I was obliged willy nilly to go with them, and, half-dragging andhalf-carrying me, they brought me by the path, which now became verysteep, for some hundred yards without stopping, when suddenly coming toa stand, I found myself close before the door of some house or hut, I could not see which, through the planks of which a strong light wasstreaming. 

At this door my conductor stopped, and tapping gently at it, it wasopened by a stout fellow, with buff-coat and jack-boots, and pistolsstuck in his belt, as also a long cavalry sword by his side. 

He spoke with my guide, and to my no small satisfaction, in French, which convinced me that he was one of the soldiers whom Louis had sentto support our king, and who were said to have arrived in Limerick, though, as I observed above, not with truth. 

I was much assured by this circumstance, and made no doubt but that Ihad fallen in with one of those marauding parties of native Irish, who, placing themselves under the guidance of men of courage and experience, had done much brave and essential service to the cause of the king. 

The soldier entered an inner door in the apartment, which openingdisclosed a rude, dreary, and dilapidated room, with a low plankceiling, much discoloured by the smoke which hung suspended in heavymasses, descending within a few feet of the ground, and completelyobscuring the upper regions of the chamber. 

A large fire of turf and heath was burning under a kind of rude chimney, shaped like a large funnel, but by no means discharging the functionsfor which it was intended. Into this inauspicious apartment was Iconducted by my strange companions. In the next room I heard voicesemployed, as it seemed, in brief questioning and answer; and in a minutethe soldier reentered the room, and having said, 'Votre prisonnier--legeneral veut le voir, ' he led the way into the inner room, which inpoint of comfort and cleanliness was not a whit better than the first. 

Seated at a clumsy plank table, placed about the middle of the floor, was a powerfully built man, of almost colossal stature--his militaryaccoutrements, cuirass and rich regimental clothes, soiled, deranged, and spattered with recent hard travel; the flowing wig, surmounted bythe cocked hat and plume, still rested upon his head. On the table layhis sword-belt with its appendage, and a pair of long holster pistols, some papers, and pen and ink; also a stone jug, and the fragments of ahasty meal. His attitude betokened the languor of fatigue. His left handwas buried beyond the lace ruffle in the breast of his cassock, and theelbow of his right rested upon the table, so as to support his head. From his mouth protruded a tobacco-pipe, which as I entered he slowlywithdrew. 

A single glance at the honest, good-humoured, comely face of the soldiersatisfied me of his identity, and removing my hat from my head I said, 'God save General Sarsfield!'

The general nodded

'I am a prisoner here under strange circumstances, ' I continued 'Iappear before you in a strange disguise. You do not recognise CaptainHardress Fitzgerald!'

'Eh, how's this?' said he, approaching me with the light. 

'I am that Hardress Fitzgerald, ' I repeated, 'who served under you atthe Boyne, and upon the day of the action had the honour to protect yourperson at the expense of his own. ' At the same time I turned aside thehair which covered the scar which you well know upon my forehead, andwhich was then much more remarkable than it is now. 

The general on seeing this at once recognised me, and embracing mecordially, made me sit down, and while I unstrapped my pack, a tediousjob, my fingers being nearly numbed with cold, sent the men forth toprocure me some provision. 

The general's horse was stabled in a corner of the chamber where we sat, and his war-saddle lay upon the floor. At the far end of the room wasa second door, which stood half open; a bogwood fire burned on a hearthsomewhat less rude than the one which I had first seen, but still verylittle better appointed with a chimney, for thick wreaths of smoke wereeddying, with every fitful gust, about the room. Close by the fire wasstrewed a bed of heath, intended, I supposed, for the stalwart limbs ofthe general. 

'Hardress Fitzgerald, ' said he, fixing his eyes gravely upon me, whilehe slowly removed the tobacco-pipe from his mouth, 'I remember you, strong, bold and cunning in your warlike trade; the more desperate anenterprise, the more ready for it, you. I would gladly engage you, forI know you trustworthy, to perform a piece of duty requiring, it may be, no extraordinary quality to fulfil; and yet perhaps, as accidents mayhappen, demanding every attribute of daring and dexterity which belongsto you. '

Here he paused for some moments. 

I own I felt somewhat flattered by the terms in which he spoke of me, knowing him to be but little given to compliments; and not having anyplan in my head, farther than the rendering what service I might to thecause of the king, caring very little as to the road in which my dutymight lie, I frankly replied:

'Sir, I hope, if opportunity offers, I shall prove to deserve thehonourable terms in which you are pleased to speak of me. In a righteouscause I fear not wounds or death; and in discharging my duty to my Godand my king, I am ready for any hazard or any fate. Name the service yourequire, and if it lies within the compass of my wit or power, I willfully and faithfully perform it. Have I said enough?'

'That is well, very well, my friend; you speak well, and manfully, 'replied the general. 'I want you to convey to the hands of GeneralBoisleau, now in the city of Limerick, a small written packet; there issome danger, mark me, of your falling in with some outpost or stragglingparty of the prince's army. If you are taken unawares by any of theenemy you must dispose of the packet inside your person, rather than letit fall into their hands--that is, you must eat it. And if they go toquestion you with thumbscrews, or the like, answer nothing; let themknock your brains out first. ' In illustration, I suppose, of the latteralternative, he knocked the ashes out of his pipe upon the table as heuttered it. 

'The packet, ' he continued, 'you shall have to-morrow morning. Meantimecomfort yourself with food, and afterwards with sleep; you will want, mayhap, all your strength and wits on the morrow. '

I applied myself forthwith to the homely fare which they had provided, and I confess that I never made a meal so heartily to my satisfaction. 

It was a beautiful, clear, autumn morning, and the bright beams of theearly sun were slanting over the brown heath which clothed the sidesof the mountain, and glittering in the thousand bright drops which themelting hoar-frost had left behind it, and the white mists were lyinglike broad lakes in the valleys, when, with my pedlar's pack upon myback, and General Sarsfield's precious despatch in my bosom, I setforth, refreshed and courageous. 

As I descended the hill, my heart expanded and my spirits rose underthe influences which surrounded me. The keen, clear, bracing air of themorning, the bright, slanting sunshine, the merry songs of the smallbirds, and the distant sounds of awakening labour that floated up fromthe plains, all conspired to stir my heart within me, and more like amad-cap boy, broken loose from school, than a man of sober years upona mission of doubt and danger, I trod lightly on, whistling and singingalternately for very joy. 

As I approached the object of my early march, I fell in with acountryman, eager, as are most of his kind, for news. 

I gave him what little I had collected, and professing great zeal forthe king, which, indeed, I always cherished, I won upon his confidenceso far, that he became much more communicative than the peasantry inthose quarters are generally wont to be to strangers. 

From him I learned that there was a company of dragoons in William'sservice, quartered at Willaloe; but he could not tell whether thepassage of the bridge was stopped by them or not. With a resolution, atall events, to make the attempt to cross, I approached the town. WhenI came within sight of the river, I quickly perceived that it was soswollen with the recent rains, as, indeed, the countryman had told me, that the fords were wholly impassable. 

I stopped then, upon a slight eminence overlooking the village, witha view to reconnoitre and to arrange my plans in case of interruption. While thus engaged, the wind blowing gently from the west, in whichquarter Limerick lay, I distinctly heard the explosion of the cannon, which played from and against the city, though at a distance of elevenmiles at the least. 

I never yet heard the music that had for me half the attractions of thatsullen sound, and as I noted again and again the distant thunder thatproclaimed the perils, and the valour, and the faithfulness of mybrethren, my heart swelled with pride, and the tears rose to my eyes;and lifting up my hands to heaven, I prayed to God that I might bespared to take a part in the righteous quarrel that was there so bravelymaintained. 

I felt, indeed, at this moment a longing, more intense than I have thepower to describe, to be at once with my brave companions in arms, andso inwardly excited and stirred up as if I had been actually within fiveminutes' march of the field of battle. 

It was now almost noon, and I had walked hard since morning across adifficult and broken country, so that I was a little fatigued, and inno small degree hungry. As I approached the hamlet, I was glad to see inthe window of a poor hovel several large cakes of meal displayed, as ifto induce purchasers to enter. 

I was right in regarding this exhibition as an intimation thatentertainment might be procured within, for upon entering and inquiring, I was speedily invited by the poor woman, who, it appeared, kept thishumble house of refreshment, to lay down my pack and seat myself by aponderous table, upon which she promised to serve me with a dinner fitfor a king; and indeed, to my mind, she amply fulfilled her engagement, supplying me abundantly with eggs, bacon, and wheaten cakes, which Idiscussed with a zeal which almost surprised myself. 

Having disposed of the solid part of my entertainment, I was proceedingto regale myself with a brimming measure of strong waters, when myattention was arrested by the sound of horses' hoofs in brisk motionupon the broken road, and evidently approaching the hovel in which I wasat that moment seated. 

The ominous clank of sword scabbards and the jingle of brassaccoutrements announced, unequivocally, that the horsemen were of themilitary profession. 

'The red-coats will stop here undoubtedly, ' said the old woman, observing, I suppose, the anxiety of my countenance; 'they never pass uswithout coming in for half an hour to drink or smoke. If you desire toavoid them, I can hide you safely; but don't lose a moment. They will behere before you can count a hundred. '

I thanked the good woman for her hospitable zeal; but I felt arepugnance to concealing myself as she suggested, which was enhanced bythe consciousness that if by any accident I were detected while lurkingin the room, my situation would of itself inevitably lead to suspicions, and probably to discovery. 

I therefore declined her offer, and awaited in suspense the entrance ofthe soldiers. 

I had time before they made their appearance to move my seat hurriedlyfrom the table to the hearth, where, under the shade of the largechimney, I might observe the coming visitors with less chance of beingmyself remarked upon. 

As my hostess had anticipated, the horsemen drew up at the door of thehut, and five dragoons entered the dark chamber where I awaited them. 

Leaving their horses at the entrance, with much noise and clatter theyproceeded to seat themselves and call for liquor. 

Three of these fellows were Dutchmen, and, indeed, all belonged, as Iafterwards found, to a Dutch regiment, which had been recruited withIrish and English, as also partly officered from the same nations. 

Being supplied with pipes and drink they soon became merry; and notsuffering their smoking to interfere with their conversation, theytalked loud and quickly, for the most part in a sort of barbarouslanguage, neither Dutch nor English, but compounded of both. 

They were so occupied with their own jocularity that I had very greathopes of escaping observation altogether, and remained quietly seated ina corner of the chimney, leaning back upon my seat as if asleep. 

My taciturnity and quiescence, however, did not avail me, for one ofthese fellows coming over to the hearth to light his pipe, perceived me, and looking me very hard in the face, he said:

'What countryman are you, brother, that you sit with a covered head inthe room with the prince's soldiers?'

At the same time he tossed my hat off my head into the fire. I was notfool enough, though somewhat hot-blooded, to suffer the insolence ofthis fellow to involve me in a broil so dangerous to my person andruinous to my schemes as a riot with these soldiers must prove. Itherefore, quietly taking up my hat and shaking the ashes out of it, observed:

'Sir, I crave your pardon if I have offended you. I am a stranger inthese quarters, and a poor, ignorant, humble man, desiring only to drivemy little trade in peace, so far as that may be done in these troubloustimes. '

'And what may your trade be?' said the same fellow. 

'I am a travelling merchant, ' I replied; 'and sell my wares as cheap asany trader in the country. '

'Let us see them forthwith, ' said he; 'mayhap I or my comrades may wantsomething which you can supply. Where is thy chest, friend? Thou shalthave ready money' (winking at his companions), 'ready money, and goodweight, and sound metal; none of your rascally pinchbeck. Eh, my lads?Bring forth the goods, and let us see. '

Thus urged, I should have betrayed myself had I hesitated to do asrequired; and anxious, upon any terms, to quiet these turbulent menof war, I unbuckled my pack and exhibited its contents upon the tablebefore them. 

'A pair of lace ruffles, by the Lord!' said one, unceremoniously seizingupon the articles he named. 

'A phial of perfume, ' continued another, tumbling over the farrago whichI had submitted to them, 'wash-balls, combs, stationery, slippers, smallknives, tobacco; by ----, this merchant is a prize! Mark me, honestfellow, the man who wrongs thee shall suffer--'fore Gad he shall; thoushalt be fairly dealt with' (this he said while in the act of pocketinga small silver tobacco-box, the most valuable article in the lot). 'Youshall come with me to head-quarters; the captain will deal with you, and never haggle about the price. I promise thee his good will, and thouwilt consider me accordingly. You'll find him a profitable customer--hehas money without end, and throws it about like a gentleman. If so be asI tell thee, I shall expect, and my comrades here, a piece or two in theway of a compliment--but of this anon. Come, then, with us; buckle onthy pack quickly, friend. '

There was no use in my declaring my willingness to deal with themselvesin preference to their master; it was clear that they had resolved thatI should, in the most expeditious and advantageous way, turn my goodsinto money, that they might excise upon me to the amount of theirwishes. 

The worthy who had taken a lead in these arrangements, and who by hisstripes I perceived to be a corporal, having insisted on my taking adram with him to cement our newly-formed friendship, for which, however, he requested me to pay, made me mount behind one of his comrades; andthe party, of which I thus formed an unwilling member, moved at a slowtrot towards the quarters of the troop. 

They reined up their horses at the head of the long bridge, whichat this village spans the broad waters of the Shannon connecting theopposite counties of Tipperary and Clare. 

A small tower, built originally, no doubt, to protect and to defend thispass, occupied the near extremity of the bridge, and in its rear, but connected with it, stood several straggling buildings ratherdilapidated. 

A dismounted trooper kept guard at the door, and my conductor having, dismounted, as also the corporal, the latter inquired:

'Is the captain in his quarters?'

'He is, ' replied the sentinel. 

And without more ado my companion shoved me into the entrance of thesmall dark tower, and opening a door at the extremity of the narrowchamber into which we had passed from the street, we entered a secondroom in which were seated some half-dozen officers of various ranks andages, engaged in drinking, and smoking, and play. 

I glanced rapidly from man to man, and was nearly satisfied by myinspection, when one of the gentlemen whose back had been turned towardsthe place where I stood, suddenly changed his position and lookedtowards me. 

As soon as I saw his face my heart sank within me, and I knew that mylife or death was balanced, as it were, upon a razor's edge. 

The name of this man whose unexpected appearance thus affected me wasHugh Oliver, and good and strong reason had I to dread him, for sobitterly did he hate me, that to this moment I do verily believe hewould have compassed my death if it lay in his power to do so, even atthe hazard of his own life and soul, for I had been--though God knowswith many sore strugglings and at the stern call of public duty--thejudge and condemner of his brother; and though the military law, which Iwas called upon to administer, would permit no other course or sentencethan the bloody one which I was compelled to pursue, yet even to thishour the recollection of that deed is heavy at my breast. 

As soon as I saw this man I felt that my safety depended upon theaccident of his not recognising me through the disguise which I hadassumed, an accident against which were many chances, for he well knewmy person and appearance. 

It was too late now to destroy General Sarsfield's instructions; anyattempt to do so would ensure detection. All then depended upon a castof the die. 

When the first moment of dismay and heart-sickening agitation hadpassed, it seemed to me as if my mind acquired a collectedness andclearness more complete and intense than I had ever experienced before. 

I instantly perceived that he did not know me, for turning from me tothe soldier with all air of indifference, he said, 'Is this a prisoner or a deserter? What have you brought him here for, sirra?'

'Your wisdom will regard him as you see fit, may it please you, ' saidthe corporal. 'The man is a travelling merchant, and, overtaking himupon the road, close by old Dame MacDonagh's cot, I thought I might aswell make a sort of prisoner of him that your honour might use him asit might appear most convenient; he has many commododies which are notunworthy of price in this wilderness, and some which you may condescendto make use of yourself. May he exhibit the goods he has for sale, an'tplease you?'

'Ay, let us see them, ' said he. 

'Unbuckle your pack, ' exclaimed the corporal, with the same toneof command with which, at the head of his guard, he would have said'Recover your arms. ' 'Unbuckle your pack, fellow, and show your goods tothe captain--here, where you are. '

The conclusion of his directions was suggested by my endeavouring tomove round in order to get my back towards the windows, hoping, bykeeping my face in the shade, to escape detection. 

In this manoeuvre, however, I was foiled by the imperiousness of thesoldier; and inwardly cursing his ill-timed interference, I proceeded topresent my merchandise to the loving contemplation of the officers whothronged around me, with a strong light from an opposite window fullupon my face. 

As I continued to traffic with these gentlemen, I observed with no smallanxiety the eyes of Captain Oliver frequently fixed upon me with a kindof dubious inquiring gaze. 

'I think, my honest fellow, ' he said at last, 'that I have seen yousomewhere before this. Have you often dealt with the military?'

'I have traded, sir, ' said I, 'with the soldiery many a time, and alwaysbeen honourably treated. Will your worship please to buy a pair of laceruffles?--very cheap, your worship. '

'Why do you wear your hair so much over your face, sir?' said Oliver, without noticing my suggestion. 'I promise you, I think no good of thee;throw back your hair, and let me see thee plainly. Hold up your face, and look straight at me; throw back your hair, sir. '

I felt that all chance of escape was at an end; and stepping forward asnear as the table would allow me to him, I raised my head, threw back myhair, and fixed my eyes sternly and boldly upon his face. 

I saw that he knew me instantly, for his countenance turned as paleas ashes with surprise and hatred. He started up, placing his handinstinctively upon his sword-hilt, and glaring at me with a look sodeadly, that I thought every moment he would strike his sword into myheart. He said in a kind of whisper: 'Hardress Fitzgerald?'

'Yes;' said I, boldly, for the excitement of the scene had effectuallystirred my blood, 'Hardress Fitzgerald is before you. I know you well, Captain Oliver. I know how you hate me. I know how you thirst for myblood; but in a good cause, and in the hands of God, I defy you. '

'You are a desperate villain, sir, ' said Captain Oliver; 'a rebel and amurderer! Holloa, there! guard, seize him!'

As the soldiers entered, I threw my eyes hastily round the room, andobserving a glowing fire upon the hearth, I suddenly drew GeneralSarsfield's packet from my bosom, and casting it upon the embers, planted my foot upon it. 

'Secure the papers!' shouted the captain; and almost instantly I waslaid prostrate and senseless upon the floor, by a blow from the butt ofa carbine. 

I cannot say how long I continued in a state of torpor; but atlength, having slowly recovered my senses, I found myself lying firmlyhandcuffed upon the floor of a small chamber, through a narrow loopholein one of whose walls the evening sun was shining. I was chilledwith cold and damp, and drenched in blood, which had flowed in largequantities from the wound on my head. By a strong effort I shook off thesick drowsiness which still hung upon me, and, weak and giddy, I rosewith pain and difficulty to my feet. 

The chamber, or rather cell, in which I stood was about eight feetsquare, and of a height very disproportioned to its other dimensions;its altitude from the floor to the ceiling being not less than twelve orfourteen feet. A narrow slit placed high in the wall admitted a scantylight, but sufficient to assure me that my prison contained nothing torender the sojourn of its tenant a whit less comfortless than my worstenemy could have wished. 

My first impulse was naturally to examine the security of the door, theloop-hole which I have mentioned being too high and too narrow to afforda chance of escape. I listened attentively to ascertain if possiblewhether or not a guard had been placed upon the outside. 

Not a sound was to be heard. I now placed my shoulder to the door, andsought with all my combined strength and weight to force it open. It, however, resisted all my efforts, and thus baffled in my appeal to mereanimal power, exhausted and disheartened, I threw myself on the ground. 

It was not in my nature, however, long to submit to the apathy ofdespair, and in a few minutes I was on my feet again. 

With patient scrutiny I endeavoured to ascertain the nature of thefastenings which secured the door. 

The planks, fortunately, having been nailed together fresh, had shrunkconsiderably, so as to leave wide chinks between each and its neighbour. 

By means of these apertures I saw that my dungeon was secured, not by alock, as I had feared, but by a strong wooden bar, running horizontallyacross the door, about midway upon the outside. 

'Now, ' thought I, 'if I can but slip my fingers through the opening ofthe planks, I can easily remove the bar, and then----'

My attempts, however, were all frustrated by the manner in which myhands were fastened together, each embarrassing the other, and renderingmy efforts so hopelessly clumsy, that I was obliged to give them over indespair. 

I turned with a sigh from my last hope, and began to pace my narrowprison floor, when my eye suddenly encountered an old rusty nail orholdfast sticking in the wall. 

All the gold of Plutus would not have been so welcome as that rustypiece of iron. 

I instantly wrung it from the wall, and inserting the point between theplanks of the door into the bolt, and working it backwards and forwards, I had at length the unspeakable satisfaction to perceive that the beamwas actually yielding to my efforts, and gradually sliding into itsberth in the wall. 

I have often been engaged in struggles where great bodily strength wasrequired, and every thew and sinew in the system taxed to the uttermost;but, strange as it may appear, I never was so completely exhausted andovercome by any labour as by this comparatively trifling task. 

Again and again was I obliged to desist, until my cramped finger-jointsrecovered their power; but at length my perseverance was rewarded, for, little by little, I succeeded in removing the bolt so far as to allowthe door to open sufficiently to permit me to pass. 

With some squeezing I succeeded in forcing my way into a small passage, upon which my prison-door opened. 

This led into a chamber somewhat more spacious than my cell, but stillcontaining no furniture, and affording no means of escape to one socrippled with bonds as I was. 

At the far extremity of this room was a door which stood ajar, and, stealthily passing through it, I found myself in a room containingnothing but a few raw hides, which rendered the atmosphere nearlyintolerable. 

Here I checked myself, for I heard voices in busy conversation in thenext room. 

I stole softly to the door which separated the chamber in which I stoodfrom that from which the voices proceeded. 

A moment served to convince me that any attempt upon it would be worsethan fruitless, for it was secured upon the outside by a strong lock, besides two bars, all which I was enabled to ascertain by means ofthe same defect in the joining of the planks which I have mentioned asbelonging to the inner door. 

I had approached this door very softly, so that, my proximity beingwholly unsuspected by the speakers within, the conversation continuedwithout interruption. 

Planting myself close to the door, I applied my eye to one of the chinkswhich separated the boards, and thus obtained a full view of the chamberand its occupants. 

It was the very apartment into which I had been first conducted. Theouter door, which faced the one at which I stood, was closed, and at asmall table were seated the only tenants of the room--two officers, oneof whom was Captain Oliver. The latter was reading a paper, which I madeno doubt was the document with which I had been entrusted. 

'The fellow deserves it, no doubt' said the junior officer. 'But, methinks, considering our orders from head-quarters, you deal somewhattoo hastily. '

'Nephew, nephew, ' said Captain Oliver, 'you mistake the tenor of ourorders. We were directed to conciliate the peasantry by fair and gentletreatment, but not to suffer spies and traitors to escape. This packetis of some value, though not, in all its parts, intelligible to me. Thebearer has made his way hither under a disguise, which, along with theother circumstances of his appearance here, is sufficient to convict himas a spy. '

There was a pause here, and after a few minutes the younger officersaid:

'Spy is a hard term, no doubt, uncle; but it is possible--nay, likely, that this poor devil sought merely to carry the parcel with which he wascharged in safety to its destination. Pshaw! he is sufficiently punishedif you duck him, for ten minutes or so, between the bridge and themill-dam. '

'Young man, ' said Oliver, somewhat sternly, 'do not obtrude your advicewhere it is not called for; this man, for whom you plead, murdered yourown father!'

I could not see how this announcement affected the person to whom it wasaddressed, for his back was towards me; but I conjectured, easily, thatmy last poor chance was gone, for a long silence ensued. Captain Oliverat length resumed:

'I know the villain well. I know him capable of any crime; but, by ----, his last card is played, and the game is up. He shall not see the moonrise to-night. '

There was here another pause. 

Oliver rose, and going to the outer door, called:

'Hewson! Hewson!'

A grim-looking corporal entered. 

'Hewson, have your guard ready at eight o'clock, with their carbinesclean, and a round of ball-cartridge each. Keep them sober; and, further, plant two upright posts at the near end of the bridge, witha cross one at top, in the manner of a gibbet. See to these matters, Hewson: I shall be with you speedily. '

The corporal made his salutations, and retired. 

Oliver deliberately folded up the papers with which I had beencommissioned, and placing them in the pocket of his vest, he said:

'Cunning, cunning Master Hardress Fitzgerald hath made a false step;the old fox is in the toils. Hardress Fitzgerald, Hardress Fitzgerald, Iwill blot you out. '

He repeated these words several times, at the same time rubbing hisfinger strongly upon the table, as if he sought to erase a stain:

'I WILL BLOT YOU OUT!'

There was a kind of glee in his manner and expression which chilled myvery heart. 

'You shall be first shot like a dog, and then hanged like a dog: shotto-night, and hung to-morrow; hung at the bridgehead--hung, until yourbones drop asunder!'

It is impossible to describe the exultation with which he seemed todwell upon, and to particularise the fate which he intended for me. 

I observed, however, that his face was deadly pale, and felt assuredthat his conscience and inward convictions were struggling against hiscruel resolve. Without further comment the two officers left the room, I suppose to oversee the preparations which were being made for the deedof which I was to be the victim. 

A chill, sick horror crept over me as they retired, and I felt, for themoment, upon the brink of swooning. This feeling, however, speedilygave place to a sensation still more terrible. A state of excitement sointense and tremendous as to border upon literal madness, supervened; mybrain reeled and throbbed as if it would burst; thoughts the wildestand the most hideous flashed through my mind with a spontaneous rapiditythat scared my very soul; while, all the time, I felt a strange andfrightful impulse to burst into uncontrolled laughter. 

Gradually this fearful paroxysm passed away. I kneeled and prayedfervently, and felt comforted and assured; but still I could not viewthe slow approaches of certain death without an agitation little shortof agony. 

I have stood in battle many a time when the chances of escape werefearfully small. I have confronted foemen in the deadly breach. I havemarched, with a constant heart, against the cannon's mouth. Again andagain has the beast which I bestrode been shot under me; again and againhave I seen the comrades who walked beside me in an instant laid forever in the dust; again and again have I been in the thick of battle, and of its mortal dangers, and never felt my heart shake, or a singlenerve tremble: but now, helpless, manacled, imprisoned, doomed, forcedto watch the approaches of an inevitable fate--to wait, silent andmoveless, while death as it were crept towards me, human nature wastaxed to the uttermost to bear the horrible situation. 

I returned again to the closet in which I had found myself uponrecovering from the swoon. 

The evening sunshine and twilight was fast melting into darkness, whenI heard the outer door, that which communicated with the guard-room inwhich the officers had been amusing themselves, opened and locked againupon the inside. 

A measured step then approached, and the door of the wretched cell inwhich I lay being rudely pushed open, a soldier entered, who carriedsomething in his hand; but, owing to the obscurity of the place, I couldnot see what. 

'Art thou awake, fellow?' said he, in a gruff voice. 'Stir thyself; getupon thy legs. '

His orders were enforced by no very gentle application of his militaryboot. 

'Friend, ' said I, rising with difficulty, 'you need not insult a dyingman. You have been sent hither to conduct me to death. Lead on! Mytrust is in God, that He will forgive me my sins, and receive my soul, redeemed by the blood of His Son. '

There here intervened a pause of some length, at the end of which thesoldier said, in the same gruff voice, but in a lower key:

'Look ye, comrade, it will be your own fault if you die this night. Onone condition I promise to get you out of this hobble with a whole skin;but if you go to any of your d----d gammon, by G--, before two hours arepassed, you will have as many holes in your carcase as a target. '

'Name your conditions, ' said I, 'and if they consist with honour, I willnever balk at the offer. '

'Here they are: you are to be shot to-night, by Captain Oliver's orders. The carbines are cleaned for the job, and the cartridges served out tothe men. By G--, I tell you the truth!'

Of this I needed not much persuasion, and intimated to the man myconviction that he spoke the truth. 

'Well, then, ' he continued, 'now for the means of avoiding this uglybusiness. Captain Oliver rides this night to head-quarters, with thepapers which you carried. Before he starts he will pay you a visit, to fish what he can out of you with all the fine promises he can make. Humour him a little, and when you find an opportunity, stab him in thethroat above the cuirass. '

'A feasible plan, surely, ' said I, raising my shackled hands, 'for a manthus completely crippled and without a weapon. '

'I will manage all that presently for you, ' said the soldier. 'When youhave thus dealt with him, take his cloak and hat, and so forth, and putthem on; the papers you will find in the pocket of his vest, in a redleather case. Walk boldly out. I am appointed to ride with CaptainOliver, and you will find me holding his horse and my own by the door. Mount quickly, and I will do the same, and then we will ride for ourlives across the bridge. You will find the holster-pistols loaded incase of pursuit; and, with the devil's help, we shall reach Limerickwithout a hair hurt. My only condition is, that when you strike Oliver, you strike home, and again and again, until he is FINISHED; and I trustto your honour to remember me when we reach the town. '

I cannot say whether I resolved right or wrong, but I thought mysituation, and the conduct of Captain Oliver, warranted me in accedingto the conditions propounded by my visitant, and with alacrity I toldhim so, and desired him to give me the power, as he had promised to do, of executing them. 

With speed and promptitude he drew a small key from his pocket, and inan instant the manacles were removed from my hands. 

How my heart bounded within me as my wrists were released from theiron gripe of the shackles! The first step toward freedom was made--myself-reliance returned, and I felt assured of success. 

'Now for the weapon, ' said I. 

'I fear me, you will find it rather clumsy, ' said he; 'but if wellhandled, it will do as well as the best Toledo. It is the only thing Icould get, but I sharpened it myself; it has an edge like a skean. '

He placed in my hand the steel head of a halberd. Grasping it firmly, Ifound that it made by no means a bad weapon in point of convenience; forit felt in the hand like a heavy dagger, the portion which formed theblade or point being crossed nearly at the lower extremity by a smallbar of metal, at one side shaped into the form of an axe, and at theother into that of a hook. These two transverse appendages being muffledby the folds of my cravat, which I removed for the purpose, formed aperfect guard or hilt, and the lower extremity formed like a tube, inwhich the pike-handle had been inserted, afforded ample space for thegrasp of my hand; the point had been made as sharp as a needle, and themetal he assured me was good. 

Thus equipped he left me, having observed, 'The captain sent me tobring you to your senses, and give you some water that he might find youproper for his visit. Here is the pitcher; I think I have revived yousufficiently for the captain's purpose. '

With a low savage laugh he left me to my reflections. 

Having examined and adjusted the weapon, I carefully bound the ends ofthe cravat, with which I had secured the cross part of the spear-head, firmly round my wrist, so that in case of a struggle it might noteasily be forced from my hand; and having made these precautionarydispositions, I sat down upon the ground with my back against the wall, and my hands together under my coat, awaiting my visitor. 

The time wore slowly on; the dusk became dimmer and dimmer, until itnearly bordered on total darkness. 

'How's this?' said I, inwardly; 'Captain Oliver, you said I shouldnot see the moon rise to-night. Methinks you are somewhat tardy infulfilling your prophecy. '

As I made this reflection, a noise at the outer door announced theentrance of a visitant. I knew that the decisive moment was come, andletting my head sink upon my breast, and assuring myself that myhands were concealed, I waited, in the attitude of deep dejection, theapproach of my foe and betrayer. 

As I had expected, Captain Oliver entered the room where I lay. He wasequipped for instant duty, as far as the imperfect twilight would allowme to see; the long sword clanked upon the floor as he made his waythrough the lobbies which led to my place of confinement; his amplemilitary cloak hung upon his arm; his cocked hat was upon his head, andin all points he was prepared for the road. 

This tallied exactly with what my strange informant had told me. 

I felt my heart swell and my breath come thick as the awful moment whichwas to witness the death-struggle of one or other of us approached. 

Captain Oliver stood within a yard or two of the place where I sat, orrather lay; and folding his arms, he remained silent for a minute ortwo, as if arranging in his mind how he should address me. 

'Hardress Fitzgerald, ' he began at length, 'are you awake? Stand up, ifyou desire to hear of matters nearly touching your life or death. Getup, I say. '

I arose doggedly, and affecting the awkward movements of one whose handswere bound, 'Well, ' said I, 'what would you of me? Is it not enough that I am thusimprisoned without a cause, and about, as I suspect, to suffer a mostunjust and violent sentence, but must I also be disturbed during thefew moments left me for reflection and repentance by the presence of mypersecutor? What do you want of me?'

'As to your punishment, sir, ' said he, 'your own deserts have no doubtsuggested the likelihood of it to your mind; but I now am with you tolet you know that whatever mitigation of your sentence you may look for, must be earned by your compliance with my orders. You must frankly andfully explain the contents of the packet which you endeavoured this dayto destroy; and further, you must tell all that you know of the designsof the popish rebels. '

'And if I do this I am to expect a mitigation of my punishment--is itnot so?'

Oliver bowed. 

'And what IS this mitigation to be? On the honour of a soldier, what isit to be?' inquired I. 

'When you have made the disclosure required, ' he replied, 'you shallhear. 'Tis then time to talk of indulgences. '

'Methinks it would then be too late, ' answered I. 'But a chance is achance, and a drowning man will catch at a straw. You are an honourableman, Captain Oliver. I must depend, I suppose, on your good faith. Well, sir, before I make the desired communication I have one question moreto put. What is to befall me in case that I, remembering the honour ofa soldier and a gentleman, reject your infamous terms, scorn yourmitigations, and defy your utmost power?'

'In that case, ' replied he, coolly, 'before half an hour you shall be acorpse. '

'Then God have mercy on your soul!' said I; and springing forward, Idashed the weapon which I held at his throat. 

I missed my aim, but struck him full in the mouth with such force thatmost of his front teeth were dislodged, and the point of the spear-headpassed out under his jaw, at the ear. 

My onset was so sudden and unexpected that he reeled back to the wall, and did not recover his equilibrium in time to prevent my dealing asecond blow, which I did with my whole force. The point unfortunatelystruck the cuirass, near the neck, and glancing aside it inflicted but aflesh wound, tearing the skin and tendons along the throat. 

He now grappled with me, strange to say, without uttering any cry ofalarm; being a very powerful man, and if anything rather heavier andmore strongly built than I, he succeeded in drawing me with him to theground. We fell together with a heavy crash, tugging and straining inwhat we were both conscious was a mortal struggle. At length I succeededin getting over him, and struck him twice more in the face; still hestruggled with an energy which nothing but the tremendous stake at issuecould have sustained. 

I succeeded again in inflicting several more wounds upon him, any oneof which might have been mortal. While thus contending he clutched hishands about my throat, so firmly that I felt the blood swelling theveins of my temples and face almost to bursting. Again and again Istruck the weapon deep into his face and throat, but life seemed toadhere in him with an almost INSECT tenacity. 

My sight now nearly failed, my senses almost forsook me; I felt uponthe point of suffocation when, with one desperate effort, I struck himanother and a last blow in the face. The weapon which I wielded hadlighted upon the eye, and the point penetrated the brain; the bodyquivered under me, the deadly grasp relaxed, and Oliver lay upon theground a corpse!

As I arose and shook the weapon and the bloody cloth from my hand, themoon which he had foretold I should never see rise, shone bright andbroad into the room, and disclosed, with ghastly distinctness, themangled features of the dead soldier; the mouth, full of clotting bloodand broken teeth, lay open; the eye, close by whose lid the fatal woundhad been inflicted, was not, as might have been expected, bathed inblood, but had started forth nearly from the socket, and gave to theface, by its fearful unlikeness to the other glazing orb, a leer morehideous and unearthly than fancy ever saw. The wig, with all its richcurls, had fallen with the hat to the floor, leaving the shorn headexposed, and in many places marked by the recent struggle; the rich lacecravat was drenched in blood, and the gay uniform in many places soiledwith the same. 

It is hard to say, with what feelings I looked upon the unsightly andrevolting mass which had so lately been a living and a comely man. I hadnot any time, however, to spare for reflection; the deed was done--theresponsibility was upon me, and all was registered in the book of thatGod who judges rightly. 

With eager haste I removed from the body such of the militaryaccoutrements as were necessary for the purpose of my disguise. Ibuckled on the sword, drew off the military boots, and donned themmyself, placed the brigadier wig and cocked hat upon my head, threwon the cloak, drew it up about my face, and proceeded, with the paperswhich I found as the soldier had foretold me, and the key of the outerlobby, to the door of the guard-room; this I opened, and with a firmand rapid tread walked through the officers, who rose as I entered, andpassed without question or interruption to the street-door. Here I wasmet by the grimlooking corporal, Hewson, who, saluting me, said:

'How soon, captain, shall the file be drawn out and the prisonerdespatched?'

'In half an hour, ' I replied, without raising my voice. 

The man again saluted, and in two steps I reached the soldier who heldthe two horses, as he had intimated. 

'Is all right?' said he, eagerly. 

'Ay, ' said I, 'which horse am I to mount?'

He satisfied me upon this point, and I threw myself into the saddle; thesoldier mounted his horse, and dashing the spurs into the flanks of theanimal which I bestrode, we thundered along the narrow bridge. At thefar extremity a sentinel, as we approached, called out, 'Who goes there?stand, and give the word!' Heedless of the interruption, with my heartbounding with excitement, I dashed on, as did also the soldier whoaccompanied me. 

'Stand, or I fire! give the word!' cried the sentry. 

'God save the king, and to hell with the prince!' shouted I, flingingthe cocked hat in his face as I galloped by. 

The response was the sharp report of a carbine, accompanied by the whizof a bullet, which passed directly between me and my comrade, now ridingbeside me. 

'Hurrah!' I shouted; 'try it again, my boy. '

And away we went at a gallop, which bid fair to distance anything likepursuit. 

Never was spur more needed, however, for soon the clatter of horses'hoofs, in full speed, crossing the bridge, came sharp and clear throughthe stillness of the night. 

Away we went, with our pursuers close behind; one mile was passed, another nearly completed. The moon now shone forth, and, turning in thesaddle, I looked back upon the road we had passed. 

One trooper had headed the rest, and was within a hundred yards of us. 

I saw the fellow throw himself from his horse upon the ground. 

I knew his object, and said to my comrade:

'Lower your body--lie flat over the saddle; the fellow is going tofire. '

I had hardly spoken when the report of a carbine startled the echoes, and the ball, striking the hind leg of my companion's horse, the pooranimal fell headlong upon the road, throwing his rider head-foremostover the saddle. 

My first impulse was to stop and share whatever fate might await mycomrade; but my second and wiser one was to spur on, and save myself andmy despatch. 

I rode on at a gallop, turning to observe my comrade's fate. I saw hispursuer, having remounted, ride rapidly up to him, and, on reaching thespot where the man and horse lay, rein in and dismount. 

He was hardly upon the ground, when my companion shot him dead with oneof the holster-pistols which he had drawn from the pipe; and, leapingnimbly over a ditch at the side of the road, he was soon lost among theditches and thornbushes which covered that part of the country. 

Another mile being passed, I had the satisfaction to perceive that thepursuit was given over, and in an hour more I crossed Thomond Bridge, and slept that night in the fortress of Limerick, having deliveredthe packet, the result of whose safe arrival was the destruction ofWilliam's great train of artillery, then upon its way to the besiegers. 

Years after this adventure, I met in France a young officer, who I foundhad served in Captain Oliver's regiment; and he explained what I hadnever before understood--the motives of the man who had wrought mydeliverance. Strange to say, he was the foster-brother of Oliver, whomhe thus devoted to death, but in revenge for the most grievous wrongwhich one man can inflict upon another!

'THE QUARE GANDER. '

 Being a Twelfth Extract from the Legacy of the late Francis Purcell, P. P. Of Drumcoolagh. 

As I rode at a slow walk, one soft autumn evening, from the once notedand noticeable town of Emly, now a squalid village, towards the no lessremarkable town of Tipperary, I fell into a meditative mood. 

My eye wandered over a glorious landscape; a broad sea of corn-fields, that might have gladdened even a golden age, was waving before me;groups of little cabins, with their poplars, osiers, and light mountainashes, clustered shelteringly around them, were scattered over theplain; the thin blue smoke arose floating through their boughs in thestill evening air. And far away with all their broad lights and shades, softened with the haze of approaching twilight, stood the bold wildGalties. 

As I gazed on this scene, whose richness was deepened by the melancholyglow of the setting sun, the tears rose to my eyes, and I said:

'Alas, my country! what a mournful beauty is thine. Dressed inloveliness and laughter, there is mortal decay at thy heart: sorrow, sin, and shame have mingled thy cup of misery. Strange rulers havebruised thee, and laughed thee to scorn, and they have made all thysweetness bitter. Thy shames and sins are the austere fruits of thymiseries, and thy miseries have been poured out upon thee by foreignhands. Alas, my stricken country! clothed with this most pity-movingsmile, with this most unutterably mournful loveliness, thousore-grieved, thou desperately-beloved! Is there for thee, my country, aresurrection?'

I know not how long I might have continued to rhapsodize in this strain, had not my wandering thoughts been suddenly recalled to my own immediateneighbourhood by the monotonous clatter of a horse's hoofs upon theroad, evidently moving, at that peculiar pace which is neither awalk nor a trot, and yet partakes of both, so much in vogue among thesouthern farmers. 

In a moment my pursuer was up with me, and checking his steed into awalk he saluted me with much respect. The cavalier was a light-builtfellow, with good-humoured sun-burnt features, a shrewd and livelyblack eye, and a head covered with a crop of close curly black hair, andsurmounted with a turf-coloured caubeen, in the packthread band of whichwas stuck a short pipe, which had evidently seen much service. 

My companion was a dealer in all kinds of local lore, and soon tookoccasion to let me see that he was so. 

After two or three short stories, in which the scandalous andsupernatural were happily blended, we happened to arrive at a narrowroad or bohreen leading to a snug-looking farm-house. 

'That's a comfortable bit iv a farm, ' observed my comrade, pointingtowards the dwelling with his thumb; 'a shnug spot, and belongs to theMooneys this long time. 'Tis a noted place for what happened wid thefamous gandher there in former times. '

'And what was that?' inquired I. 

'What was it happened wid the gandher!' ejaculated my companion in atone of indignant surprise; 'the gandher iv Ballymacrucker, the gandher!Your raverance must be a stranger in these parts. Sure every fool knowsall about the gandher, and Terence Mooney, that was, rest his sowl. Begorra, 'tis surprisin' to me how in the world you didn't hear iv thegandher; and may be it's funnin me ye are, your raverance. '

I assured him to the contrary, and conjured him to narrate to me thefacts, an unacquaintance with which was sufficient it appeared to stampme as an ignoramus of the first magnitude. 

It did not require much entreaty to induce my communicative friend torelate the circumstance, in nearly the following words:

'Terence Mooney was an honest boy and well to do; an' he rinted thebiggest farm on this side iv the Galties; an' bein' mighty cute an' asevare worker, it was small wonder he turned a good penny every harvest. But unluckily he was blessed with an ilegant large family iv daughters, an' iv coorse his heart was allamost bruck, striving to make up fortunesfor the whole of them. An' there wasn't a conthrivance iv any soart ordescription for makin' money out iv the farm, but he was up to. 

'Well, among the other ways he had iv gettin' up in the world, he alwayskep a power iv turkeys, and all soarts iv poultrey; an' he was out ivall rason partial to geese--an' small blame to him for that same--fortwice't a year you can pluck them as bare as my hand--an' get a fineprice for the feathers, an' plenty of rale sizable eggs--an' when theyare too ould to lay any more, you can kill them, an' sell them to thegintlemen for goslings, d'ye see, let alone that a goose is the mostmanly bird that is out. 

'Well, it happened in the coorse iv time that one ould gandher tuck awondherful likin' to Terence, an' divil a place he could go serenadin'about the farm, or lookin' afther the men, but the gandher id be at hisheels, an' rubbin' himself agin his legs, an' lookin' up in his facejist like any other Christian id do; an' begorra, the likes iv it wasnever seen--Terence Mooney an' the gandher wor so great. 

'An' at last the bird was so engagin' that Terence would not allow itto be plucked any more, an' kep it from that time out for love an'affection--just all as one like one iv his childer. 

'But happiness in perfection never lasts long, an' the neighboursbegin'd to suspect the nathur an' intentions iv the gandher, an' some ivthem said it was the divil, an' more iv them that it was a fairy. 

'Well, Terence could not but hear something of what was sayin', an' youmay be sure he was not altogether asy in his mind about it, an' from oneday to another he was gettin' more ancomfortable in himself, until hedetarmined to sind for Jer Garvan, the fairy docthor in Garryowen, an'it's he was the ilegant hand at the business, an' divil a sperit idsay a crass word to him, no more nor a priest. An' moreover he was verygreat wid ould Terence Mooney--this man's father that' was. 

'So without more about it he was sint for, an' sure enough the divil along he was about it, for he kem back that very evenin' along wid theboy that was sint for him, an' as soon as he was there, an' tuck hissupper, an' was done talkin' for a while, he begined of coorse to lookinto the gandher. 

'Well, he turned it this away an' that away, to the right an' to theleft, an' straight-ways an' upside-down, an' when he was tired handlin'it, says he to Terence Mooney:

'"Terence, " says he, "you must remove the bird into the next room, " sayshe, "an' put a petticoat, " says he, "or anny other convaynience roundhis head, " says he. 

'"An' why so?" says Terence. 

'"Becase, " says Jer, says he. 

'"Becase what?" says Terence. 

'"Becase, " says Jer, "if it isn't done you'll never be asy again, " sayshe, "or pusilanimous in your mind, " says he; "so ax no more questions, but do my biddin', " says he. 

'"Well, " says Terence, "have your own way, " says he. 

'An' wid that he tuck the ould gandher, an' giv' it to one iv thegossoons. 

'"An' take care, " says he, "don't smother the crathur, " says he. 

'Well, as soon as the bird was gone, says Jer Garvan says he:

'"Do you know what that ould gandher IS, Terence Mooney?"

'"Divil a taste, " says Terence. 

'"Well then, " says Jer, "the gandher is your own father, " says he. 

'"It's jokin' you are, " says Terence, turnin' mighty pale; "how can anould gandher be my father?" says he. 

'"I'm not funnin' you at all, " says Jer; "it's thrue what I tell you, it's your father's wandhrin' sowl, " says he, "that's naturally tuckpissession iv the ould gandher's body, " says he. "I know him many ways, and I wondher, " says he, "you do not know the cock iv his eye yourself, "says he. 

'"Oh blur an' ages!" says Terence, "what the divil will I ever do at allat all, " says he; "it's all over wid me, for I plucked him twelve timesat the laste, " says he. 

'"That can't be helped now, " says Jer; "it was a sevare act surely, "says he, "but it's too late to lamint for it now, " says he; "the onlyway to prevint what's past, " says he, "is to put a stop to it before ithappens, " says he. 

'"Thrue for you, " says Terence, "but how the divil did you come to theknowledge iv my father's sowl, " says he, "bein' in the owld gandher, "says he. 

'"If I tould you, " says Jer, "you would not undherstand me, " sayshe, "without book-larnin' an' gasthronomy, " says he; "so ax me noquestions, " says he, "an' I'll tell you no lies. But blieve me in thismuch, " says he, "it's your father that's in it, " says he; "an' if Idon't make him spake to-morrow mornin', " says he, "I'll give you lave tocall me a fool, " says he. 

'"Say no more, " says Terence, "that settles the business, " says he;"an' oh! blur and ages is it not a quare thing, " says he, "for a dacentrespictable man, " says he, "to be walkin' about the counthry in theshape iv an ould gandher, " says he; "and oh, murdher, murdher! is notit often I plucked him, " says he, "an' tundher and ouns might not Ihave ate him, " says he; and wid that he fell into a could parspiration, savin' your prisince, an was on the pint iv faintin' wid the barenotions iv it. 

'Well, whin he was come to himself agin, says Jerry to him quite an'asy:

'"Terence, " says he, "don't be aggravatin' yourself, " says he; "for Ihave a plan composed that 'ill make him spake out, " says he, "an' tellwhat it is in the world he's wantin', " says he; "an' mind an' don't becomin' in wid your gosther, an' to say agin anything I tell you, " sayshe, "but jist purtind, as soon as the bird is brought back, " says he, "how that we're goin' to sind him to-morrow mornin' to market, " says he. "An' if he don't spake to-night, " says he, "or gother himself out ivthe place, " says he, "put him into the hamper airly, and sind him in thecart, " says he, "straight to Tipperary, to be sould for ating, " says he, "along wid the two gossoons, " says he, "an' my name isn't Jer Garvan, "says he, "if he doesn't spake out before he's half-way, " says he. "An'mind, " says he, "as soon as iver he says the first word, " says he, "that very minute bring him aff to Father Crotty, " says he; "an' ifhis raverince doesn't make him ratire, " says he, "like the rest iv hisparishioners, glory be to God, " says he, "into the siclusion iv theflames iv purgathory, " says he, "there's no vartue in my charums, " sayshe. 

'Well, wid that the ould gandher was let into the room agin, an' theyall bigined to talk iv sindin' him the nixt mornin' to be sould forroastin' in Tipperary, jist as if it was a thing andoubtingly settled. But divil a notice the gandher tuck, no more nor if they wor spaking ivthe Lord-Liftinant; an' Terence desired the boys to get ready the kishfor the poulthry, an' to "settle it out wid hay soft an' shnug, " sayshe, "for it's the last jauntin' the poor ould gandher 'ill get in thisworld, " says he. 

'Well, as the night was gettin' late, Terence was growin' mightysorrowful an' down-hearted in himself entirely wid the notions iv whatwas goin' to happen. An' as soon as the wife an' the crathurs war fairlyin bed, he brought out some illigint potteen, an' himself an' Jer Garvansot down to it; an' begorra, the more anasy Terence got, the more hedhrank, and himself and Jer Garvan finished a quart betune them. Itwasn't an imparial though, an' more's the pity, for them wasn't anvintedantil short since; but divil a much matther it signifies any longer ifa pint could hould two quarts, let alone what it does, sinst FatherMathew--the Lord purloin his raverence--begin'd to give the pledge, an'wid the blessin' iv timperance to deginerate Ireland. 

'An' begorra, I have the medle myself; an' it's proud I am iv that same, for abstamiousness is a fine thing, although it's mighty dhry. 

'Well, whin Terence finished his pint, he thought he might as well stop;"for enough is as good as a faste, " says he; "an' I pity the vagabond, "says he, "that is not able to conthroul his licquor, " says he, "an'to keep constantly inside iv a pint measure, " said he; an' wid that hewished Jer Garvan a good-night, an' walked out iv the room. 

'But he wint out the wrong door, bein' a thrifle hearty in himself, an'not rightly knowin' whether he was standin' on his head or his heels, orboth iv them at the same time, an' in place iv gettin' into bed, wheredid he thrun himself but into the poulthry hamper, that the boys hadsettled out ready for the gandher in the mornin'. An' sure enough hesunk down soft an' complate through the hay to the bottom; an' wid theturnin' and roulin' about in the night, the divil a bit iv him but wascovered up as shnug as a lumper in a pittaty furrow before mornin'. 

'So wid the first light, up gets the two boys, that war to take thesperit, as they consaved, to Tipperary; an' they cotched the ouldgandher, an' put him in the hamper, and clapped a good wisp iv hay an'the top iv him, and tied it down sthrong wid a bit iv a coard, and medthe sign iv the crass over him, in dhread iv any harum, an' put thehamper up an the car, wontherin' all the while what in the world wasmakin' the ould burd so surprisin' heavy. 

'Well, they wint along quite anasy towards Tipperary, wishin' everyminute that some iv the neighbours bound the same way id happen to fallin with them, for they didn't half like the notions iv havin' no companybut the bewitched gandher, an' small blame to them for that same. 

'But although they wor shaking in their skhins in dhread iv the ouldbird beginnin' to convarse them every minute, they did not let an' toone another, bud kep singin' an' whistlin' like mad, to keep the dreadout iv their hearts. 

'Well, afther they war on the road betther nor half an hour, they kem tothe bad bit close by Father Crotty's, an' there was one divil of a rutthree feet deep at the laste; an' the car got sich a wondherful chuckgoin' through it, that it wakened Terence widin in the basket. 

'"Bad luck to ye, " says he, "my bones is bruck wid yer thricks; what thedivil are ye doin' wid me?"

'"Did ye hear anything quare, Thady?" says the boy that was next to thecar, turnin' as white as the top iv a musharoon; "did ye hear anythingquare soundin' out iv the hamper?" says he. 

'"No, nor you, " says Thady, turnin' as pale as himself, "it's the ouldgandher that's gruntin' wid the shakin' he's gettin', " says he. 

'"Where the divil have ye put me into, " says Terence inside, "bad luckto your sowls, " says he, "let me out, or I'll be smothered this minute, "says he. 

'"There's no use in purtending, " says the boy, "the gandher's spakin', glory be to God, " says he. 

'"Let me out, you murdherers, " says Terence. 

'"In the name iv the blessed Vargin, " says Thady, "an' iv all the holysaints, hould yer tongue, you unnatheral gandher, " says he. 

'"Who's that, that dar to call me nicknames?" says Terence inside, roaring wid the fair passion, "let me out, you blasphamious infiddles, "says he, "or by this crass I'll stretch ye, " says he. 

'"In the name iv all the blessed saints in heaven, " says Thady, "who thedivil are ye?"

'"Who the divil would I be, but Terence Mooney, " says he. "It's myselfthat's in it, you unmerciful bliggards, " says he, "let me out, or bythe holy, I'll get out in spite iv yes, " says he, "an' by jaburs, I'llwallop yes in arnest, " says he. 

'"It's ould Terence, sure enough, " says Thady, "isn't it cute the fairydocthor found him out, " says he. 

'"I'm an the pint iv snuffication, " says Terence, "let me out, I tellyou, an' wait till I get at ye, " says he, "for begorra, the divil a bonein your body but I'll powdher, " says he. 

'An' wid that, he biginned kickin' and flingin' inside in the hamper, and dhrivin his legs agin the sides iv it, that it was a wonder he didnot knock it to pieces. 

'Well, as soon as the boys seen that, they skelped the ould horse intoa gallop as hard as he could peg towards the priest's house, through theruts, an' over the stones; an' you'd see the hamper fairly flyin' threefeet up in the air with the joultin'; glory be to God. 

'So it was small wondher, by the time they got to his Raverince's door, the breath was fairly knocked out of poor Terence, so that he was lyin'speechless in the bottom iv the hamper. 

'Well, whin his Raverince kem down, they up an' they tould him allthat happened, an' how they put the gandher into the hamper, an' how hebeginned to spake, an' how he confissed that he was ould Terence Mooney;an' they axed his honour to advise them how to get rid iv the spirit forgood an' all. 

'So says his Raverince, says he:

'"I'll take my booke, " says he, "an' I'll read some rale sthrong holybits out iv it, " says he, "an' do you get a rope and put it round thehamper, " says he, "an' let it swing over the runnin' wather at thebridge, " says he, "an' it's no matther if I don't make the spirit comeout iv it, " says he. 

'Well, wid that, the priest got his horse, and tuck his booke in undherhis arum, an' the boys follied his Raverince, ladin' the horse down tothe bridge, an' divil a word out iv Terence all the way, for he seenit was no use spakin', an' he was afeard if he med any noise they mightthrait him to another gallop an finish him intirely. 

'Well, as soon as they war all come to the bridge, the boys tuck therope they had with them, an' med it fast to the top iv the hamper an'swung it fairly over the bridge, lettin' it hang in the air about twelvefeet out iv the wather. 

'An' his Raverince rode down to the bank of the river, close by, an'beginned to read mighty loud and bould intirely. 

'An' when he was goin' on about five minutes, all at onst the bottom ivthe hamper kem out, an' down wint Terence, falling splash dash into thewater, an' the ould gandher a-top iv him. Down they both went to thebottom, wid a souse you'd hear half a mile off. 

'An' before they had time to rise agin, his Raverince, wid the fairastonishment, giv his horse one dig iv the spurs, an' before he knewwhere he was, in he went, horse an' all, a-top iv them, an' down to thebottom. 

'Up they all kem agin together, gaspin' and puffin', an' off down widthe current wid them, like shot in under the arch iv the bridge tillthey kem to the shallow wather. 

'The ould gandher was the first out, and the priest and Terencekem next, pantin' an' blowin' an' more than half dhrounded, an' hisRaverince was so freckened wid the droundin' he got, and wid the sightiv the sperit, as he consaved, that he wasn't the better of it for amonth. 

'An' as soon as Terence could spake, he swore he'd have the life of thetwo gossoons; but Father Crotty would not give him his will. An' as soonas he was got quiter, they all endivoured to explain it; but Terenceconsaved he went raly to bed the night before, and his wife said thesame to shilter him from the suspicion for havin' th' dthrop taken. An'his Raverince said it was a mysthery, an' swore if he cotchedanyone laughin' at the accident, he'd lay the horsewhip across theirshouldhers. 

'An' Terence grew fonder an' fonder iv the gandher every day, until atlast he died in a wondherful old age, lavin' the gandher afther him an'a large family iv childher. 

'An' to this day the farm is rinted by one iv Terence Mooney's lenialand legitimate postariors. '

BILLY MALOWNEY'S TASTE OF LOVE AND GLORY. 

Let the reader fancy a soft summer evening, the fresh dews falling onbush and flower. The sun has just gone down, and the thrilling vespersof thrushes and blackbirds ring with a wild joy through the saddenedair; the west is piled with fantastic clouds, and clothed in tints ofcrimson and amber, melting away into a wan green, and so eastward intothe deepest blue, through which soon the stars will begin to peep. 

Let him fancy himself seated upon the low mossy wall of an ancientchurchyard, where hundreds of grey stones rise above the sward, under the fantastic branches of two or three half-withered ash-trees, spreading their arms in everlasting love and sorrow over the dead. 

The narrow road upon which I and my companion await the tax-cart thatis to carry me and my basket, with its rich fruitage of speckled trout, away, lies at his feet, and far below spreads an undulating plain, rising westward again into soft hills, and traversed (every here andthere visibly) by a winding stream which, even through the mists ofevening, catches and returns the funereal glories of the skies. 

As the eye traces its wayward wanderings, it loses them for a momentin the heaving verdure of white-thorns and ash, from among which floatsfrom some dozen rude chimneys, mostly unseen, the transparent blue filmof turf smoke. There we know, although we cannot see it, the steep oldbridge of Carrickadrum spans the river; and stretching away far to theright the valley of Lisnamoe: its steeps and hollows, its stragglinghedges, its fair-green, its tall scattered trees, and old grey tower, are disappearing fast among the discoloured tints and haze of evening. 

Those landmarks, as we sit listlessly expecting the arrival of ourmodest conveyance, suggest to our companion--a bare-legged Celticbrother of the gentle craft, somewhat at the wrong side of forty, witha turf-coloured caubeen, patched frieze, a clear brown complexion, dark-grey eyes, and a right pleasant dash of roguery in hisfeatures--the tale, which, if the reader pleases, he is welcome to hearalong with me just as it falls from the lips of our humble comrade. 

His words I can give, but your own fancy must supply the advantagesof an intelligent, expressive countenance, and, what is perhaps harderstill, the harmony of his glorious brogue, that, like the melodies ofour own dear country, will leave a burden of mirth or of sorrow withnearly equal propriety, tickling the diaphragm as easily as it playswith the heart-strings, and is in itself a national music that, I trust, may never, never--scouted and despised though it be--never cease, likethe lost tones of our harp, to be heard in the fields of my country, inwelcome or endearment, in fun or in sorrow, stirring the hearts of Irishmen and Irish women. 

My friend of the caubeen and naked shanks, then, commenced, andcontinued his relation, as nearly as possible, in the following words:

Av coorse ye often heerd talk of Billy Malowney, that lived by thebridge of Carrickadrum. 'Leum-a-rinka' was the name they put on him, he was sich a beautiful dancer. An' faix, it's he was the rale sportin'boy, every way--killing the hares, and gaffing the salmons, an' fightin'the men, an' funnin' the women, and coortin' the girls; an' be thesame token, there was not a colleen inside iv his jurisdiction but wasbreakin' her heart wid the fair love iv him. 

Well, this was all pleasant enough, to be sure, while it lasted; butinhuman beings is born to misfortune, an' Bill's divarshin was not tolast always. A young boy can't be continially coortin' and kissin' thegirls (an' more's the pity) without exposin' himself to the most eminentparril; an' so signs all' what should happen Billy Malowney himself, butto fall in love at last wid little Molly Donovan, in Coolnamoe. 

I never could ondherstand why in the world it was Bill fell in love widHER, above all the girls in the country. She was not within four stoneweight iv being as fat as Peg Brallaghan; and as for redness in theface, she could not hould a candle to Judy Flaherty. (Poor Judy! shewas my sweetheart, the darlin', an' coorted me constant, ever antil shemarried a boy of the Butlers; an' it's twenty years now since she wasburied under the ould white-thorn in Garbally. But that's no matther!)

Well, at any rate, Molly Donovan tuck his fancy, an' that's everything!She had smooth brown hair--as smooth as silk-an' a pair iv soft coaxin'eyes--an' the whitest little teeth you ever seen; an', bedad, she wasevery taste as much in love wid himself as he was. 

Well, now, he was raly stupid wid love: there was not a bit of funleft in him. He was good for nothin' an airth bud sittin' under bushes, smokin' tobacky, and sighin' till you'd wonder how in the world he gotwind for it all. 

An', bedad, he was an illigant scholar, moreover; an', so signs, it'smany's the song he made about her; an' if you'd be walkin' in theevening, a mile away from Carrickadrum, begorra you'd hear him singingout like a bull, all across the country, in her praises. 

Well, ye may be sure, ould Tim Donovan and the wife was not a bit toowell plased to see Bill Malowney coortin' their daughter Molly; for, do ye mind, she was the only child they had, and her fortune wasthirty-five pounds, two cows, and five illigant pigs, three iron potsand a skillet, an' a trifle iv poultry in hand; and no one knew how muchbesides, whenever the Lord id be plased to call the ould people out ofthe way into glory!

So, it was not likely ould Tim Donovan id be fallin' in love wid poorBill Malowney as aisy as the girls did; for, barrin' his beauty, an' hisgun, an' his dhudheen, an' his janius, the divil a taste of property ivany sort or description he had in the wide world!

Well, as bad as that was, Billy would not give in that her father andmother had the smallest taste iv a right to intherfare, good or bad. 

'An' you're welcome to rayfuse me, ' says he, 'whin I ax your lave, 'says he; 'an' I'll ax your lave, ' says he, 'whenever I want to coortyourselves, ' says he; 'but it's your daughter I'm coortin' at thepresent, ' says he, 'an that's all I'll say, ' says he; 'for I'd as soontake a doase of salts as be discoursin' ye, ' says he. 

So it was a rale blazin' battle betune himself and the ould people;an', begorra, there was no soart iv blaguardin' that did not pass betunethem; an' they put a solemn injection on Molly again seein' him ormeetin' him for the future. 

But it was all iv no use. You might as well be pursuadin' the birds aginflying, or sthrivin' to coax the stars out iv the sky into your hat, asbe talking common sinse to them that's fairly bothered and burstin'wid love. There's nothin' like it. The toothache an' cholic together idcompose you betther for an argyment than itself. It leaves you fit fornothin' bud nansinse. 

It's stronger than whisky, for one good drop iv it will make you drunkfor one year, and sick, begorra, for a dozen. 

It's stronger than the say, for it'll carry you round the world an'never let you sink, in sunshine or storm; an', begorra, it's strongerthan Death himself, for it is not afeard iv him, bedad, but dares him inevery shape. 

But lovers has quarrels sometimes, and, begorra, when they do, you'da'most imagine they hated one another like man and wife. An' so, signsan', Billy Malowney and Molly Donovan fell out one evening at ould TomDundon's wake; an' whatever came betune them, she made no more aboutit but just draws her cloak round her, and away wid herself and thesarvant-girl home again, as if there was not a corpse, or a fiddle, or ataste of divarsion in it. 

Well, Bill Malowney follied her down the boreen, to try could hedeludher her back again; but, if she was bitther before, she gave itto him in airnest when she got him alone to herself, and to that degreethat he wished her safe home, short and sulky enough, an' walked backagain, as mad as the devil himself, to the wake, to pay a respect topoor Tom Dundon. 

Well, my dear, it was aisy seen there was something wrong avid BillyMalowney, for he paid no attintion the rest of the evening to any soartof divarsion but the whisky alone; an' every glass he'd drink it's whathe'd be wishing the divil had the women, an' the worst iv bad luck toall soarts iv courting, until, at last, wid the goodness iv the sperits, an' the badness iv his temper, an' the constant flusthration iv cursin', he grew all as one as you might say almost, saving your presince, bastely drunk!

Well, who should he fall in wid, in that childish condition, as he wasdeploying along the road almost as straight as the letter S, an' cursin'the girls, an' roarin' for more whisky, but the recruiting-sargent ivthe Welsh Confusileers. 

So, cute enough, the sargent begins to convarse him, an' it was not longuntil he had him sitting in Murphy's public-house, wid an elegant dandyiv punch before him, an' the king's money safe an' snug in the lowestwrinkle of his breeches-pocket. 

So away wid him, and the dhrums and fifes playing, an' a dozen moreunforthunate bliggards just listed along with him, an' he shakin' handswid the sargent, and swearin' agin the women every minute, until, be thetime he kem to himself, begorra, he was a good ten miles on the road toDublin, an' Molly and all behind him. 

It id be no good tellin' you iv the letters he wrote to her from thebarracks there, nor how she was breaking her heart to go and see himjust wanst before he'd go; but the father an' mother would not allow ivit be no manes. 

An' so in less time than you'd be thinkin' about it, the colonel had himpolished off into it rale elegant soger, wid his gun exercise, and hisbagnet exercise, and his small sword, and broad sword, and pistol anddagger, an' all the rest, an' then away wid him on boord a man-a-war tofurrin parts, to fight for King George agin Bonyparty, that was great inthem times. 

Well, it was very soon in everyone's mouth how Billy Malowney was batin'all before him, astonishin' the ginerals, an frightenin' the inimy tothat degree, there was not a Frinchman dare say parley voo outside ofthe rounds iv his camp. 

You may be sure Molly was proud iv that same, though she never spoke aword about it; until at last the news kem home that Billy Malowney wassurrounded an' murdered by the Frinch army, under Napoleon Bonypartyhimself. The news was brought by Jack Brynn Dhas, the peddlar, that saidhe met the corporal iv the regiment on the quay iv Limerick, an' how hebrought him into a public-house and thrated him to a naggin, and got allthe news about poor Billy Malowney out iv him while they war dhrinkin'it; an' a sorrowful story it was. 

The way it happened, accordin' as the corporal tould him, was jist howthe Jook iv Wellington detarmined to fight a rale tarin' battle wid theFrinch, and Bonyparty at the same time was aiqually detarmined to fightthe divil's own scrimmidge wid the British foorces. 

Well, as soon as the business was pretty near ready at both sides, Bonyparty and the general next undher himself gets up behind a bush, tolook at their inimies through spyglasses, and thry would they know anyiv them at the distance. 

'Bedadad!' says the gineral, afther a divil iv a long spy, 'I'd bet halfa pint, ' says he, 'that's Bill Malowney himself, ' says he, 'down there, 'says he. 

'Och!' says Bonypart, 'do you tell me so?' says he--'I'm fairlyheart-scalded with that same Billy Malowney, ' says he; 'an' I think if Iwas wanst shut iv him I'd bate the rest iv them aisy, ' says he. 

'I'm thinking so myself, ' says the gineral, says he; 'but he's a toughbye, ' says he. 

'Tough!' says Bonypart, 'he's the divil, ' says he. 

'Begorra, I'd be better plased. ' says the gineral, says he, 'to takehimself than the Duke iv Willinton, ' says he, 'an' Sir Edward Blakeneyinto the bargain, ' says he. 

'The Duke of Wellinton and Gineral Blakeney, ' says Bonypart, 'is greatfor planning, no doubt, ' says he; 'but Billy Malowney's the boy forACTION, ' says he--'an' action's everything, just now, ' says he. 

So wid that Bonypart pushes up his cocked hat, and begins scratching hishead, and thinning and considherin' for the bare life, and at last sayshe to the gineral:

'Gineral Commandher iv all the Foorces, ' says he, 'I've hot it, ' sayshe: 'ordher out the forlorn hope, ' says he, 'an' give them as muchpowdher, both glazed and blasting, ' says he, 'an' as much bullets doye mind, an' swan-dhrops an' chain-shot, ' says he, 'an' all soorts ivwaipons an' combustables as they can carry; an' let them surround BillMalowney, ' says he, 'an' if they can get any soort iv an advantage, 'says he, 'let them knock him to smithereens, ' says he, 'an' then takehim presner, ' says he; 'an' tell all the bandmen iv the Frinch army, 'says he, 'to play up "Garryowen, " to keep up their sperits, ' says he, 'all the time they're advancin'. An' you may promise them anything youlike in my name, ' says he; for, by my sowl, I don't think its many ivthem 'ill come back to throuble us, ' says he, winkin' at him. 

So away with the gineral, an' he ordhers out the forlorn hope, all'tells the band to play, an' everything else, just as Bonypart desiredhim. An' sure enough, whin Billy Malowney heerd the music where hewas standin' taking a blast of the dhudheen to compose his mind formurdherin' the Frinchmen as usual, being mighty partial to that tuneintirely, he cocks his ear a one side, an' down he stoops to listen tothe music; but, begorra, who should be in his rare all the time but aFrinch grannideer behind a bush, and seeing him stooped in a convanientforum, bedad he let flies at him sthraight, and fired him right forwardbetween the legs an' the small iv the back, glory be to God! with whatthey call (saving your presence) a bum-shell. 

Well, Bill Malowney let one roar out iv him, an' away he rowled over thefield iv battle like a slitther (as Bonypart and the Duke iv Wellington, that was watching the manoeuvres from a distance, both consayved) intoglory. 

An' sure enough the Frinch was overjoyed beyant all bounds, an' smallblame to them--an' the Duke of Wellington, I'm toult, was never all outthe same man sinst. 

At any rate, the news kem home how Billy Malowney was murdhered by theFrinch in furrin parts. 

Well, all this time, you may be sure, there was no want iv boys comin'to coort purty Molly Donovan; but one way ar another, she alwayskept puttin' them off constant. An' though her father and mother wasnathurally anxious to get rid of her respickably, they did not like tomarry her off in spite iv her teeth. 

An' this way, promising one while and puttin' it off another, sheconthrived to get on from one Shrove to another, until near seven yearswas over and gone from the time when Billy Malowney listed for furrinsarvice. 

It was nigh hand a year from the time whin the news iv Leum-a-rinkabein' killed by the Frinch came home, an' in place iv forgettin' him, as the saisins wint over, it's what Molly was growin' paler and morelonesome every day, antil the neighbours thought she was fallin' into adecline; and this is the way it was with her whin the fair of Lisnamoekem round. 

It was a beautiful evenin', just at the time iv the reapin' iv the oats, and the sun was shinin' through the red clouds far away over the hillsiv Cahirmore. 

Her father an' mother, an' the boys an' girls, was all away down in thefair, and Molly Sittin' all alone on the step of the stile, listeningto the foolish little birds whistlin' among the leaves--and the sound ofthe mountain-river flowin' through the stones an' bushes--an' the crowsflyin' home high overhead to the woods iv Glinvarlogh--an' down in theglen, far away, she could see the fair-green iv Lisnamoe in the mist, an' sunshine among the grey rocks and threes--an' the cows an' thehorses, an' the blue frieze, an' the red cloaks, an' the tents, an'the smoke, an' the ould round tower--all as soft an' as sorrowful as adhrame iv ould times. 

An' while she was looking this way, an' thinking iv Leum-a-rinka--poorBill iv the dance, that was sleepin' in his lonesome glory in the fieldsiv Spain--she began to sing the song he used to like so well in the ouldtimes--

 'Shule, shule, shale a-roon;'

an' when she ended the verse, what do you think but she heard a manlyvoice just at the other side iv the hedge, singing the last words overagain!

Well she knew it; her heart flutthered up like a little bird that idbe wounded, and then dhropped still in her breast. It was himself. In aminute he was through the hedge and standing before her. 

'Leum!' says she. 

'Mavourneen cuishla machree!' says he; and without another word theywere locked in one another's arms. 

Well, it id only be nansinse for me thryin' an' tell ye all the foolishthings they said, and how they looked in one another's faces, an'laughed, an' cried, an' laughed again; and how, when they came tothemselves, and she was able at last to believe it was raly Billyhimself that was there, actially holdin' her hand, and lookin' in hereyes the same way as ever, barrin' he was browner and boulder, an' didnot, maybe, look quite as merry in himself as he used to do in formertimes--an' fondher for all, an' more lovin' than ever--how he tould herall about the wars wid the Frinchmen--an' how he was wounded, and leftfor dead in the field iv battle, bein' shot through the breast, and howhe was discharged, an' got a pinsion iv a full shillin' a day--andhow he was come back to liv the rest iv his days in the sweet glen ivLisnamoe, an' (if only SHE'D consint) to marry herself in spite iv themall. 

Well, ye may aisily think they had plinty to talk about, afther sevenyears without once seein' one another; and so signs on, the time flew byas swift an' as pleasant as a bird on the wing, an' the sun wint down, an' the moon shone sweet an' soft instead, an' they two never knew aha'porth about it, but kept talkin' an' whisperin', an' whisperin' an'talkin'; for it's wondherful how often a tinder-hearted girl will bearto hear a purty boy tellin' her the same story constant over an' over;ontil at last, sure enough, they heerd the ould man himself comin' upthe boreen, singin' the 'Colleen Rue'--a thing he never done barrin'whin he had a dhrop in; an' the misthress walkin' in front iv him, an'two illigant Kerry cows he just bought in the fair, an' the sarvint boysdhriving them behind. 

'Oh, blessed hour!' says Molly, 'here's my father. '

'I'll spake to him this minute, ' says Bill. 

'Oh, not for the world, ' says she; 'he's singin' the "Colleen Rue, "'says she, 'and no one dar raison with him, ' says she. 

'An' where 'll I go, thin?' says he, 'for they're into the haggard antop iv us, ' says he, 'an' they'll see me iv I lep through the hedge, 'says he. 

'Thry the pig-sty, ' says she, 'mavourneen, ' says she, 'in the name ivGod, ' says she. 

'Well, darlint, ' says he, 'for your sake, ' says he, 'I'll condescend tothem animals, ' says he. 

An' wid that he makes a dart to get in; bud, begorra, it was toolate--the pigs was all gone home, and the pig-sty was as full as theBurr coach wid six inside. 

'Och! blur-an'-agers, ' says he, 'there is not room for a suckin'-pig, 'says he, 'let alone a Christian, ' says he. 

'Well, run into the house, Billy, ' says she, 'this minute, ' says she, 'an' hide yourself antil they're quiet, ' says she, 'an' thin you cansteal out, ' says she, 'anknownst to them all, ' says she. 

'I'll do your biddin', says he, 'Molly asthore, ' says he. 

'Run in thin, ' says she, 'an' I'll go an' meet them, ' says she. 

So wid that away wid her, and in wint Billy, an' where 'id he hidehimself bud in a little closet that was off iv the room where the ouldman and woman slep'. So he closed the doore, and sot down in an ouldchair he found there convanient. 

Well, he was not well in it when all the rest iv them comes into thekitchen, an' ould Tim Donovan singin' the 'Colleen Rue' for the barelife, an' the rest iv them sthrivin' to humour him, and doin' exactlyeverything he bid them, because they seen he was foolish be the manes ivthe liquor. 

Well, to be sure all this kep' them long enough, you may be sure, fromgoin' to bed, so that Billy could get no manner iv an advantage to getout iv the house, and so he sted sittin' in the dark closet in state, cursin' the 'Colleen Rue, ' and wondherin' to the divil whin they'd getthe ould man into his bed. An', as if that was not delay enough, who should come in to stop for the night but Father O'Flaherty, ofCahirmore, that was buyin' a horse at the fair! An' av course, there wasa bed to be med down for his raverence, an' some other attintions; an' along discoorse himself an' ould Mrs. Donovan had about the slaughter ivBilly Malowney, an' how he was buried on the field iv battle; an' hisraverence hoped he got a dacent funeral, an' all the other convaniencesiv religion. An' so you may suppose it was pretty late in the nightbefore all iv them got to their beds. 

Well, Tim Donovan could not settle to sleep at all at all, an' sohe kep' discoorsin' the wife about the new cows he bought, an' thestripphers he sould, an' so an for better than an hour, ontil from onething to another he kem to talk about the pigs, an' the poulthry; andat last, having nothing betther to discoorse about, he begun at hisdaughter Molly, an' all the heartscald she was to him be raison ivrefusin' the men. An' at last says he:

'I onderstand, ' says he, 'very well how it is, ' says he. 'It's how shewas in love, ' says he, 'wid that bliggard, Billy Malowney, ' says he, 'bad luck to him!' says he; for by this time he was coming to hisraison. 

'Ah!' says the wife, says she, 'Tim darlint, don't be cursin' themthat's dead an' buried, ' says she. 

'An' why would not I, ' says he, 'if they desarve it?' says he. 

'Whisht, ' says she, 'an' listen to that, ' says she. 'In the name of theBlessed Vargin, ' says she, 'what IS it?' says she. 

An' sure enough what was it but Bill Malowney that was dhroppin' asleepin the closet, an' snorin' like a church organ. 

'Is it a pig, ' says he, 'or is it a Christian?'

'Arra! listen to the tune iv it, ' says she; 'sure a pig never done thelike is that, ' says she. 

'Whatever it is, ' says he, 'it's in the room wid us, ' says he. 'The Lordbe marciful to us!' says he. 

'I tould you not to be cursin', ' says she; 'bad luck to you, ' says she, 'for an ommadhaun!' for she was a very religious woman in herself. 

'Sure, he's buried in Spain, ' says he; 'an' it is not for one littleinnocent expression, ' says he, 'he'd be comin' all that a way to annoythe house, ' says he. 

Well, while they war talkin', Bill turns in the way he was sleepin'into an aisier imposture; and as soon as he stopped snorin' ould TimDonovan's courage riz agin, and says he:

'I'll go to the kitchen, ' says he, 'an' light a rish, ' says he. 

An' with that away wid him, an' the wife kep' workin' the beads all thetime, an' before he kem back Bill was snorin' as loud as ever. 

'Oh! bloody wars--I mane the blessed saints about us!--that deadlysound, ' says he; 'it's going on as lively as ever, ' says he. 

'I'm as wake as a rag, ' says his wife, says she, 'wid the fairanasiness, ' says she. 'It's out iv the little closet it's comin, ' saysshe. 

'Say your prayers, ' says he, 'an' hould your tongue, ' says he, 'whileI discoorse it, ' says he. 'An' who are ye, ' says he, 'in the name iv ofall the holy saints?' says he, givin' the door a dab iv a crusheen thatwakened Bill inside. 'I ax, ' says he, 'who are you?' says he. 

Well, Bill did not rightly remember where in the world he was, but hepushed open the door, an' says he:

'Billy Malowney's my name, ' says he, 'an' I'll thank ye to tell me abetther, ' says he. 

Well, whin Tim Donovan heard that, an' actially seen that it was Billhimself that was in it, he had not strength enough to let a bawl out ivhim, but he dhropt the candle out iv his hand, an' down wid himself onhis back in the dark. 

Well, the wife let a screech you'd hear at the mill iv Killraghlin, an'--

'Oh, ' says she, 'the spirit has him, body an' bones!' says she. 'Oh, holy St. Bridget--oh, Mother iv Marcy--oh, Father O'Flaherty!' says she, screechin' murdher from out iv her bed. 

Well, Bill Malowney was not a minute remimberin' himself, an' so out widhim quite an' aisy, an' through the kitchen; bud in place iv the dooriv the house, it's what he kem to the door iv Father O'Flaherty's littleroom, where he was jist wakenin' wid the noise iv the screechin' an'battherin'; an' bedad, Bill makes no more about it, but he jumps, widone boult, clever an' clane into his raverance's bed. 

'What do ye mane, you uncivilised bliggard?' says his raverance. 'Isthat a venerable way, ' says he, 'to approach your clargy?' says he. 

'Hould your tongue, ' says Bill, 'an' I'll do ye no harum, ' says he. 

'Who are you, ye scoundhrel iv the world?' says his raverance. 

'Whisht!' says he? 'I'm Billy Malowney, ' says he. 

'You lie!' says his raverance for he was frightened beyont allbearin'--an' he makes but one jump out iv the bed at the wrong side, where there was only jist a little place in the wall for a press, an' his raverance could not as much as turn in it for the wealth ivkingdoms. 'You lie, ' says he; 'but for feared it's the truth you'retellin', ' says he, 'here's at ye in the name iv all the blessed saintstogether!' says he. 

An' wid that, my dear, he blazes away at him wid a Latin prayer iv thestrongest description, an', as he said himself afterwards, that was iva nature that id dhrive the divil himself up the chimley like a puff ivtobacky smoke, wid his tail betune his legs. 

'Arra, what are ye sthrivin' to say, ' says Bill; says he, 'if ye don'thould your tongue, ' says he, 'wid your parly voo;' says he, 'it's whatI'll put my thumb on your windpipe, ' says he, 'an' Billy Malowney neverwint back iv his word yet, ' says he. 

'Thundher-an-owns, ' says his raverance, says he--seein' the Latin tookno infect on him, at all at all an' screechin' that you'd think he'drise the thatch up iv the house wid the fair fright--'and thundher andblazes, boys, will none iv yes come here wid a candle, but lave yourclargy to be choked by a spirit in the dark?' says he. 

Well, be this time the sarvint boys and the rest iv them wor up an' halfdressed, an' in they all run, one on top iv another, wid pitchforks andspades, thinkin' it was only what his raverence slep' a dhrame iv thelike, by means of the punch he was afther takin' just before he rowl'dhimself into the bed. But, begorra, whin they seen it was raly BillMalowney himself that was in it, it was only who'd be foremost outagin, tumblin' backways, one over another, and his raverence roarin' an'cursin' them like mad for not waitin' for him. 

Well, my dear, it was betther than half an hour before Billy Malowneycould explain to them all how it raly was himself, for begorra they wereall iv them persuadin' him that he was a spirit to that degree it's awondher he did not give in to it, if it was only to put a stop to theargiment. 

Well, his raverence tould the ould people then, there was no use insthrivin' agin the will iv Providence an' the vagaries iv love united;an' whin they kem to undherstand to a sartinty how Billy had a shillin'a day for the rest iv his days, begorra they took rather a likin'to him, and considhered at wanst how he must have riz out of all hisnansinse entirely, or his gracious Majesty id never have condescindedto show him his countenance that way every day of his life, on a silvershillin'. 

An' so, begorra, they never stopt till it was all settled--an' there wasnot sich a weddin' as that in the counthry sinst. It's more than fortyyears ago, an' though I was no more nor a gossoon myself, I remimber itlike yestherday. Molly never looked so purty before, an' Billy Malowneywas plisant beyont all hearin, ' to that degree that half the girls in itwas fairly tarin' mad--only they would not let on--they had not himto themselves in place iv her. An' begorra I'd be afeared to tell ye, because you would not believe me, since that blessid man Father Mathewput an end to all soorts of sociality, the Lord reward him, how manygallons iv pottieen whisky was dhrank upon that most solemn and tindheroccasion. 

Pat Hanlon, the piper, had a faver out iv it; an' Neddy Shawn Heigue, mountin' his horse the wrong way, broke his collarbone, by the manesiv fallin' over his tail while he was feelin' for his head; an' PaytherBrian, the horse-docther, I am tould, was never quite right in the headever afther; an' ould Tim Donovan was singin' the 'Colleen Rue' nightand day for a full week; an' begorra the weddin' was only the foundationiv fun, and the beginning iv divarsion, for there was not a year for tenyears afther, an' more, but brought round a christenin' as regular asthe sasins revarted.