The Purcell Papers

e Legacy of the late Francis

he insecurity and the caution of the Cromwellite settlers who erected them. At the time of which I speak, this building was tenanted by an elderly man, whose starch and puritanic mien and manners might have become the morose preaching parliamentarian captain, who had raised the house and ru

on that account altogether solitary, for he had a daughter, whose age was now sufficiently ad

on with those of a decidedly inferior rank, while it is not sufficient to entitle its possessors to the society of established gentility, among whom the nearest residents were the O'Maras of Carrigvara

eaving at the castle, his son young O'Mara, and a kind of humble companion, named Edward Dwyer, who, if report belied him not, had

red. I shall run through the said recital as briefly as clearness will permit, and leave you to moralise, if su

plexion might almost have belonged to a Spaniard, as might also the proud but melancholy expression which gave to his countenance a character which contrasts sadly, but not uninterestingly, with extreme youth; his air, as he spoke with his companion, was marked by that careless familiarity which denotes a conscious superiority of one kind or other, or which may be construed into a species of contempt; his comrade afforded to him in every respect a striking contrast. He was rather low in stature - a defect wh

wn and country, here and abroad for forty years and more, and should know a

ol, Ned,' sai

staked, but my eye is keen enough to see through the flimsy disguise of a country da

rl - but I have not lost my heart to her; and why should I wish her to be in love with me? Tush, man, the days of romance are gone, and a young gentleman may talk, and walk, and laugh with a pretty country maiden, and never breathe aspiration

ion and excitement, which the mere announcement of

stly and in sober earnest, indiff

r so,' was

nearly twenty years the faithful, and by no means useless, servant of your family; you know that I have rendered your

ra, 'I listen pat

es; you have told me often that this should be mended - I'll make it easily done - I'm not unreasonable - I should be contented to h

rather, may lease to you, but Heathcote's title we cannot impugn; and even if we cou

oment; Heathcote's property, that which he has set out to tenants, is worth, say in rents, at most, one hundred pounds: half of this yearly amount is assigned to your father, until payment be made of a bond for a thousand pounds, with interest and soforth. Hear me patiently for a moment and I have done. Now go you to Heathcote, and tell him your father will burn the bond, and cancel th

gazed upon him for a moment with an ex

t, shall not go unrewarded - your avarice shall be appeased - but not with a human sacrifice! Dwyer, I speak to you without disguise; you know me to be acquainted with your history, and what's more, with your charact

nt would have appeared in others; he even smiled as he replied: (and Dwyer's smile, for I have seen it, was charac

something nearer to your heart than your gre

of the insinuation, which at once kindled the quick pr

ir, this is i

his countenance expressed more emotion at this direct insult than it had ever exhibited before under similar circumstances; for his eyes gleamed for an instant with savage and undisguised ferocity upon the young man, and a dark g

twas in respect of your family finances the most economical provision for myself which I could devise - a matter in which you, not I, are interested. As for women, they are all pretty much alike to me. I am too old myself to make nice distinctions, and too ugly to succeed by Cupid's arts; and when a man

ot broken till Dwyer, who had climbed a stile in order t

here - how like a ph

ile, and, separated from him only by a slight fence and a gate,

athcote,' cried Dwyer,

ned, and before anything more could

which I write, she was standing near the gate, close to which several brown-armed, rosy-cheeked damsels were engaged in milking the peaceful cows, who stood picturesquely grouped together. She had just thrown back the hood which is the graceful characteristic of the Irish girl's attire, so that her small and classic head was quite uncovered, save only by the dark-brown hair, which with graceful simplicity was parted above her forehead. There was nothing to shade the clearness of her beautiful complexion; the delicately-formed features, so exquisite when taken singly, so indescribable when combined, so purely artless, yet so

particularly as developed in the fair sex; a habit of mind which has been r

companion leaning over the gate in close and interesting parlance with Ellen

must reward me soon - and were I independent once, I'd make them feel my power, and feel it SO, that I should die the richest or the best avenged servant of a great man that has ever been heard of - yes, I must wait - I must make sure of something at least - I must be able to stand by myself - and then - and then -' He clutched his fingers together, as if in the a

family mansion of the O'Maras; he looked back in the direction in which he had left his companion, a

ning favour, of doing service, which shall bind him to me; yes, he shall

nue and was soon l

rce twelve hours elapsed in which some of those accidents, which invariably bring lovers together, did n

clare his love, and had all but yielded himself up to the passionate impulse, upon his arrival at hom

chard

, 17 - L--

DEAR

uated neglect on your part, "quem perdere vult deus prius dementat:" how comes it that you have neglected to write to Lady Emily or any of that family? the understood relation subsisting between you is one of extreme delicacy, and which calls for marked and courteous, nay, devoted attention upon your side. Lord -- is already offended; beware what you do; for as you will find, if this match be lost by your fault or folly, by -- I will cut you off with a

e well-wishe

ARD O

directed to Dwyer, and containing a cheque

any wild scheme at present: I am uneasy about him, and not wit

O'MA

t, and then fixed his eyes upon the face of his companion, who sat opposite, utterly absorbed in the perusal of his father's letter, which he rea

of honour, passed between us. My father has no right to pledge me, even though I told him I liked the girl, and would wish the match. 'Tis not enough that my father offers her my heart and hand; he has no right to do it; a

ten minutes might have passed before he spoke again. When he did, it was in the

I never dreamed till now how fervently, how irrevocably, I am hers - how dead to me all other interests are. Dwyer, I know something of your disposition, and you no doubt think it s

rust. I have no possible motive to induce me to betray you; on the contrary, I would gladly assi

country to-morrow, cost what pain it may, for England. I will at once break off the proposed alliance with Lady Emily, and will wait until I am my own master, to open my heart to Ellen. My father may say and do what he likes; but his passion will not last. He w

peared inexpedient to Dwyer, and he determined n

ady Emily and to her family in her person; therefore you must not break off the understood contract which subsists between you by any formal act - hear me out patiently. You must let Lady Emily perceive, as you easily may, without rudeness or even coldness of manner, that she is perfectly indifferent to you; and when she understands this to b

ra, 'I will hear y

your part; your father has committed HIMSELF, not YOU, to Lord --. Before a real contract can subsist, you must be an assenting party to it. I

ave said; in the meantime, I will write to my father to

as to commit yourself as completely as if you had been thrice called with her in the parish church. No, no; keep to this side of the Channel as long as you decently can. Besides, your sudden departure must appear suspicious, and will probably excite inquiry. Every good end likely to be accomplished by your absence will be effected as well by your departure for

of Ellen Heathcote, appeared peculiarly cogent and convincing; however this may have been, it is certain that he followed the counsel of his cool-headed follower, who retired that night to bed with the pleasing convicti

in his fate by pledge or promise, until he had extricated himself from those trammels which constrained and embarrassed all his actions. His determination was so far prudent; but, alas! he also resolved that it was but right, bu

ommit myself? It is possible the girl may not care for me. No, no; I need not shrink from this interview. I have no reason to doubt my firmness - none - none. I must cease to

ing his intention of departing speedily for England; the other to Lady Emily, containing a cold but courteous apology for his ap

monly called a dance (the expenses attendant upon which, music, etc., are defrayed by a subscription of one halfpenny each), and having drawn her mantle closely about her, was proceeding with quick steps to traverse

ll

aster Richard

loak which had conc

have been watching for you.

to withdraw it; for she was too artless to

h prudence had marked out; 'Ellen, I am going to leave the country; going to-morro

and she w

d, when I am far away, have something to look at which belonged to you. Wi

ich in simple fashion hung by her side, and detached one of the long and

twice he attempted to spea

am away - will you sometimes r

est beauty that ever trod a court; but the effort was useless; the honest struggle wa

the cold, passive hand, which had been resigned to him, prudence, caution, doubts, resolutions, all vanished from his view, and melted into

his story events foll

d time to take any active measures for the recovery of his child, and put him in possession of a document which appeared to contain satisfactory evidence of the marriage of Ellen Heathcote with Richard O'Mara, executed upon the evening previous, as the date went to show; and signed by both parties, as we

known identity of the Franciscan, satisfied Heathcote as fully as anything short

it should reach Colonel O'Mara's ears, an event which would have been attended with ruinous consequences to all parties. He refused, als

ease, almost to dazzle him, in the event, that he accepted the terms which Dwyer imposed upon him without any f

n; and in short, his conduct was such as to induce Colonel O'Mara to hasten his return to Ireland, and at the same time to press a

arrangement, and requiring his attendance in Du

ak off his embarrassing connection with Lady Emily, without, however, stating the real motive, which h

in an engagement which it was impossible for him to fulfil. He knew that Lady Emily was not capable of anything lik

without some appearance of justice, as nothing more than a kind of understood stipulation, entered into by their parents, and to be considered rather a

what at a distance appeared to be a matter of easy accomplishment, now, upon a nearer approach, and when the immediate impulse which had prompted t

he danger which the secrecy of his connection with her must incur by his communicating with her, even through a public office, where t

en one day, tempted by the unusual fineness of the weather, Lady Emily proposed a walk in the College Park, a favourite promenade at that time. She therefore with young O'Mara,

es, 'you are becoming worse and worse every day. You are growing absolutely intol

denly and painfully arrested, by the appearance of two figures, who were slowly passing the broad walk on w

- of an immediate and violent collision with a young man whom he had ever regarded a

ught he. 'What devil ca

nificant glance with O'Mara,

have a word to say to Captain N- - and will,

s in a few moments beside the object

peared in good spirits; and on coming up to his sister and her companion, he joined them for a moment, telling O'Mara, laughingly, that an old quiz

prevent O'Mara's betraying the extreme agitation to which his situation gave ris

as obliged to leave the Park in less than half an hour a

escorted the lady to the door of Colonel O'Mara's h

Dwyer had nothing to communicate of a satisfactory nature. He had only time, while

existence: everything will b

lied: 'Never fear me; I u

ecture whether he intended or not to act upon Dwyer's exhortation. The c

st, and had taken this decisive step in order to prevent, by a disclosure of the circumstances of his clandestine union with Ellen, the possibility of his completing a guilty alliance with Captain N--'s sister. If he entertained the

e meal, they talked over their plans and conjectures. Evening closed in, and found them still closeted t

tain his place of residence, in order to procuring a full and explanatory interview with him. They had each filled their last glass, and were sipping it slowly, seated with their feet stretched towards a bright cheerful

ent I have passed since my departure from the country has been one of embarrassment, of pain, of humiliation. To-morrow I will brave the storm, whether successfully or not is doubtful; but I had rather walk the high roads a beggar, than submit a day longer to be made the degraded sport of every accident - the mi

y ascending the tavern staircase. The room door opened, and Captain

tain N-- recognised his person, an evident and ominous change passed over his countenance. He turned h

engaged, sir,'

m, sir,' was h

the waiter, probably believing that h

ed him headlong into the passage, and flung the door to with a crash that shook the walls. 'Sir,' continued he, addressing h

is sword, and placed himse

ed, wronged you. I have given you just cause for resen

ter and swindler IS. You are a contemptible dastard - a despicable, damned villain! Draw your s

eer, 'the gentleman can do better wit

aptain, 'his wife -

blood be upon your own head.' At the same time he sprang across a bench which stood in his way, and pushing aside the

possessed far more skill in the use of the fatal weapon which they employe

the forehead, which, though little more than a scratc

ind; and this knowledge will prevent their being surprised when I say, that, spite of O'Mara's superior skill and practice, his

tted the room along with his companion, leaving Dwy

ng room, where he was laid upon a bed, in a state bordering upon insensibility - the blood flowing, I might say WELLING, from t

loss of time. He did so; but human succour and support were all too late. The wound had been truly dealt - the tide of life had ebbed; and his father

m, I do believe, and that upon evidence so clear as to amount almost to demonstration, that Heathcote's visit to Dublin - his betrayal of

a's conduct, and expresses a conviction that if some of Lady Emily's family be not informed of O'Mara's real situation, nothing could prevent his concluding with her an advantageous alliance, then upon the ta

t injunction of secrecy, asserting that if it were ascertained that such an epistle had be

h minds as Dwyer's, seldom overcomes the sense of interest, the only intelligible motive which could have prompted him to such an act was the hope that since he had, through young O'Mara's interest, procured from the colonel a lease of a small farm upon the terms which he had originally stipulated, he might prosecute his plan touching the property of M

s child had in it more of selfishness than of any generous feeling. But, be this as it may, the melancholy circumstances connected with Ellen Heathcote had reached him, and his conduct towards her proved, more

for her situation; and having ascertained where his son had placed her, he issued strict orders that she should not be disturbed, and that the fatal tidin

bts, of harassing suspense, would have been spared her, and the first tempestuous burst of sorrow having passed over, her chastened spirit might have recovered its tone, and her life have been spared. But the mistaken kindness which concealed from her

shelterless country affords, stretching my chilled limbs to meet the genial influence, and imbibing the warmth at every pore, whe

pying a peculiarly secluded position among the bleak and heathy hills which varied the surface of that not altogether uninteresting district, and wh

deeply distressed lady such comforts as an afflicted mind can

story we are following; and feeling a keen interest in her fate - as who that had ever seen her DID NOT? - I started from my co

at length traversing the brow of a wild and rocky hill, whose aspect seemed so barren and forbidding that it might have been a lasting barrier alike to mortal sight and step, the lonely building became visible, lying in a kind of swampy flat, with

all of loose stones, and making a sudden wheel we found ourselves in a small quadrangle, surmounted on two sides by di

attention held my horse's bridle while I got down; and knocking at the door with the handle of his whip, it was speedily opened by a neatly-dressed female domestic, and I was admitted to the

me further to wait for a few minutes longer, intimating that the lady's grief was so violent, that without great effort she could not bring herself to speak calmly at all. As if to beguile the time, the good dame went on in a highly communicative strain to te

's name?' said

as affected, knowing that my doubts respecting the identity of the person whom I had come to visit must soon be set at rest, and after a little pause the worthy Abigail went on as fluently as ever. She told me that her young mistress had been, for

king me a little aside, and speaking in a whisper, she told me, as I valued the life of the poor lady, not to say one word of the death

and, preceded by my conductress, I entered a

room; but owing to the obscurity of the apartment, and to the circumstance that her face, as she looked towards the door, was tu

aid the same low, mournful voice

remember you very well. Speak to me frankly - speak to me as a frie

d, sir, to those - to tho

the momentary weakness, she continued, in a subdued but firm tone, to tell me briefly the circumstances of

any way - by adv

ok at him? - an ignorant, poor, country girl - and he so high and great, and so beautiful. The blame was all mine - it was all my fault; I could not think or hope he would care for me more than a little time. Well, sir, I thought over and over again that since his love was gone from me for ever, I should not stand in his way, and hinder whatever great thing his family wished for him. So I tho

took out a letter, which she opened.

ASTER R

places, and among the great friends where you must be. You ought, therefore, to break the marriage, and I will sign whatever YOU wish, or your family. I will never try to blame you,

e poor girl's grief, a full disclosure of what had happened would, on t

was never unfaithful to you; he is now w

gave place to a paleness so deadly, that I almos

dead, then?' sa

narration. She then arose, and going to the bedside, she drew the curtain and gazed silently and fixedly on the quiet face of the child: but the feelings which swell

from my eyes. I said what little I could to calm her - to have sought to do more would have been a mockery; and obser

elt a reluctance to trespass upon the precincts of my brother minister, and a certain degree of hesitation in intruding upon one w

ry much worse in health, and that since the death of the child she had been sinking fast, and so weak that she had been chiefly confined to h

me to the death-bed of her whom I had then attended. With all celerity I made my preparations, and, not without considerable difficulty and som

more. I leant over the lifeless face, and scanned the beautiful features which, living, had wrought such magic on all that looked upon them. They were, indeed, much wasted; but it was impossible for the fingers of death or of decay altogether to ob

Lodge at the dead of night, and had been conducted with the

asily impressionable. The selfish and the hard-hearted survive where nobler, mo

nel O'Mara; but after his death he disposed of his interest in these, and having for a time launched int

in the character of an informer; and I myself have seen the hoary-headed, paralytic perjurer, with a scowl