The Black Baronet; or, The Chronicles Of Ballytrain

avows a previo

ore we raise the curtain, which, for the present, excludes us from that scene, to enable the reader to become acquainted with the cause of it. That morning, after breakfast, Sir Thomas Gourlay went to his study, where, as usual, he began to read his letters

may give you the slip. I write this, that you may prevent her from throwing herself away upon an impostor and profligate. I

e approached it from time to time, he could not help being struck by the repulsive expression of his own features. He was a tall, weighty man, of large bones and muscles; his complexion was sallow, on a black ground; his face firm, but angular; and his forehead, which was low, projected a good deal over a pair of b

hich presented itself to him was not such a one as was calculated to diminish the unpopu

same time, he experienced, in its full force, a cold, conventional ambition, which, although without honor, principle, or affection, yet occasioned him to devote all his efforts and energies to her proper establishment in the world. In her early youth, for instance, she had suffered much from delicate health, so much, indeed, that she was more than once on the very verge of death; yet, on no occasion, was he ever known to manifest the slightest parental sorrow for her illness. Society, however, is filled with such fathers, and with too many mothers of a like stamp. So far, however, as Lucy Gourlay was concerned, this proud, unprincipled spirit of the world supplied to her, to a certain extent at least, the possession of that which affection ought to have given. Her education was attended to with the most solicitous anxiety-not in order to furnish her mind with that healthy description of knowledge which strengthens principle and elevates the heart, but that she might become a perfect mis

to expand the heart, and to prompt it to the performance of all those actions that elevate our condition and dignify our nature. Had he experienced anything like such a feeling as this, or even the beautiful instincts of

pacious spirit; and, if ever the demon of envy, especially with respect to the possession of wealth and property, tortured the soul of a human being, it did that of our baronet. His whole spirit, in fact, was dark, mean, and intensely selfish; and for this reason, it was a fearful thing for any one

from time to time, in the looking-glass, was that of his worst and deadliest enemy, so fierce and menacing were the gla

May this communication not be a false one-written to mislead or provoke me? Lucy knows that I am determined she shall marry Lord Dunroe, and I am not aware that she entertains any peculiar object

, when a well-powdered footm

understand that

ne of voice, for it was in such he

study, and stood before him. At the first glance, she saw that something had discomposed hi

rd, and motion of the high-minded and accomplished lady. Indeed, one would imagine that her appearance would have soothed and tranquillized the anger of any parent capable of feeling that glowing and prideful tenderness, with which such an exquisitely beautiful creature was calculated to fill a parent's heart. Lucy Gourlay was a dark beauty-a brunette so richly tinted, that the glow of her cheek was only surpassed by the flashing brilliancy of her large, dark eyes, that seemed, in those glorious manifestations, to kindle with inspiration. Her forehead was eminently intellectual, and her general temperament-Celtic by the mother's side-was

auty of her person, looked at her with a gaze of sternness and inquiry for some moments, b

g discompose

ldom addressed her as Lucy-"and I wish to have so

y s

tory and partly didactic-"I trust you are perfectly sensible that

at are either unreasonable or unjust, or calculated to destroy her

erience, which is only another name for your ignorance of life, renders you incom

!-in what

sense,

n a tone of such coldness, if not of severity? All I ask of you is, that, when you do honor me by an int

ard you, Miss Gourlay, must be r

er failed in obedience

dience prematurely, Lucy-it has

mands that originated in whim, caprice, and selfishness. Even when countenanced, however, by the authority of her other parent, and absolutely urged against compliance with injunctions that were often cruel and oppressive, she preferred, at any risk,

say, that, if severe and trying instances of obedience have been exacted from me, under

y, which is reluctantly give

in my own defence, papa; but I am n

radict me

obedience, if you recollect, was cheerful; for I did not wi

ed that you had only on

as this between you and your daughter-your orphan daughter, and your only child? It

f Cullamore and I had entered into a matrimonial

with the previous rich hue of her complexion, which had been already heightened by the wanton harshness of her father's

mething in this allusion to Lord Dunroe that is painfu

of modesty from the cheek of a daughter, sooner than the fact of her own father purp

make a jest of your ha

is so gross, that his very name is indelicate in the mouth of a modest woman. And is this the man to whom you would unite your only child and daught

what lavish in expenditure-and for the present not very select in the company he keeps; but he is

. That surely, is not a happy argument; for, perhaps, after all, I should, li

er also, that, victim or no victim, I am determined you shall marry him. Yes, you shall marry him," he added, stamping with vehemence, "or be turne

th a graceful inclination of

e of his family, were a brutal temper, and a most scandalous dishonesty in pecuniary transactions, especially in his intercourse with his own tenantry and tradesmen. Of moral obligation he seemed to possess no sense or impression whatever. A single day never occurred in which he was not guilty of some most dishonorable violation of his word to the poor, and those who were dependent on him. Ill-temper therefore toward herself, and the necessity of constantly witnessing a series of vile and unmanly frauds upon a miserable scale, together with her inces

lieve that women, who are naturally vain and fond of display, feel so much alarm at this as they pretend. I never did myself care much about the sex, and seldom had an opportunity of studying their general character, or testing their principles; but still I incline to the opinion, that, where there is not

inn, in order to make secret inquiries after such persons as he might find located in that or the other establishments of the town. At this moment, his daughter once more entered the apartm

der you to your room? Do you return to ba

on the subject of forced and unsuitable matches, I may and I do appeal directly to the experie

me, Miss

other, she was literally dragged by the force of parental authority into a union with you. The consequence was, that her whole life, owing to-to-the unsuitableness of your tempers, and the strongly-contrasted materials which formed your characters, was one of almost unexampled suffering and sorrow. With this example before my eyes, and with the memory of it brooding over and darkening your own heart-yes, papa-my dear papa,

up, as if they had been filled with ink, and, after a few hasty strides through th

ll it-that does not determine me to accomplish my purpose in effecting this union. If your mother was unhappy, the fault lay in her own w

e of her fate. Her face, it is true, had become pale, but it was the palene

mother, when she married you, had no previous engagement; it is

absolutely surprises them out of their natural character. In this manner Sir Thomas Gourlay was affected. Instead of flying into a fresh

him, Miss

, when I can do so with honor. And now, sir, having considered it my duty not to conceal t

d overbearing Sir Thomas Gourlay now felt himself so completely taken aback by her extraordina

t. So far my doubts are cleared up, and I feel perfectly certain that the anonymous information is correct. It now remains for me to fin

ain, with what purpose it is now unnecessary, we