Willy Reilly / The Works of William Carleton, Volume One

egent James, Esq., forgiv

e whatsoever to th

but the commencement

many of his that I wa

f imitat

in which want, destitution, sickness, and famine have never been felt or known, except through the mendacious misrepresentations of her enemies. The road we speak of was a proof of this; for it was evident to every observer that, in some season of superabundant food, the people, not knowing exactly how to dispose of their shilling loaves, took to paving the common roads with them, rather than they should be utterly useless. These loaves, in the course of time, underwent the process of petrifaction, but could not, neverth

the most desolate p

ever, dysentery, and

owded state of the ho

swept away the wret

lect rightly, of so

em in the year

sation. At this time it may be mentioned here that every man that could afford it wore a wig, with the exception of some of those eccentric individuals that are to be found in every state and period of society, and who are remarkable for that peculiar love of singularity which generally constitutes their character-a small and harmless ambition, easily gratified, and involving no injury to their fellow-creatures. The second horseman, therefore, wore a wig, but the other, although he eschewed that ornament, if it can be called so, was by no means a man of that mild and harmless character which we have attributed to the eccentric and unfashionable class of whom we have just spoken. So far from that, he was a man of an obstinate and violent temper, of strong and unreflecting prejudices both for good and evil, hot, p

unnatural contrast between the dying crimson of the west and this fearful mass of impenetrable darkness that came over it. As yet there was no moon, and the portion of light or rather "darkness visible" that feebly appeared on the sky and the landscape, was singularly sombre and impressive, if not actually appalling. The scene about them was wild and desolate in the extreme; and as the faint outlines of the bleak and barren moors appeared in the dim and melancholy

d his servant, whose name was Andrew, or, as

plied his master. "There is not a h

s in the neighborhood, is not, especially at this hour, w

! and do you mean to

duck and wild-fowl shootin', it's hard to say where or when a fellow might star

roads which we have described, being almost without exception in remote and unfrequented parts of the country, are for the most part covered over with a thick sole of close grass, unless where a narrow strip in the centre shows that a pathway is kept worn, and distinctly marked by the tread of foot-passengers. Under all these circumstances, then, our readers need not feel su

is master. "We've got off that damned ol

t sees the fairies and tells fortunes, to tell us that. For heaven's sake, stay where you are,

r a time or place to jest in? A man that would make a jest in

ou and I were dancing 'Jig Polthogue' on it this minute. But, in the

astray, that we're both astray, you snivelling old whelp

his voice, had now approached and joined him; "even if you ar

niveller-what do yo

llin' wild-fowl. They take an oath, sir, before they b

in addition to our other dangers we run th

hat I'd say a single word to frighten you; but still, you know yourself that there's many a man not a hundred mi

the risk we run of falling down precipices, or walking into lakes or quagmires. What'

tell you, that devil a bit of tombstone ever will go over either of us, barrin' the sky in heaven; and for our coffins, let us pray to the coffin-maker, bekaise, you see, it's the maddhu ruah * (the foxes), and ravens, and other civilized an

e fog, and that Cummiskey's master felt the immediate necessity of dismounting,

day's hunting they've had. Poor Fiddler and Piper," he exclaimed, "this has proved a melancholy day to you

, "is it so bad with you as all that comes to? Sure I only thought to amuse you,

nd uttered a loud and piercing whistle, after which

hem another touch that'll make them spake,

hree peculiar shakes or variations, when almost inst

or foes, we have human creatures not far f

is master; "I'll give fifty pounds to any man o

he red Rapparee, that's in it, and I'm afeered it is, for I think I know his whistle. There's not a man in the three baronies could give s

" asked his master: "What w

at all events, to look to our pistols. If there

te, and ever since that unfortunate affair of the priest, I know I am not p

rearms. Show me yours till I settle the powdher i

t I made. She is my heiress-but that she is by the laws of the land. However, as I had disposed of some personal property to other persons, which disposition I have revoked in the will I speak

a guardian angel to you these five years. But why, sir, do you give me this message

pparee should murder me, I don't, wish you to sacrifice your life on my account. Make your escape if h

f the moor much nearer them, and Andy, having handed back

acing to and fro, in order to keep himself from sinking; "cert

, whilst at the same time a strong but bitter wind arose which cleared away the mis

ould have walked and perished, as neither of them knew how to swim. The clearing away of the mist, and the light of the stars (for the moon had not yet risen), enabled the parties to see

t fight for it, I'm afeered, but let us not be rash; there may be a frie

without arms, and it is not improbable they may make a point of taking them from us. I, however, for one, will not trust to their promises, for I know their treachery, as I do their cowardice, when their numbers are but few,

were-in your service, and sooner than any danger should come to you, it will be lost in your d

erful voice when the parties had come

Andrew in a whisper, "it'

he replied, "and h

started, exclaiming, "What, noble Squire, is it possible that this is y

gnity; "keep your distance; you see that I and my servant are both

oportion to the great size of his upper figure. This, however, is generally the case when a man combines in his own person the united qualities of activity and strength. Even at the period we are describing, when this once celebrated character was forty years of age, it was well known that in fleetness of foot there was no man in the province able to compete with him. In athletic exercises that required strength and skill he never had a rival, but one-with whom the reader will soon be made acquainted. He was wrapped loosely in a gray frieze big-coat, or cothamore, as it is called in Irish-wore a hat of two colors, and so pliant in texture that he could at any time turn it inside out. His coat was-as indeed were all his clothes-made upon the time p

such travellers as from their known wealth or external appearance might be supposed worth attacking. They were well-made, active, and athletic men, in whom it would not be easy to recognise any particular character a

s. Well now," he proceeded, "you know I have been many a day and night on the lookout for you; a

gallows, I hope," repl

the charity of the Cooleen Bawn, your lovely daughter, that held my hand. You persecuted my old uncle, the priest, and you would a' hanged him too, for merely marryin' a Protestant and a Catholic together. Well, sir, your fair daughter, and her good mother-that's now in heaven

is unrelenting cruelty whenever he entertained a feeling of vengeance. In his present position, however, all he could do was to stand on his guard; and with this impression strong upon him he resolved to put no confidence in the words of the Rapparee. In a few minutes the

me; I will help yo

eplied Mr. Folliard; "keep back, sir, at your peril;

n is, to use both his hands, as was his servant also, while assisting him. They consequently put up their pistols until they should get

man; had you done so, not a hair of your head would be injured. As it is, I'll give you

ence of his conduct, the country had a good riddance of him. I only wish I could send you after him; perhaps

"think of your daughter, that you will never

ut unless you were a cruel and a heartless ruffian, you would not at th

rayer, say it, for in five minutes' time there will be a bullet through your heart, and in

the head that's on the top of it, though in throth I don't think it's by way of ornament it's there either. Come, come, Randal, my man, this is all feastalagh (nonsense). Yo

a couple of you-for, by all the powers of darkness, they'll both go t

s the hangman yet. Yerra, now, above all words in the alphabet what could put a gallows into your mouth? Faith, Randal, it's about your n

a voice of thunder, "to their knees with them. I'll

them if they dared to disobey him. This sobered them at once, and in less than a minute Mr. Folliard and Andy were placed upon their knees, to await the terrific sentence which was about to be executed on them, in

home without harm, and I shall engage not only to get you a pardon from the Government of the country, but I shall furnish you with money either t

t, at all times. I have neither chick nor child to cry for me. No wife, thank God, to break my heart afther. My conscience is light and airy, like a beggarmans blanket, as they say; and, barrin' that I once got drunk wid your uncle in Moll Flanagan'

e priming of his gun, and was in the act of preparing to perpetrate this most in-human

non lucendo, because scarcely a dozen men could kneel in them. Over this sad ruin was what sportsmen term "a pass" for duck and widgeon, and, aided by the shelter of the building, any persons who stationed themselves there could certa

double murder you are about t

ith a quailing and subdued, yet s

onnel-stain and disgrace to a noble name-begone, you and your ruffians. I know the cause of your enmity against this gentleman; and I tell you now, that if you were as ready to sustain your re

rgy and determination, Mr. Folliard, who, as well as his servant,

s himself, the only man living that the Red