Itwasintheautumnoftheyear17——
thattheeventswhichledtothecatastrophewhichIhavetodetailoccurred。
Ishallrunthroughthesaidrecitalasbrieflyasclearnesswillpermit，andleaveyoutomoralise，ifsuchbeyourmood，uponthestoryofreallife，whichIevennowtraceatthisdistantperiodnotwithoutemotion。
Itwasuponabeautifulautumnevening，atthatgladperiodoftheseasonwhentheharvestyieldsitsabundance，thattwofigureswereseensaunteringalongthebanksofthewindingriver，whichI
describedasboundingthefarmoccupiedbyHeathcote；theyhadbeen，astherodsandlanding-netswhichtheylistlesslycarriedwenttoshow，plyingthegentle，butinthiscasenotaltogethersolitarycraftofthefisherman。Oneofthosepersonswasatallandsingularlyhandsomeyoungman，whosedarkhairandcomplexionmightalmosthavebelongedtoaSpaniard，asmightalsotheproudbutmelancholyexpressionwhichgavetohiscountenanceacharacterwhichcontrastssadly，butnotuninterestingly，withextremeyouth；hisair，ashespokewithhiscompanion，wasmarkedbythatcarelessfamiliaritywhichdenotesaconscioussuperiorityofonekindorother，orwhichmaybeconstruedintoaspeciesofcontempt；hiscomradeaffordedtohimineveryrespectastrikingcontrast。Hewasratherlowinstature——adefectwhichwasenhancedbyabroadandsquare-builtfigure——hisfacewassallow，andhisfeatureshadthatprominenceandsharpnesswhichfrequentlyaccompanypersonaldeformity——aremarkablywidemouth，withteethwhiteasthefangsofawolf，andapairofquick，darkeyes，whoseeffectwasheightenedbytheshadowofaheavyblackbrow，gavetohisfaceapowerofexpression，particularlywhensarcasticormalignantemotionsweretobeexhibited，whichfeaturesregularlyhandsomecouldscarcelyhavepossessed。
’Well，sir，’saidthelatterpersonage，’Ihavelivedinhallandabbey，townandcountry，hereandabroadforfortyyearsandmore，andshouldknowathingortwo，andasIamalivingman，I
swearIthinkthegirllovesyou。’
’Youareafool，Ned，’saidtheyounger。
’Imaybeafool，’repliedthefirstspeaker，’inmatterswheremyownadvantageisstaked，butmyeyeiskeenenoughtoseethroughtheflimsydisguiseofacountrydamselataglance；andI
tellyou，assurelyasIholdthisrod，thegirllovesyou。’
’OhIthisisdownrightheadstrongfolly，’repliedtheyoungfisherman。
’Why，Ned，youtrytopersuademeagainstmyreason，thattheeventwhichismosttobedeprecatedhasactuallyoccurred。Sheis，nodoubt，aprettygirl——abeautifulgirl——butIhavenotlostmyhearttoher；andwhyshouldI
wishhertobeinlovewithme？Tush，man，thedaysofromancearegone，andayounggentlemanmaytalk，andwalk，andlaughwithaprettycountrymaiden，andneverbreatheaspirations，orvows，orsighsaboutthematter；unequalmatchesaremuchoftenerreadofthanmade，andthemanwhocould，eveninthought，conceiveawishagainstthehonourofanunsuspecting，artlessgirl，isavillain，forwhomhangingistoogood。’
Thisconcludingsentencewasutteredwithananimationandexcitement，whichthemereannouncementofanabstractmoralsentimentcouldhardlyaccountfor。
’Youare，then，indifferent，honestlyandinsoberearnest，indifferenttothegirl？’inquiredDwyer。
’Altogetherso，’wasthereply。
’ThenIhavearequesttomake，’
continuedDwyer，’andImayaswellurgeitnowasatanyothertime。Ihavebeenfornearlytwentyyearsthefaithful，andbynomeansuseless，servantofyourfamily；youknowthatIhaverenderedyourfathercriticalandimportantservices——’hepaused，andaddedhastily：
’youarenotinthemood——Itireyou，sir。’
’Nay，’criedO’Mara，’Ilistenpatiently——proceed。’
’Foralltheseservices，andtheywerenot，asIhavesaid，feworvalueless，I
havereceivedlittlemorerewardthanliberalpromises；youhavetoldmeoftenthatthisshouldbemended——I’llmakeiteasilydone——I’mnotunreasonable——I
shouldbecontentedtoholdHeathcote’sground，alongwiththissmallfarmonwhichwestand，asfullquittanceofallobligationsandpromisesbetweenus。’
’ButhowthedevilcanIeffectthatforyou；thisfarm，itistrue，I，ormyfather，rather，mayleasetoyou，butHeathcote’stitlewecannotimpugn；andevenifwecould，youwouldnotexpectustoruinanhonestman，inordertomakewayforYOU，Ned。’
’WhatIam，’repliedDwyer，withthecalmnessofonewhoissoaccustomedtocontemptuousinsinuationsastoreceivethemwithperfectindifference，’istobeattributedtomydevotednesstoyourhonourablefamily——butthatisneitherherenorthere。IdonotaskyoutodisplaceHeathcote，inordertomaderoomforme。Iknowitisoutofyourpowertodoso。Nowhearkentomeforamoment；Heathcote’sproperty，thatwhichhehassetouttotenants，isworth，sayinrents，atmost，onehundredpounds：halfofthisyearlyamountisassignedtoyourfather，untilpaymentbemadeofabondforathousandpounds，withinterestandsoforth。HearmepatientlyforamomentandIhavedone。
NowgoyoutoHeathcote，andtellhimyourfatherwillburnthebond，andcancelthedebt，upononecondition——thatwhenIaminpossessionofthisfarm，whichyoucanleasetomeonwhattermsyouthinksuitable，hewillconveyoverhispropertytome，reservingwhatlife-interestmayappearfair，Iengagingatthesametimetomarryhisdaughter，andmakesuchsettlementsuponherasshallbethoughtfitting——heisnotafool——themanwillclosewiththeoffer。’
O’MaraturnedshortlyuponDwyer，andgazeduponhimforamomentwithanexpressionofalmostunmixedresentment。
’How，’saidheatlength，’YOUcontracttomarryEllenHeathcote？thepoor，innocent，confiding，light-heartedgirl。
No，no，EdwardDwyer，Iknowyoutoowellforthat——yourservices，betheywhattheywill，mustnot，shallnotgounrewarded——
youravariceshallbeappeased——
butnotwithahumansacrifice!Dwyer，Ispeaktoyouwithoutdisguise；youknowmetobeacquaintedwithyourhistory，andwhat’smore，withyourcharacter。Nowtellmefrankly，wereI
todoasyoudesireme，incoolblood，shouldInotprovemyselfamoreuncompromisingandunfeelingvillainthanhumanityeveninitsmostmonstrousshapeshaseveryetgivenbirthto？’
Dwyermetthisimpetuouslanguagewiththeunmovedandimpenetrablecalmnesswhichalwaysmarkedhimwhenexcitementwouldhaveappearedinothers；heevensmiledashereplied：
andDwyer’ssmile，forIhaveseenit，wascharacteristicallyofthatunfortunatekindwhichimplies，asregardstheemotionsofothers，notsympathybutderision。
’ThiseloquencegoestoproveEllenHeathcotesomethingnearertoyourheartthanyourgreatindifferencewouldhaveledmetosuppose。’
Therewassomethinginthetone，perhapsinthetruthoftheinsinuation，whichatoncekindledthequickprideandtheangerofO’Mara，andheinstantlyreplied：
’Besilent，sir，thisisinsolentfolly。’
WhetheritwasthatDwyerwasmorekeenlyinterestedinthesuccessofhissuit，ormoredeeplydisappointedatitsfailurethanhecaredtoexpress，orthathewasinalesscomplacentmoodthanwashiswont，itiscertainthathiscountenanceexpressedmoreemotionatthisdirectinsultthanithadeverexhibitedbeforeundersimilarcircumstances；forhiseyesgleamedforaninstantwithsavageandundisguisedferocityupontheyoungman，andadarkglowcrossedhisbrow，andforthemomenthelookedabouttospringatthethroatofhisinsolentpatron；buttheimpulsewhateveritmightbe，wasquicklysuppressed，andbeforeO’Marahadtimetodetectthescowl，ithadvanished。
’Nay，sir，’saidDwyer，’Imeantnooffence，andIwilltakenone，atyourhandsatleast。IwillconfessIcarenot，inloveandsoforth，asinglebeanforthegirl；shewasthemerechannelthroughwhichherfather’swealth，ifsuchapittancedeservesthename，wastohaveflowedintomypossession——’twasinrespectofyourfamilyfinancesthemosteconomicalprovisionformyselfwhichIcoulddevise——amatterinwhichyou，notI，areinterested。
Asforwomen，theyareallprettymuchaliketome。Iamtoooldmyselftomakenicedistinctions，andtoouglytosucceedbyCupid’sarts；andwhenamandespairsofsuccess，hesoonceasestocareforit。So，ifyouknowme，asyouprofesstodo，restsatisfied“caeterisparibus；“themoneypartofthetransactionbeingequallyadvantageous，IshouldregretthelossofEllenHeathcotejustaslittleasIshouldtheescapeofaminnowfrommylanding-net。’
Theywalkedonforafewminutesinsilence，whichwasnotbrokentillDwyer，whohadclimbedastileinordertopassalowstonewallwhichlayintheirway，exclaimed：
’Bytherood，she’shere——howlikeaphilosopheryoulook。“
TheconsciousbloodmountedtoO’Mara’scheek；hecrossedthestile，and，separatedfromhimonlybyaslightfenceandagate，stoodthesubjectoftheirrecentandsomewhatangrydiscussion。
’Godsaveyou，MissHeathcote，’criedDwyer，approachingthegate。
Thesalutationwascheerfullyreturned，andbeforeanythingmorecouldpass，O’Marahadjoinedtheparty。
Myfriend，thatyoumayunderstandthestrengthanddepthofthoseimpetuouspassions，thatyoumayaccountforthefatalinfatuationwhichledtothecatastrophewhichIhavetorelate，Imusttellyou，thatthoughIhaveseenthebeautiesofcitiesandofcourts，withallthesplendourofstudiedornamentaboutthemtoenhancetheirgraces，possessingcharmswhichhadmadethemknownalmostthroughouttheworld，andworshippedwiththeincenseofathousandvotaries，yetnever，nowheredidIbeholdabeingofsuchexquisiteandtouchingbeauty，asthatpossessedbythecreatureofwhomI
havejustspoken。AtthemomentofwhichIwrite，shewasstandingnearthegate，closetowhichseveralbrown-armed，rosy-cheekeddamselswereengagedinmilkingthepeacefulcows，whostoodpicturesquelygroupedtogether。ShehadjustthrownbackthehoodwhichisthegracefulcharacteristicoftheIrishgirl’sattire，sothathersmallandclassicheadwasquiteuncovered，saveonlybythedark-
brownhair，whichwithgracefulsimplicitywaspartedaboveherforehead。Therewasnothingtoshadetheclearnessofherbeautifulcomplexion；thedelicately-formedfeatures，soexquisitewhentakensingly，soindescribablewhencombined，sopurelyartless，yetsomeetforallexpression。Shewasathingsoverybeautiful，youcouldnotlookonherwithoutfeelingyourhearttouchedasbysweetmusic。Whoselightestactionwasagrace——whoselightestwordaspell——nolimner’sart，thoughne’ersoperfect，couldshadowforthherbeauty；
anddoIdarewithfeeblewordstrytomakeyouseeit？[1]Providenceisindeednorespecterofpersons，itsblessingsanditsinflictionsareapportionedwithanundistinguishinghand，anduntiltheraceisover，andlifebedone，nonecanknowwhetherthoseperfections，whichseemeditsgoodliestgifts，manynotproveitsmostfatal；butenoughofthis。
[1]FatherPurcellseemstohavehadanadmirationforthebeautiesofnature，particularlyasdevelopedinthefairsex；ahabitofmindwhichhasbeenratherimproveduponthandiscontinuedbyhissuccessorsfromMaynooth——ED，Dwyerstrolledcarelesslyonwardbythebanksofthestream，leavinghisyoungcompanionleaningoverthegateincloseandinterestingparlancewithEllenHeathcote；ashemovedon，hehalfthought，halfutteredwordstothiseffect：
’Insolentyoungspawnofingratitudeandguilt，howlongmustIsubmittobetroduponthus；andyetwhyshouldI
murmur——hisdayisevennowdeclining——
andifIliveayear，Ishallseethedarknesscoverhimandhisforever。Scarcehalfhisbroadestatesshallsavehim——butImustwait——Iambutapaupernow——abeggar’saccusationisalwaysalibel——theymustrewardmesoon——andwereI
independentonce，I’dmakethemfeelmypower，andfeelitSO，thatIshoulddietherichestorthebestavengedservantofagreatmanthathaseverbeenheardof——
yes，Imustwait——Imustmakesureofsomethingatleast——Imustbeabletostandbymyself——andthen——andthen——’
Heclutchedhisfingerstogether，asifintheactofstranglingtheobjectofhishatred。’Butonethingshallsavehim——
butonethingonly——heshallpaymemyownprice——andifheactsliberally，asnodoubthewilldo，uponcompulsion，whyhesaveshisreputation——perhapshisneck——theinsolentyoungwhelpyonderwouldspeakinanhumblerkeyifhebutknewhisfather’sjeopardy——butallingoodtime。’