Henowstooduponthelong，steep，narrowbridge，whichcrossedtheriverclosetoCarrigvarah，thefamilymansionoftheO’Maras；helookedbackinthedirectioninwhichhehadlefthiscompanion，andleaninguponthebattlement，heruminatedlongandmoodily。Atlengthheraisedhimselfandsaid：
’Helovesthegirl，andWILLlovehermore——Ihaveanopportunityofwinningfavour，ofdoingservice，whichshallbindhimtome；yes，heshallhavethegirl，ifIhavearttocompassthematter。Imustthinkuponit。’
Heenteredtheavenueandwassoonlostinthedistance。
Daysandweekspassedon，andyoungO’Maradailytookhisrodandnet，andrambleduptheriver；andscarcetwelvehourselapsedinwhichsomeofthoseaccidents，whichinvariablybringloverstogether，didnotsecurehimameetingoflongerorshorterduration，withthebeautifulgirlwhomhesofatallyloved。
Oneevening，afteralonginterviewwithher，inwhichhehadbeenalmostirresistiblypromptedtodeclarehislove，andhadallbutyieldedhimselfuptothepassionateimpulse，uponhisarrivalathomehefoundaletteronthetableawaitinghisreturn；itwasfromhisfathertothefollowingeffect：
’ToRichardO’Mara。
’September，17——，L——m，England。
’MYDEARSON，——
’Ihavejusthadasevereattackofmyoldandalmostforgottenenemy，thegout。ThisIregardasagoodsign；thedoctorstellingmethatitisthesafestdevelopmentofpeccanthumours；andI
thinkmychestislesstormentingandoppressedthanIhaveknownitforsomeyears。Mychiefreasonforwritingtoyounow，asIdoitnotwithoutdifficulty，istoletyouknowmypleasureincertainmatters，inwhichIsuspectsomeshameful，and，indeed，infatuatedneglectonyourpart，“quemperderevultdeuspriusdementat：“howcomesitthatyouhaveneglectedtowritetoLadyEmilyoranyofthatfamily？theunderstoodrelationsubsistingbetweenyouisoneofextremedelicacy，andwhichcallsformarkedandcourteous，nay，devotedattentionuponyourside。Lord——isalreadyoffended；
bewarewhatyoudo；forasyouwillfind，ifthismatchbelostbyyourfaultorfolly，by——Iwillcutyouoffwithashilling。
IamnotinthehabitofusingthreatswhenIdonotmeantofulfilthem，andthatyouwellknow；howeverIdonotthinkyouhavemuchrealcauseforalarminthiscase。LadyEmily，who，bytheway，looksifpossiblemorecharmingthanever，isanythingbuthard-hearted，atleastwhenYOUsolicit；butdoasIdesire，andlosenotimeinmakingwhatexcuseyoumay，andletmehearfromyouwhenyoucanfixatimetojoinmeandyourmotherhere。
’Yoursincerewell-wisherandfather，’RICHARDO’MARA。’
Inthisletterwasinclosedasmallerone，directedtoDwyer，andcontainingachequefortwelvepounds，withthefollowingwords：
’Makeuseoftheenclosed，andletmehearifRichardisuponanywildschemeatpresent：Iamuneasyabouthim，andnotwithoutreason；reporttomespeedilytheresultofyourvigilance。
’R。O’MARA。’
Dwyerjustglancedthroughthisbrief，butnotunwelcome，epistle；anddepositeditanditscontentsinthesecretrecessesofhisbreechespocket，andthenfixedhiseyesuponthefaceofhiscompanion，whosatopposite，utterlyabsorbedintheperusalofhisfather’sletter，whichhereadagainandagain，pausingandmutteringbetweenwhiles，andapparentlylostinnoverypleasingreflections。Atlengthheveryabruptlyexclaimed：
’Adelicateepistle，truly——andapolitic——wouldthatmytonguehadbeenburnedthroughbeforeIassentedtothatdoubly-
cursedcontract。Why，Iamnotpledgedyet——Iamnot；thereisneitherwriting，nortroth，norwordofhonour，passedbetweenus。Myfatherhasnorighttopledgeme，eventhoughItoldhimIlikedthegirl，andwouldwishthematch。’Tisnotenoughthatmyfatheroffershermyheartandhand；hehasnorighttodoit；
adelicatewomanwouldnotacceptprofessionsmadebyproxy。LadyEmily!LadyEmily!withallthetawdryfrippery，andfineryofdressanddemeanour——compareHERwith——Pshaw!Ridiculous!Howblind，howidioticIhavebeen。’
Herelapsedintomoodyreflections，whichDwyerdidnotcaretodisturb，andsometenminutesmighthavepassedbeforehespokeagain。Whenhedid，itwasinthecalmtoneofonewhohasirrevocablyresolveduponsomedecidedandimportantact。
’Dwyer，’hesaid，risingandapproachingthatperson，’whatevergodordemontoldyou，evenbeforemyownheartknewit，thatIlovedEllenHeathcote，spoketruth。
Ilovehermadly——Ineverdreamedtillnowhowfervently，howirrevocably，Iamhers——howdeadtomeallotherinterestsare。Dwyer，Iknowsomethingofyourdisposition，andyounodoubtthinkitstrangethatIshouldtelltoyou，ofallpersons，SUCHasecret；butwhateverbeyourfaults，Ithinkyouareattachedtoourfamily。Iamsatisfiedyouwillnotbetrayme。Iknow——’
’Pardonme，’saidDwyer，’ifIsaythatgreatprofessionsofconfidencetoofrequentlymarkdistrust。Ihavenopossiblemotivetoinducemetobetrayyou；onthecontrary，Iwouldgladlyassistanddirectwhateverplansyoumayhaveformed。
Commandmeasyouplease；Ihavesaidenough。’
’Iwillnotdoubtyou，Dwyer，’saidO’Mara；’Ihavetakenmyresolution——I
have，Ithink，firmnesstoactuptoit。TomarryEllenHeathcote，situatedasIam，weremadness；toproposeanythingelsewereworse，werevillainynottobenamed。
Iwillleavethecountryto-morrow，costwhatpainitmay，forEngland。IwillatoncebreakofftheproposedalliancewithLadyEmily，andwillwaituntilIammyownmaster，toopenmyhearttoEllen。
Myfathermaysayanddowhathelikes；
buthispassionwillnotlast。Hewillforgiveme；andevenwerehetodisinheritme，ashethreatens，thereissomepropertywhichmustdescendtome，whichhiswillcannotaffect。Hecannotruinmyinterests；heSHALLNOTruinmyhappiness。
Dwyer，givemepenandink；Iwillwritethismoment。’
ThisboldplanofproceedingformanyreasonsappearedinexpedienttoDwyer，andhedeterminednottoconsenttoitsadoptionwithoutastruggle。
’Icommendyourprudence，’saidhe，’indeterminingtoremoveyourselffromthefascinatinginfluencewhichhassolongboundyouhere；butbewareofoffendingyourfather。ColonelO’Maraisnotamantoforgiveanactofdeliberatedisobedience，andsurelyyouarenotmadenoughtoruinyourselfwithhimbyofferinganout-
rageousinsulttoLadyEmilyandtoherfamilyinherperson；thereforeyoumustnotbreakofftheunderstoodcontractwhichsubsistsbetweenyoubyanyformalact——
hearmeoutpatiently。YoumustletLadyEmilyperceive，asyoueasilymay，withoutrudenessorevencoldnessofmanner，thatsheisperfectlyindifferenttoyou；andwhensheunderstandsthistobethecase，itshepossesseseitherdelicacyorspirit，shewillherselfbreakofftheengagement。
Makewhatdelayitispossibletoeffect；
itisverypossiblethatyourfather，whocannot，inallprobability，livemanymonths，maynotliveasmanydaysifharassedandexcitedbysuchscenesasyourbreakingoffyourengagementmustproduce。’
’Dwyer，’saidO’Mara，’Iwillhearyouout——proceed。’
’Besides，sir，remember，’hecontinued，’theunderstandingwhichwehavetermedanengagementwasenteredintowithoutanydirectsanctionuponyourpart；yourfatherhascommittedHIMSELF，notYOU，toLord。Beforearealcontractcansubsist，youmustbeanassentingpartytoit。Iknowofnocasuistrysubtleenoughtoinvolveyouinanyengagementwhatever，withoutsuchaningredient。Tush!
youhaveaneasycardtoplay。’
’Well，’saidtheyoungman，’Iwillthinkonwhatyouhavesaid；inthemeantime，Iwillwritetomyfathertoannouncemyimmediatedeparture，inordertojoinhim。’
’Excuseme，’saidDwyer，’butIwouldsuggestthatbyhasteningyourdepartureyoubutbringyourdangersnearer。Whileyouareinthiscountryaletternowandthenkeepseverythingquiet；butonceacrosstheChannelandwiththecolonel，youmusteitherquarrelwithhimtoyourowndestruction，oryoumustdanceattendanceuponLadyEmilywithsuchassiduityastocommityourselfascompletelyasifyouhadbeenthricecalledwithherintheparishchurch。No，no；keeptothissideoftheChannelaslongasyoudecentlycan。Besides，yoursuddendeparturemustappearsuspicious，andwillprobablyexciteinquiry。EverygoodendlikelytobeaccomplishedbyyourabsencewillbeeffectedaswellbyyourdepartureforDublin，whereyoumayremainforthreeweeksoramonthwithoutgivingrisetocuriosityordoubtofanunpleasantkind；
Iwouldthereforeadviseyoustronglytowriteimmediatelytothecolonel，statingthatbusinesshasoccurredtodeferyourdepartureforamonth，andyoucanthenleavethisplace，ifyouthinkfit，immediately，thatis，withinaweekorso。’
YoungO’Marawasnothardtobepersuaded。
Perhapsitwasthat，unacknowledgedbyhimself，anyargumentwhichrecommendedhisstaying，evenforanhourlongerthanhisfirstdecisionhadannounced，intheneighbourhoodofEllenHeathcote，appearedpeculiarlycogentandconvincing；howeverthismayhavebeen，itiscertainthathefollowedthecounselofhiscool-headedfollower，whoretiredthatnighttobedwiththepleasingconvictionthathewaslikelysoontoinvolvehisyoungpatroninalltheintricaciesofdisguiseandintrigue——aconsummationwhichwouldleavehimtotallyatthemercyofthefavouredconfidantwhoshouldpossesshissecret。
YoungO’Mara’sreflectionsweremoreagitatingandlesssatisfactorythanthoseofhiscompanion。Heresolveduponleavingthecountrybeforetwodayshadpassed。HefeltthathecouldnotfairlyseektoinvolveEllenHeathcoteinhisfatebypledgeorpromise，untilhehadextricatedhimselffromthosetrammelswhichconstrainedandembarrassedallhisactions。Hisdeterminationwassofarprudent；but，alas!healsoresolvedthatitwasbutright，butnecessary，thatheshouldseeherbeforehisdeparture。Hisleavingthecountrywithoutalookorawordofpartingkindnessinterchanged，musttoherappearanactofcoldandheartlesscaprice；hecouldnotbearthethought。
’No，’saidhe，’Iamnotchildenoughtosaymorethanprudencetellsmeoughttosay；thiscowardlydistrustofmyfirmnessIshouldandwillcontemn。
Besides，whyshouldIcommitmyself？Itispossiblethegirlmaynotcareforme。No，no；Ineednotshrinkfromthisinterview。
Ihavenoreasontodoubtmyfirmness——
none——none。Imustceasetobegovernedbyimpulse。Iaminvolvedinrocksandquicksands；andacollectedspirit，aquickeye，andasteadyhand，alonecanpilotmethrough。Godgrantmeasafevoyage!’
Thenextdaycame，andyoungO’Maradidnottakehisfishing-rodasusual，butwrotetwoletters；theonetohisfather，announcinghisintentionofdepartingspeedilyforEngland；theothertoLadyEmily，containingacoldbutcourteousapologyforhisapparentneglect。Boththeseweredespatchedtothepost-officethatevening，anduponthenextmorninghewastoleavethecountry。
Uponthenightofthemomentousdayofwhichwehavejustspoken，EllenHeathcoteglidedsilentlyandunperceivedfromamongthebusycrowdswhowereengagedinthegaydissipationfurnishedbywhatisinIrelandcommonlycalledadancetheexpensesattendantuponwhich，music，etc。，aredefrayedbyasubscriptionofonehalfpennyeach，andhavingdrawnhermantlecloselyabouther，wasproceedingwithquickstepstotraversethesmallfieldwhichseparatedherfromherfather’sabode。Shehadnotwalkedmanyyardswhenshebecameawarethatasolitaryfigure，muffledinacloak，stoodinthepathway。Itapproached；alowvoicewhispered：
’Ellen。’
’Isityou，MasterRichard？’shereplied。
Hethrewbackthecloakwhichhadconcealedhisfeatures。
’ItisI，Ellen，hesaid；’Ihavebeenwatchingforyou。Iwillnotdelayyoulong。’
Hetookherhand，andshedidnotattempttowithdrawit；forshewastooartlesstothinkanyevil，tooconfidingtodreadit。
’Ellen，’hecontinued，evennowunconsciouslydepartingfromtherigidcoursewhichprudencehadmarkedout；’Ellen，Iamgoingtoleavethecountry；goingto-morrow。IhavehadlettersfromEngland。Imustgo；andtheseawillsoonbebetweenus。’
Hepaused，andshewassilent。
’Thereisonerequest，oneentreatyI
havetomake，’hecontinued；’Iwould，whenIamfaraway，havesomethingtolookatwhichbelongedtoyou。Willyougiveme——donotrefuseit——onelittlelockofyourbeautifulhair？’
Withartlessalacrity，butwithtremblinghand，shetookthescissors，whichinsimplefashionhungbyherside，anddetachedoneofthelongandbeautifullockswhichpartedoverherforehead。Sheplaceditinhishand。