Againhetookherhand，andtwiceheattemptedtospeakinvain；atlengthhesaid：
’Ellen，whenIamgone——whenIamaway——willyousometimesremember，sometimesthinkofme？’
EllenHeathcotehadasmuch，perhapsmore，ofwhatisnobleinpridethanthehaughtiestbeautythatevertrodacourt；
buttheeffortwasuseless；thehoneststrugglewasinvain；andsheburstintofloodsoftears，bittererthanshehadevershedbefore。
Icannottellhowpassionsriseandfall；
Icannotdescribetheimpetuouswordsoftheyounglover，aspressingagainandagaintohislipsthecold，passivehand，whichhadbeenresignedtohim，prudence，caution，doubts，resolutions，allvanishedfromhisview，andmeltedintonothing。
’Tisformetotellthesimplefact，thatfromthatbriefinterviewtheybothdepartedpromisedandpledgedtoeachotherforever。
Throughtherestofthisstoryeventsfollowoneanotherrapidly。
AfewnightsafterthatwhichIhavejustmentioned，EllenHeathcotedisappeared；
butherfatherwasnotleftlonginsuspenseastoherfate，forDwyer，accompaniedbyoneofthosemendicantfriarswhotraversedthecountrythenevenmorecommonlythantheynowdo，calleduponHeathcotebeforehehadhadtimetotakeanyactivemeasuresfortherecoveryofhischild，andputhiminpossessionofadocumentwhichappearedtocontainsatisfactoryevidenceofthemarriageofEllenHeathcotewithRichardO’Mara，executedupontheeveningprevious，asthedatewenttoshow；andsignedbybothparties，aswellasbyDwyerandaservantofyoungO’Mara’s，boththesehavingactedaswitnesses；andfurthersupportedbythesignatureofPeterNicholls，abrotheroftheorderofSt。Francis，bywhomtheceremonyhadbeenperformed，andwhomHeathcotehadnodifficultyinrecognisinginthepersonofhisvisitant。
Thisdocument，andthepromptpersonalvisitofthetwomen，andaboveall，theknownidentityoftheFranciscan，satisfiedHeathcoteasfullyasanythingshortofcompletepublicitycouldhavedone。
Andhisconvictionwasnotamistakenone。
Dwyer，beforehetookhisleave，impresseduponHeathcotethenecessityofkeepingtheaffairsosecretastorenderitimpossiblethatitshouldreachColonelO’Mara’sears，aneventwhichwouldhavebeenattendedwithruinousconsequencestoallparties。Herefused，also，topermitHeathcotetoseehisdaughter，andeventotellhimwhereshewas，untilcircumstancesrendereditsafeforhimtovisither。
Heathcotewasaharshandsullenman；
andthoughhistemperwasanythingbuttractable，therewassomuchtoplease，almosttodazzlehim，intheevent，thatheacceptedthetermswhichDwyerimposeduponhimwithoutanyfurthertokenofdisapprobationthanashakeofthehead，andagruffwishthat’itmightproveallforthebest。’
Nearlytwomonthshadpassed，andyoungO’MarahadnotyetdepartedforEngland。Hislettershadbeenstrangelyfewandfarbetween；andinshort，hisconductwassuchastoinduceColonelO’MaratohastenhisreturntoIreland，andatthesametimetopressanengagement，whichLord——，hissonCaptainN——，andLadyEmilyhadmadetospendsomeweekswithhimathisresidenceinDublin。
AletterarrivedforyoungO’Mara，statingthearrangement，andrequiringhisattendanceinDublin，whichwasaccordinglyimmediatelyafforded。
Hearrived，withDwyer，intimetowelcomehisfatherandhisdistinguishedguests。HeresolvedtobreakoffhisembarrassingconnectionwithLadyEmily，without，however，statingtherealmotive，whichhefeltwouldexasperatetheresentmentwhichhisfatherandLord——
wouldnodoubtfeelathisconduct。
Hestronglyfelthowdishonourablyhewouldactif，inobediencetoDwyer’sadvice，heseemedtacitlytoacquiesceinanengagementwhichitwasimpossibleforhimtofulfil。HeknewthatLadyEmilywasnotcapableofanythinglikestrongattachment；andthatevenifshewere，hehadnoreasonwhatevertosupposethatshecaredatallforhim。
Hehadnotatanytimedesiredthealliance；norhadheanyreasontosupposetheyoungladyinanydegreelessindifferent。Heregardeditnow，andnotwithoutsomeappearanceofjustice，asnothingmorethanakindofunderstoodstipulation，enteredintobytheirparents，andtobeconsideredratherasamatterofbusinessandcalculationthanasinvolvinganythingofmutualinclinationonthepartofthepartiesmostnearlyinterestedinthematter。
Heanxiously，therefore，watchedforanopportunityofmakingknownhisfeelingstoLord——，ashecouldnotwithproprietydosotoLadyEmily；butwhatatadistanceappearedtobeamatterofeasyaccomplishment，now，uponanearerapproach，andwhentheimmediateimpulsewhichhadpromptedtheacthadsubsided，appearedsofullofdifficultyandalmostinextricableembarrassments，thatheinvoluntarilyshrunkfromthetaskdayafterday。
Thoughitwasasourceofindescribableanxietytohim，hedidnotventuretowritetoEllen，forhecouldnotdisguisefromhimselfthedangerwhichthesecrecyofhisconnectionwithhermustincurbyhiscommunicatingwithher，eventhroughapublicoffice，wheretheirlettersmightbepermittedtolielongerthanthegossipinginquisitivenessofacountrytownwouldwarranthiminsupposingsafe。
ItwasaboutafortnightafteryoungO’MarahadarrivedinDublin，whereallthings，andplaces，andamusements；andpersonsseemedthoroughlystale，flat，andunprofitable，whenoneday，temptedbytheunusualfinenessoftheweather，LadyEmilyproposedawalkintheCollegePark，afavouritepromenadeatthattime。
ShethereforewithyoungO’Mara，accompaniedbyDwyerwho，by-the-by，whenhepleased，couldactthegentlemansufficientlywell，proceededtotheplaceproposed，wheretheycontinuedtowalkforsometime。
’Why，Richard，’saidLadyEmily，afteratediousandunbrokenpauseofsomeminutes，’youarebecomingworseandworseeveryday。Youaregrowingabsolutelyintolerable；perfectlystupid!notonegoodthinghaveIheardsinceIleftthehouse。’
O’Marasmiled，andwasseekingforasuitablereply，whenhisdesignwasinterrupted，andhisattentionsuddenlyandpainfullyarrested，bytheappearanceoftwofigures，whowereslowlypassingthebroadwalkonwhichheandhispartymoved；theonewasthatofCaptainN——，theotherwastheformof——MartinHeathcote!
O’Marafeltconfounded，almoststunned；
theanticipationofsomeimpendingmischief——ofanimmediateandviolentcollisionwithayoungmanwhomhehadeverregardedashisfriend，wereapprehensionswhichsuchajuxtapositioncouldnotfailtoproduce。
’IsHeathcotemad？’thoughthe。
’Whatdevilcanhavebroughthimhere？’
DwyerhavingexchangedasignificantglancewithO’Mara，saidslightlytoLadyEmily：
’Willyourladyshipexcusemeforamoment？IhaveawordtosaytoCaptainN——，andwill，withyourpermission，immediatelyrejoinyou。’
Hebowed，andwalkingrapidlyon，wasinafewmomentsbesidetheobjectofhisandhispatron’suneasiness。
WhateverHeathcote’sobjectmightbe，hecertainlyhadnotyetdeclaredthesecret，whosesafetyO’Marahadsonaturallydesired，forCaptainN——appearedingoodspirits；andoncominguptohissisterandhercompanion，hejoinedthemforamoment，tellingO’Mara，laughingly，thatanoldquizhadcomefromthecountryfortheexpresspurposeoftellingtales，asitwastobesupposed，ofhimyoungO’Mara，inwhoseneighbourhoodhelived。
DuringthisspeechitrequiredalltheeffortwhichitwaspossibletoexerttopreventO’Mara’sbetrayingtheextremeagitationtowhichhissituationgaverise。
CaptainN——，however，suspectedno-
thing，andpassedonwithoutfurtherdelay。
Dinnerwasanearlymealinthosedays，andLadyEmilywasobligedtoleavetheParkinlessthanhalfanhouraftertheunpleasantmeetingwhichwehavejustmentioned。
YoungO’Maraand，atasignfromhim，DwyerhavingescortedtheladytothedoorofColonelO’Mara’shouse，pretendedanengagement，anddepartedtogether。
RichardO’Marainstantlyquestionedhiscomradeuponthesubjectofhisanxiety；butDwyerhadnothingtocommunicateofasatisfactorynature。Hehadonlytime，whilethecaptainhadbeenengagedwithLadyEmilyandhercompanion，tosaytoHeathcote：
’Besecret，asyouvalueyourexistence：
everythingwillberight，ifyoubebutsecret。’
TothisHeathcotehadreplied：’Neverfearme；IunderstandwhatIamabout。’
ThiswassaidinsuchanambiguousmannerthatitwasimpossibletoconjecturewhetherheintendedornottoactuponDwyer’sexhortation。Theconclusionwhichappearedmostnatural，wasbynomeansanagreeableone。
ItwasmuchtobefearedthatHeathcotehavingheardsomevaguereportofO’Mara’sengagementwithLadyEmily，perhapsexaggerated，bytherepetition，intoaspeedilyapproachingmarriage，hadbecomealarmedforhisdaughter’sinterest，andhadtakenthisdecisivestepinordertoprevent，byadisclosureofthecircumstancesofhisclandestineunionwithEllen，thepossibilityofhiscompletingaguiltyalliancewithCaptainN——’ssister。Ifheentertainedthesuspicionswhichtheyattributedtohim，hehadcertainlytakenthemosteffectualmeanstopreventtheirbeingrealised。Whateverhisobjectmightbe，hispresenceinDublin，incompanywithCaptainN——，bodednothinggoodtoO’Mara。
Theyentered——’stavern，inDameStreet，together；andthere，overahastyandbynomeansacomfortablemeal，theytalkedovertheirplansandconjectures。
Eveningclosedin，andfoundthemstillclosetedtogether，withnothingtointerrupt，andalargetankardofclarettosustaintheirdesultoryconversation。
Nothinghadbeendeterminedupon，exceptthatDwyerandO’MarashouldproceedundercoverofthedarknesstosearchthetownforHeathcote，andbyminuteinquiriesatthemostfrequentedhousesofentertainment，toascertainhisplaceofresidence，inordertoprocuringafullandexplanatoryinterviewwithhim。
Theyhadeachfilledtheirlastglass，andweresippingitslowly，seatedwiththeirfeetstretchedtowardsabrightcheerfulfire；thesmalltablewhichsustainedtheflagonofwhichwehavespoken，togetherwithtwopairofwaxcandles，placedbetweenthem，soastoaffordaconvenientresting-placeforthelongglassesoutofwhichtheydrank。
’Onegoodresult，atallevents，willbeeffectedbyHeathcote’svisit，’saidO’Mara。
’Beforetwenty-fourhoursIshalldothatwhichIshouldhavedonelongago。I
shall，withoutreserve，stateeverything。
Icannolongerendurethissuspense——thisdishonourablesecrecy——thisapparentdissimulation。EverymomentIhavepassedsincemydeparturefromthecountryhasbeenoneofembarrassment，ofpain，ofhumiliation。To-morrowIwillbravethestorm，whethersuccessfullyornotisdoubtful；butIhadratherwalkthehighroadsabeggar，thansubmitadaylongertobemadethedegradedsportofeveryaccident——themiserabledependentuponasuccessfulsystemofdeception。ThoughPASSIVEdeception，itisstillunmanly，unworthy，unjustifiabledeception。I
cannotbeartothinkofit。Idespisemyself，butIwillceasetobethedespicablethingIhavebecome。To-morrowseesmefree，andthisharassingsubjectforeveratrest。’
Hewasinterruptedherebythesoundoffootstepsheavilybutrapidlyascendingthetavernstaircase。Theroomdooropened，andCaptainN——，accompaniedbyafashionably-attiredyoungman，enteredtheroom。
YoungO’Marahadrisenfromhisseatontheentranceoftheirunexpectedvisitants；andthemomentCaptainN——
recognisedhisperson，anevidentandominouschangepassedoverhiscountenance。
Heturnedhastilytowithdraw，but，asitseemed，almostinstantlychangedhismind，forheturnedagainabruptly。
’Thischamberisengaged，sir，’saidthewaiter。
’Leavetheroom，sir，’washisonlyreply。
’Theroomisengaged，sir，’repeatedthewaiter，probablybelievingthathisfirstsuggestionhadbeenunheard。