’Leavetheroom，orgotohell!’shoutedCaptainN——；atthesametimeseizingtheastoundedwaiterbytheshoulder，hehurledhimheadlongintothepassage，andflungthedoortowithacrashthatshookthewalls。’Sir，’continuedhe，addressinghimselftoO’Mara，’Ididnothopetohavemetyouuntilto-morrow。
Fortunehasbeenkindtome——draw，anddefendyourself。’
Atthesametimehedrewhissword，andplacedhimselfinanattitudeofattack。
’IwillnotdrawuponYOU，’saidO’Mara。
’Ihave，indeed，wrongedyou。Ihavegivenyoujustcauseforresentment；butagainstyourlifeIwillneverliftmyhand。’
’Youareacoward，sir，’repliedCaptainN——，withalmostfrightfulvehemence，’aseverytricksterandswindlerIS。Youareacontemptibledastard——adespicable，damnedvillain!Drawyoursword，sir，anddefendyourlife，oreverypostandpillarinthistownshalltellyourinfamy。’
’Perhaps，’saidhisfriend，withasneer，’thegentlemancandobetterwithouthishonourthanwithouthiswife。’
’Yes，’shoutedthecaptain，’hiswife——
atrull——acommon——’
’Silence，sir!’criedO’Mara，allthefiercenessofhisnaturerousedbythislastinsult——’yourobjectisgained；yourbloodbeuponyourownhead。’Atthesametimehesprangacrossabenchwhichstoodinhisway，andpushingasidethetablewhichsupportedthelights，inaninstanttheirswordscrossed，andtheywereengagedincloseanddeadlystrife。
CaptainN——wasfarthestrongerofthetwo；but，ontheotherhand，O’Marapossessedfarmoreskillintheuseofthefatalweaponwhichtheyemployed。Butthenarrownessoftheroomrenderedthisadvantagehardlyavailable。
AlmostinstantlyO’Marareceivedaslightwoundupontheforehead，which，thoughlittlemorethanascratch，bledsofastastoobstructhissightconsiderably。
Thosewhohaveusedthefoilcantellhowslightaderangementofeyeorofhandissufficienttodetermineacontestofthiskind；andthisknowledgewillpreventtheirbeingsurprisedwhenIsay，that，spiteofO’Mara’ssuperiorskillandpractice，hisadversary’sswordpassedtwicethroughandthroughhisbody，andhefellheavilyandhelplesslyuponthefloorofthechamber。
Withoutsayingaword，thesuccessfulcombatantquittedtheroomalongwithhiscompanion，leavingDwyertoshiftasbesthemightforhisfallencomrade。
Withtheassistanceofsomeofthewonderingmenialsoftheplace，Dwyersucceededinconveyingthewoundedmanintoanadjoiningroom，wherehewaslaiduponabed，inastateborderinguponinsensibility——thebloodflowing，ImightsayWELLING，fromthewoundssofastastoshowthatunlessthebleedingwerespeedilyandeffectuallystopped，hecouldnotliveforhalfanhour。
Medicalaidwas，ofcourse，instantlyprocured，andColonelO’Mara，thoughatthetimeseriouslyindisposed，wasurgentlyrequestedtoattendwithoutlossoftime。
Hedidso；buthumansuccourandsupportwerealltoolate。Thewoundhadbeentrulydealt——thetideoflifehadebbed；
andhisfatherhadnotarrivedfiveminuteswhenyoungO’Marawasacorpse。HisbodyrestsinthevaultsofChristChurch，inDublin，withoutastonetomarkthespot。
Thecounselsofthewickedarealwaysdark，andtheirmotivesoftenbeyondfathoming；andstrange，unaccountable，incredibleasitmayseem，Idobelieve，andthatuponevidencesoclearastoamountalmosttodemonstration，thatHeathcote’svisittoDublin——hisbetrayalofthesecret——andthefinalandterriblecatastrophewhichlaidO’Marainthegrave，werebroughtaboutbynootheragentthanDwyerhimself。
Ihavemyselfseentheletterwhichinducedthatvisit。ThehandwritingisexactlywhatIhaveseeninotherallegedspecimensofDwyer’spenmanship。ItiswrittenwithanaffectationofhonestalarmatO’Mara’sconduct，andexpressesaconvictionthatifsomeofLadyEmily’sfamilybenotinformedofO’Mara’srealsituation，nothingcouldpreventhisconcludingwithheranadvantageousalliance，thenuponthetapis，andaltogetherthrowingoffhisallegiancetoEllen——astepwhich，asthewritercandidlyasserted，wouldfinallyconduceasinevitablytohisowndisgraceasitimmediatelywouldtoherruinandmisery。
TheproductionwasformallysignedwithDwyer’sname，andthepostscriptcontainedastrictinjunctionofsecrecy，assertingthatifitwereascertainedthatsuchanepistlehadbeendespatchedfromsuchaquarter，itwouldbeattendedwiththetotalruinofthewriter。
ItistruethatDwyer，manyyearsafter，whenthislettercametolight，allegedittobeaforgery，anassertionwhosetruth，eventohisdyinghour，andlongafterhehadapparentlyceasedtofeelthelashofpublicscorn，hecontinuedobstinatelytomaintain。Indeedthismatterisfullofmystery，for，revengealoneexcepted，whichIbelieve，insuchmindsasDwyer’s，seldomovercomesthesenseofinterest，theonlyintelligiblemotivewhichcouldhavepromptedhimtosuchanactwasthehopethatsincehehad，throughyoungO’Mara’sinterest，procuredfromthecolonelaleaseofasmallfarmuponthetermswhichhehadoriginallystipulated，hemightprosecutehisplantouchingthepropertyofMartinHeathcote，renderinghisdaughter’shandfreebytheremovalofyoungO’Mara。ThisappearstometoocomplicatedaplanofvillanytohaveenteredthemindevenofsuchamanasDwyer。Imust，therefore，supposehismotivestohaveoriginatedoutofcircumstancesconnectedwiththisstorywhichmaynothavecometomyear，andperhapsneverwill。
ColonelO’MarafeltthedeathofhissonmoredeeplythanIshouldhavethoughtpossible；butthatsonhadbeenthelastbeingwhohadcontinuedtointeresthiscoldheart。Perhapsthepridewhichhefeltinhischildhadinitmoreofselfishnessthanofanygenerousfeeling。
But，bethisasitmay，themelancholycircumstancesconnectedwithEllenHeathcotehadreachedhim，andhisconducttowardsherproved，morestronglythananythingelsecouldhavedone，thathefeltkeenlyandjustly，and，toacertaindegree，withasoftenedheart，thefataleventofwhichshehadbeen，insomemanner，alikethecauseandthevictim。
Heevincednottowardsher，asmighthavebeenexpected，anyunreasonableresentment。Onthecontrary，heexhibitedgreatconsideration，eventenderness，forhersituation；andhavingascertainedwherehissonhadplacedher，heissuedstrictordersthatsheshouldnotbedisturbed，andthatthefataltidings，whichhadnotyetreachedher，shouldbewithhelduntiltheymightbecommunicatedinsuchawayastosoftenasmuchaspossibletheinevitableshock。
Theselastdirectionswereactedupontooscrupulouslyandtoolong；and，indeed，Iamsatisfiedthathadtheeventbeencommunicatedatonce，howeverterribleandoverwhelmingtheshockmighthavebeen，muchofthebitterestanguish，ofsickeningdoubts，ofharassingsuspense，wouldhavebeensparedher，andthefirsttempestuousburstofsorrowhavingpassedover，herchastenedspiritmighthaverecovereditstone，andherlifehavebeenspared。Butthemistakenkindnesswhichconcealedfromherthedreadfultruth，insteadofrelievinghermindofaburdenwhichitcouldnotsupport，laiduponitaweightofhorriblefearsanddoubtsastotheaffectionofO’Mara，comparedwithwhicheventhecertaintyofhisdeathwouldhavebeentolerable。
OneeveningIhadjustseatedmyselfbesideacheerfulturffire，withthattruerelishwhichalongcoldridethroughableakandshelterlesscountryaffords，stretchingmychilledlimbstomeetthegenialinfluence，andimbibingthewarmthateverypore，whenmycomfortablemeditationswereinterruptedbyalongandsonorousringingatthedoor-bellevidentlyeffectedbynotimidhand。
AmessengerhadarrivedtorequestmyattendanceattheLodge——suchwasthenamewhichdistinguishedasmallandsomewhatantiquatedbuilding，occupyingapeculiarlysecludedpositionamongthebleakandheathyhillswhichvariedthesurfaceofthatnotaltogetheruninterestingdistrict，andwhichhad，Ibelieve，beenemployedbythekeenandhardyancestorsoftheO’Marafamilyasaconvenienttemporaryresidenceduringthesportingseason。
Thithermyattendancewasrequired，inordertoadministertoadeeplydistressedladysuchcomfortsasanafflictedmindcangatherfromthesublimehopesandconsolationsofChristianity。
Ihadlongsuspectedthattheoccupantofthissequestered，Imightsaydesolate，dwelling-housewasthepoorgirlwhosebriefstorywearefollowing；andfeelingakeeninterestinherfate——aswhothathadeverseenherDIDNOT？——Istartedfrommycomfortableseatwithmoreeageralacritythan，Iwillconfessit，Imighthaveevincedhadmydutycalledmeinanotherdirection。
InafewminutesIwastrottingrapidlyonward，precededbymyguide，whourgedhishorsewiththeremorselessrapidityofonewhoseeksbythespeedofhisprogresstoescapeobservation。Overroadsandthroughbogswesplashedandclattered，untilatlengthtraversingthebrowofawildandrockyhill，whoseaspectseemedsobarrenandforbiddingthatitmighthavebeenalastingbarrieraliketomortalsightandstep，thelonelybuildingbecamevisible，lyinginakindofswampyflat，withabroadreedypondorlakestretchingawaytoitsside，andbackedbyafartherrangeofmonotonoussweepinghills，markedwithirregularlinesofgreyrock，which，inthedistance，borearudeandcolossalresemblancetothewallsofafortification。
Ridingwithundiminishedspeedalongakindofwildhorse-track，weturnedthecornerofahighandsomewhatruinouswallofloosestones，andmakingasuddenwheelwefoundourselvesinasmallquadrangle，surmountedontwosidesbydilapidatedstablesandkennels，onanotherbyabrokenstonewall，anduponthefourthbythefrontofthelodgeitself。
Thewholecharacteroftheplacewasthatofdrearydesertionanddecay，whichwouldofitselfhavepredisposedthemindformelancholyimpressions。Myguidedismounted，andwithrespectfulattentionheldmyhorse’sbridlewhileIgotdown；
andknockingatthedoorwiththehandleofhiswhip，itwasspeedilyopenedbyaneatly-dressedfemaledomestic，andIwasadmittedtotheinteriorofthehouse，andconductedintoasmallroom，whereafireinsomedegreedispelledthecheerlessair，whichwouldotherwisehaveprevailedtoapainfuldegreethroughouttheplace。
Ihadbeenwaitingbutforaveryfewminuteswhenanotherfemaleservant，somewhatolderthanthefirst，enteredtheroom。ShemadesomeapologyonthepartofthepersonwhomIhadcometovisit，fortheslightdelaywhichhadalreadyoccurred，andrequestedmefurthertowaitforafewminuteslonger，intimatingthatthelady’sgriefwassoviolent，thatwithoutgreateffortshecouldnotbringherselftospeakcalmlyatall。Asiftobeguilethetime，thegooddamewentoninahighlycommunicativestraintotellme，amongstmuchthatcouldnotinterestme，alittleofwhatIhaddesiredtohear。I
discoveredthatthegriefofherwhomI
hadcometovisitwasexcitedbythesuddendeathofalittleboy，heronlychild，whowasthenlyingdeadinhismother’schamber。
’Andthemother’sname？’saidI，inquiringly。
Thewomanlookedatmeforamoment，smiled，andshookherheadwiththeairofmingledmysteryandimportancewhichseemstosay，’Iamunfathomable。’I
didnotcaretopressthequestion，thoughIsuspectedthatmuchofherapparentreluctancewasaffected，knowingthatmydoubtsrespectingtheidentityofthepersonwhomIhadcometovisitmustsoonbesetatrest，andafteralittlepausetheworthyAbigailwentonasfluentlyasever。Shetoldmethatheryoungmistresshadbeen，forthetimeshehadbeenwithher——thatwas，foraboutayearandahalf——indeclininghealthandspirits，andthatshehadlovedherlittlechildtoadegreebeyondexpression——sodevotedlythatshecouldnot，inallprobability，surviveitlong。
Whileshewasrunningoninthiswaythebellrang，andsigningmetofollow，sheopenedtheroomdoor，butstoppedinthehall，andtakingmealittleaside，andspeakinginawhisper，shetoldme，asI
valuedthelifeofthepoorlady，nottosayonewordofthedeathofyoungO’Mara。
Inoddedacquiescence，andascendinganarrowandill-constructedstaircase，shestoppedatachamberdoorandknocked。
’Comein，’saidagentlevoicefromwithin，and，precededbymyconductress，Ienteredamoderately-sized，butrathergloomychamber。
Therewasbutonelivingformwithinit——itwasthelightandgracefulfigureofayoungwoman。ShehadrisenasI
enteredtheroom；butowingtotheobscurityoftheapartment，andtothecircumstancethatherface，asshelookedtowardsthedoor，wasturnedawayfromthelight，whichfounditswayindimlythroughthenarrowwindows，Icouldnotinstantlyrecognisethefeatures。
’Youdonotrememberme，sir？’saidthesamelow，mournfulvoice。’Iam——IWAS——
EllenHeathcote。’
’Idorememberyou，mypoorchild，’
saidI，takingherhand；’Idorememberyouverywell。Speaktomefrankly——
speaktomeasafriend。WhateverIcandoorsayforyou，isyoursalready；onlyspeak。