第12章

couldnotspeak。Isoughtforwordsofcomfort，buttheywouldnotcome。TohaveutteredonecheeringsentenceImusthavecontradictedeveryimpressionofmyownmind。Ifelttoomuchawedtoattemptit。Shortlyafterwards，M’Donougharrived。Nowretchedpatienteverunderwentamorethrillingrevulsionatthefirstsightofthecaseofsurgicalinstrumentsunderwhichhehadtosuffer，thandidI

uponbeholdingacertainoblongflatmahoganybox，boundwithbrass，andofabouttwofeetinlength，laiduponthetableinthehall。O’Connor，thankinghimforhispunctuality，requestedhimtocomeintohisstudyforamoment，when，withamelancholycollectedness，heproceededtomakearrangementsforourwitnessinghiswill。Thedocumentwasabriefone，andthewholematterwasjustarranged，whenthetwoO’Gradyscreptsoftlyintotheroom。

’So!lastwillandtestament，’saidtheelder。’Why，youhaveaveryBLUEnotionofthesematters。Itellyou，youneednotbeuneasy。Irememberverywell，whenyoungRyanofBallykealeymetM’Neiltheduellist，betsrantwentytooneagainsthim。Istoleawayfromschool，andhadapeepatthefunaswellasthebestofthem。

Theyfiredtogether。Ryanreceivedtheballthroughthecollarofhiscoat，andM’Neilinthetemple；hespunlikeatop：

itwasamostunexpectedthing，anddisappointedhisfriendsdamnably。Itwasadmitted，however，tohavebeenveryprettyshootinguponbothsides。Tobesure，’hecontinued，pointingtothewill，’youareintherighttokeepuponthesafesideoffortune；butthen，thereisnooccasiontobealtogethersodevilishdowninthemouthasyouappeartobe。’

’Youwillallow，’saidO’Connor，’thatthechancesareheavilyagainstme。’

’Why，letmesee，’hereplied，’notsohollowathin，，either。Letmesee，we’llsayaboutfourtooneagainstyou；youmaychancetothrowdoubletslikehimItoldyouof，andthenwhatbecomesoftheoddsI’dliketoknow？Butletthingsgoastheywill，I’llgiveandtakefourtoone，inpoundsandtensofpounds。There，M’Donough，there’saGETforyou；b——tme，ifitisnot。Poh!thefellowisstolenaway，’hecontinued，observingthattheobjectofhisproposalhadlefttheroom；

’butd——it，Purcell，youarefondofaSOFT

THING，too，inaquietway——I’msureyouare——socursemeifIdonotmakeyouthesameoffer-isitago？’

Iwastoomuchdisgustedtomakeanyreply，butIbelievemylooksexpressedmyfeelingssufficiently，forinamomenthesaid：

’Well，Iseethereisnothingtobedone，sowemayaswellbestirring。M’Donough，myself，andmybrotherwillsaddlethehorsesinajiffy，whileyouandPurcellsettleanythingwhichremainstobearranged。’

Sosaying，helefttheroomwithasmuchalacrityasifitweretoprepareforafox-

hunt。Selfish，heartlessfool!IhaveoftensinceheardhimspokenofasACURSED

GOOD-NATUREDDOGandaD——GOODFELLOW；

butsucheulogiesasthesearenotcalculatedtomitigatetheabhorrencewithwhichhisconductuponthatmorninginspiredme。

Thechillmistsofnightwerestillhoveringonthelandscapeasourpartyleftthecastle。Itwasaraw，comfortlessmorning——akindofdrizzlingfoghungheavilyoverthescene，dimmingthelightofthesun，whichhadnowrisen，intoapaleandevenagreyglimmer。Astheappointedhourwasfastapproaching，itwasproposedthatweshouldentertherace-groundatapointclosetothestand-house——ameasurewhichwouldsaveusarideofnearlytwomiles，overabrokenroad；atwhichdistancetherewasanopenentranceintotherace-

ground。Here，accordingly，wedismounted，andleavingourhorsesinthecareofacountryfellowwhohappenedtobestirringatthatearlyhour，weproceededupanarrowlane，overasidewallofwhichweweretoclimbintotheopengroundwherestoodthenowdesertedbuilding，underwhichthemeetingwastotakeplace。Ourprogresswasinterceptedbytheunexpectedappearanceofanoldwoman，who，inthescarletcloakwhichisthepicturesquecharacteristicofthefemalepeasantryofthesouth，wasmovingslowlydowntheavenuetomeetus，utteringthatpeculiarlywildandpiteouslamentationwellknownbythenameof’theIrishcry，’accompaniedthroughoutbyallthecustomarygesticulationofpassionategrief。Thisrencounterwasmoreawkwardthanwehadatfirstanticipated；

for，uponanearerapproach，thepersonprovedtobenootherthananoldattacheddependentofthefamily，andwhohadher-

selfnursedO’Connor。Shequickenedherpaceasweadvancedalmosttoarun；and，throwingherarmsroundO’Connor’sneck，shepouredforthsuchatorrentoflamentation，reproach，andendearment，asshowedthatshewasawareofthenatureofourpurpose，whenceandbywhatmeansI

knewnot。Itwasinvainthathesoughttosatisfyherbyevasion，andgentlytoextricatehimselffromherembrace。Shekneltupontheground，andclaspedherarmsroundhislegs，utteringallthewhilesuchtouchingsupplications，suchcuttingandpassionateexpressionsofwoe，aswenttomyveryheart。

Atlength，withmuchdifficulty，wepassedthismostpainfulinterruption；

and，crossingtheboundarywall，wereplacedbeyondherreach。TheO’Gradysdamnedherforatroublesomehag，andpassedonwithO’Connor，butIremainedbehindforamoment。Thepoorwomanlookedhopelesslyatthehighwallwhichseparatedherfromhimshehadlovedfrominfancy，andtobewithwhomatthatminuteshewouldhavegivenworlds，shetookherseatuponasolitarystoneundertheoppositewall，andthere，inalow，subduedkey，shecontinuedtoutterhersorrowinwordssodesolate，yetexpressingsuchatendernessofdevotionaswrungmyheart。

’Mypoorwoman，’Isaid，layingmyhandgentlyuponhershoulder，’youwillmakeyourselfill；themorningisverycold，andyourcloakisbutathindefenceagainstthedampandchill。Prayreturnhomeandtakethis；itmaybeusefultoyou。’

Sosaying，Idroppedapurse，withwhatmoneyIhadaboutme，intoherlap，butitlaythereunheeded；shedidnothearme。

’OhImychild，mychild，mydarlin’，’

shesobbed，’areyougonefromme？areyougonefromme？Ah，mavourneen，mavourneen，you’llnevercomebackalivetomeagain。Thecrathurthatsleptonmybosom——thelovin’crathurthatIwassoproudof——they’llkillhim，they’llkillhim。

Oh，voh!voh!’

Theaffectingtone，thefeeling，theabandonmentwithwhichallthiswasuttered，nonecanconceivewhohavenotheardthelamentationsoftheIrishpeasantry。Itbroughttearstomyeyes。Isawthatnoconsolationofminecouldsoothehergrief，soIturnedanddeparted；butasIrapidlytraversedthelevelswardwhichseparatedmefrommycompanions，nowconsiderablyinadvance，Icouldstillhearthewailingsofthesolitarymourner。

Asweapproachedthestand-house，itwasevidentthatourantagonistshadalreadyarrived。Ourpathlaybythesideofahighfenceconstructedofloosestones，andonturningasharpangleatitsextremity，wefoundourselvesclosetotheappointedspot，andwithinafewyardsofacrowdofpersons，somemountedandsomeonfoot，evidentlyawaitingourarrival。

Theaffairhadunaccountablytakenwind，asthenumberoftheexpectantsclearlyshowed；butforthistherewasnownoremedy。

Asourlittlepartyadvancedweweremetandsalutedbyseveralacquaintances，whomcuriosity，ifnodeeperfeeling，hadbroughttotheplace。FitzgeraldandtheCaptainhadarrived，andhavingdismounted，werestandinguponthesod。Theformer，asweapproached，bowedslightlyandsullenly——

whilethelatter，evidentlyinhighgoodhumour，madehismostcourteousobeisance。Notimewastobelost；andthetwosecondsimmediatelywithdrewtoaslightdistance，forthepurposeofcompletingthelastminutearrangements。Itwasabriefbuthorribleinterval——eachreturnedtohisprincipaltocommunicatetheresult，whichwassooncaughtupandrepeatedfrommouthtomouththroughoutthecrowd。Ifeltastrangeandinsurmountablereluctancetohearthesickeningparticularsdetailed；andasIstoodirresoluteatsomedistancefromtheprincipalparties，atop-bootedsquireen，withahuntingwhipinhishand，bustlinguptoacompanionofhis，exclaimed：

“Notfiretogether!——didyoueverhearthelike？IfFitzgeraldgetsthefirstshotallisover。M’Donoughsoldthepass，by——，andthatisthelongandtheshortofit。’

Thepartiesnowmoveddownalittletoasmalllevelspace，suitedtothepurpose；

andthecaptain，addressingM’Donough，said：

’Mr。M’Donough，you’llnowhavethegoodnesstotossforchoiceofground；asthelightcomesfromtheeastthelinemustofcourserunnorthandsouth。Willyoubesoobligingastotossupacrown-piece，whileIcall？’

Acoinwasinstantlychuckedintotheair。Thecaptaincried，’Harp。’TheHEADwasuppermost，andM’Donoughimmediatelymadechoiceofthesouthernpointatwhichtoplacehisfriend——apositionwhichitwillbeeasilyseenhadtheadvantageofturninghisbackuponthelight——notriflingsuperiorityoflocation。Thecaptainturnedwithakindoflaugh，andsaid：

’By——，sir，youareascunningasadeadpig；butyouforgotonething。Myfriendisaleft-handedgunner，thoughneverabittheworseforthat；soyouseethereisnooddsasfarasthechoiceoflightgoes。’

Hethenproceededtomeasureninepacesinadirectionrunningnorthandsouth，andtheprincipalstooktheirground。

’Imustbetroublesometoyouonceagain，Mr。M’Donough。Onetossmore，andeverythingiscomplete。WemustsettlewhoistohavetheFIRSTSLAP。’

Apieceofmoneywasagainthrownintotheair；againthecaptainlostthetossandM’Donoughproceededtoloadthepistols。IhappenedtostandnearFitzgerald，andIoverheardthecaptain，withachuckle，saysomethingtohiminwhichtheword’cravat’wasrepeated。Itinstantlyoccurredtomethatthecaptain’sattentionwasdirectedtoabright-colouredmufflerwhichO’Connorworeroundhisneck，andwhichwouldaffordhisantagonistadistinctandfavourablemark。I

instantlyurgedhimtoremoveit，andatlength，withdifficulty，succeeded。Heseemedperfectlycarelessastoanyprecaution。Everythingwasnowready；thepistolwasplacedinO’Connor’shand，andheonlyawaitedthewordfromthecaptain。

M’Creaghthensaid：

’Mr。M’Donough，isyourprincipalready？’

M’Donoughrepliedintheaffirmative；

and，afteraslightpause，thecaptain，ashadbeenarranged，utteredthewords：

’Ready——fire。’

O’Connorfired，butsowideofthemarkthatsomeoneinthecrowdexclaimed：

’Firedintheair。’

’Whosayshefiredintheair？’thunderedFitzgerald。’By——helies，whoeverheis。’Therewasasilence。’Butevenifhewasfoolenoughtofireintheair，itisnotinHISpowertoputanendtothequarrelbyTHAT。D——mysoul，ifI

amcomeheretobeplayedwithlikeachild，andbytheAlmighty——youshallhearmoreofthis，eachandeveryoneofyou，beforeI’msatisfied。’

Akindoflowmurmur，orrathergroan，wasnowraised，andaslightmotionwasobservableinthecrowd，asiftointerceptFitzgerald’spassagetohishorse。

M’Creagh，drawingthehorseclosetothespotwhereFitzgeraldstood，threatened，withthemostawfulimprecations，’toblowthebrainsoutofthefirstmanwhoshoulddaretopressonthem。’

O’Connornowinterfered，requestingthecrowdtoforbear，andsomedegreeoforderwasrestored。Hethensaid，’thatinfiringashedid，hehadnointentionwhateverofwaivinghisrightoffiringuponFitzgerald，andofdeprivingthatgentlemanofhisrightofprosecutingtheaffairtotheutmost——thatifanypersonpresentimaginedthatheintendedtofireintheair，hebeggedtosethimright；since，sofarfromseekingtoexortanunwillingreconciliation，hewasdeterminedthatnopoweronearthshouldinducehimtoconcedeoneinchofgroundtoMr。Fitzgerald。’

Thisannouncementwasreceivedwithashoutbythecrowd，whonowresumedtheirplacesateithersideoftheplotofgroundwhichhadbeenmeasured。Theprincipalstooktheirplacesoncemore，andM’Creaghproceeded，withthenicestandmostanxiouscare，toloadthepistols；andthistaskbeingaccomplished，FitzgeraldwhisperedsomethingintheCaptain’sear，whoinstantlydrewhisfriend’shorsesoastoplacehimwithinastepofhisrider，andthentightenedthegirths。Thisaccomplished，Fitzgeraldproceededdeliberatelytoremovehiscoat，whichhethrewacrosshishorseinfrontofthesaddle；andthen，withtheassistanceofM’Creagh，herolledtheshirtsleeveuptotheshoulder，soastoleavethewholeofhismusculararmperfectlynaked。A

cryof’Coward，coward!butcher，butcher!’arosefromthecrowd。Fitzgeraldpaused。