第23章

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。’

’Buthowthedevil