下载辰思小说免费APP
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，itwasinthecalmtoneofo
