The Tithe-Proctor Part 23

He then gave her a brief account of the rencounter he had with the Whiteboys, and alluded to the unknown but friendly individual who had put him on his guard.

"I knew it," she exclaimed, "I knew it; I couldn't mistake the look that pa.s.sed between them. Now, in G.o.d's name," she said, "if you're able to drag a limb afther you at all, start out o' this and save yourself, and, let what will happen, I entreat, for the love of G.o.d, that you won't mention my name."

This he faithfully promised; "But," replied he to her warning, "I really am not able to escape, and I cannot think that your husband would injure a man who never offended him."

"But that's not the way they do sich things; it's not the man you offended that will injure you, but some blackguard stranger that he gets to do it for him, and that you'll know nothing about. In G.o.d's name, I say, be off out o' this. Even as a stranger you can hardly be safe, and if you wish to know why, whisper," and she spoke so low as only barely to be heard, "there's a meeting of Whiteboys to be here to-night; anyhow, you're the friend of O'Driscol and Procthor Purcel, and that same would be enough to make them give you a knock. Don't face home,"

said she, "or you'll be likely to meet them, but take the mountains wanst more on your head. Get out upon the road at Altanaveenan and you may be safe. G.o.d of Glory!" she exclaimed, "here they are--but watch my face and be guided by me--here, throw yourself into that bed below and pretend to sleep--I'll do what woman can, but I'm afeared we lost our chance."

M'Carthy distinctly heard them laughing as they approached the door, and, in accordance with the advice he had got, he went to the lower part of the house and lay down on the bed, where he closed his eyes and breathed like one asleep. He now began to investigate Mogue's conduct, in persisting to bring him by so circuitous a sweep such a distance out of his way, and decidedly contrary to his wishes. He hesitated, however, to inculpate Mogue, who certainly could not have antic.i.p.ated or brought on the fog, which had occasioned them to wander for such a length of time among the mountains. Then, on the other hand, he deprived him of his gun and ammunition, but might not that also have been from motives of kindness?

In the meantime, eight or ten men came into the house each and all with their faces blackened, and some of them as before wearing shirts outside their dress; and this he could see from the position of the bed where he lay. The chat among themselves and with Mrs. Finnerty was not, as is the case in romances, either mysterious or awful. On the contrary, it was light and pleasant, and by no means calculated to heighten McCarthy's fears; who, to say truth, however, although resolute and full of courage, would as lief been spending the evening with his friend the proctor.

"Well, Vread," said one of them, "any news in the mountains?"

"News in the mountains!" exclaimed Vread, "well, indeed, that's good."

"Any deaths or marriages among the grouse, eh?"

Vread, as we have said, had got a gla.s.s of spirits, a circ.u.mstance which, to a low heart but a kind one like hers, may probably have accounted for a portion of her energy, as well as of her sympathy with the apprehended danger to M'Carthy.

"Troth," she replied, with more vivacity than might have been expected from her, "when you spake to a dacent woman it ought to be with a clane face at any rate."

"Why, Vread, how can you say it's dirty," replied the fellow, "when you know I washed it before I came out?"

"It must be in the divil's basin, then," she replied, "for if one can judge by their eyes, you're more like one of his childre than your honest father's, whoever he was or is. Troth, I'm afeard it's a dirty business you're; all about to-night, if a body is to take you by your looks."

"Why, then," observed another, "who 'ud think that poor die-away Vread had so much s.p.u.n.k in her? Vread," he proceeded, "you must a been a great beauty wanst upon a time; a very purty face you had, they say."

"Whatever it was," she replied, "I thank G.o.d I was never ashamed to show it like too many of my neighbors."

"Don't be too sure that we're your neighbors, Vread."

"Troth, I hope not," she returned; "I don't think my neighbors 'ud be consarned in sich disgraceful work, as I'm afraid brings yez out. Faugh upon you all! its unmanly."

Her husband, accompanied by six or eight more, now made his appearance; a circ.u.mstance which at once put an end to the part that his wife was disposed to bear in their conversation.

Other chat of various character then took place, in which, however, M'Carthy, who now watched them closely, could observe that they did not all join.

"Whisht," said one of them, "is there anybody asleep in the house? I think I hear some one snorin!"

"There is," said Finnerty, "a gentleman that was out shootin' to-day wid a servant-man of Mr. Parcel's the procthor--named Mogue Moylan."

"And a very great scoundrel is Mogue Moylan," said one of them, with a wink at the rest.

"Well, no," said Finnerty, "I think not--poor Mogue's a daecnt, quiet crature, and has a great regard for truth and religion."

M'Carthy, from his position the bed, had, by means of a fortunate rift in the blankets, a complete view of the whole party, and he could mark with accuracy, in consequence of their black faces, every grin now made distinctly visible by their white teeth.

"Who is the gentleman that snores so beautifully?" asked another of them.

"He is a gentleman named O'Connor," replied poor Vread, anxious, if possible, even at the risk of much subsequent abuse and ill-treatment, to conceal his name.

"Ay," said Finnerty, corroborating her; much, indeed, to her astonishment, "he is a Mr. O'Connor, I believe, a very handsome-lookin', fine young fellow."

"What the blazes," said another of them, "keeps him? Surely he ought to be here before now. Had Mr. O'Connor good sport?"

"How could he," replied Finnerty, "wid the fog that was on the mountains?"

At this moment an individual made his appearance, whom it was impossible to look upon without being most forcibly struck by his figure. He was a broad-shouldered, muscular, powerful man, with immensely large limbs; his hair was black, and a huge pair of whiskers of the same color stretched across his cheeks, met at his chin, and ran down in an unbroken line round a huge and remarkably well-set neck. The moment he entered, and before he had time to speak, two or three of them instantly placed their fingers significantly upon their lips, as if to indicate silence, apprehensive, as M'Carthy at the time thought, lest his voice might be recognised. Another of them then whispered something to him, and whatever the secret was, it caused him to glance for a moment, and involuntarily, towards the bed. All that he spoke afterwards was uttered in whispers.

CHAPTER X.--The Sport Continued.

Finnerty's house, which had been built for more purposes than were necessary for the accommodation of a caretaker or gamekeeper, was simply a plain apartment, tolerably large, with room enough in it for a couple of beds; to this was added a shooting-lodge for the owner of the mountains, which consisted of three or four bed-rooms opening from a well-sized dining-room, and a kitchen distinct from the apartment which const.i.tuted the dwelling of the gamekeeper, being that which Finnerty, as such, then occupied. It was in the dining-room of the shooting-lodge that the Whiteboy meetings were uniformly held, although of late it had been usual for those who attended them to sit in Finnerty's house until the hour had arrived for commencing business, when they adjourned to the other. We should say that the gamekeeper's house, though under the same roof, as it is termed, with the shooting-lodge, was distinct from it in other respects; that is to say, there was no internal communication between them.

"Who was that fellow that we met with you a while ago?" asked one of them a second time, as if having forgotten his name.

"Poor Mogue Moylan," replied Finnerty, "and sadly bate down he was wid this day's Work; I advised him to go to bed as soon as he could, and refresh himself by a good sleep."

"Advise!" said a voice, that almost made M'Carthy start, "it's aisier to give good advice than it is to take it; Mogue's not the only fool in this world that won't take good advice when it's given."

There could be no mistaking his voice. M'Carthy at once recognized that of the unknown friend who had warned him of danger on the night he encountered the Whiteboys, as already described.

"Come," proceeded he, "it is time we should commence business and settle the affairs of the nation at wanst; throth," he added, with a laugh, "if I was the same nation, and had a pair of good legs undher me--"

"Of what?" said the person with the black whiskers, who was evidently their leader, "of what?"

"Of ginerals like Bonnypart and Sarsfield, I'd soon have the country clear and the millstone pavin' the roads under our feet, as it will be before long, plaise G.o.d. Come, then, to business."

They accordingly proceeded to the adjoining house, with the exception of Finnerty himself, who, whether for the sake of safety, or rather for the purpose of watching M'Carthy, remained at his own fireside. His wife, on seeing this, pretended to be engaged with some domestic matter about the dresser, on which she placed a freshly lit rushlight, and availing herself of her position behind the back of her husband, who sat with his face towards the bed, she slightly raised her hands and eyes, as if to intimate that escape, she feared, was impossible.

It is incredible, the reaction which a new sensation, especially of joy or terror, or, indeed, of any feeling that is strong, superinduces upon the spirit, under circ.u.mstances of peculiar danger or interest.

M'Carthy's fatigue, for instance, had now as completely departed from him as if he had not been abroad that day, and in consequence of the significant hint which he had received through the voice of his mysterious friend, he felt that if an opportunity were only offered him he would use the two legs to which his friend had alluded, when checked by the stern voice of their leader, with as much agility as ever they possessed during his life. It was this hint which made him feel certain, for the first time, that he was in imminent danger.

Half an hour had now elasped, and it was evident, from the listening att.i.tudes and frequent stortings of Finnerty, that the debate in the lodge was high and serious. At length, one of the society hurriedly made his appearance, exclaiming; in a kind of condensed and agitated whisper, "Come in and help us--they won't stand the thing, there's only three for us." Finnerty took the candle; and, after signing to the person to go out, brought it close to M'Carthy's eyes, who opened his mouth and a.s.sumed with singular success all the deep insensible relaxation which characterizes heavy sleep. Finnerty even shook him, and said, "Hadn't you better get up, sir, and come to meet the car?" He addressed a log, however, and after another more careless and evidently satisfied glance, he laid down the candle, and then said to his wife, in a whisper, which, however, M'Carthy could hear; "The moment he wakens let us know."

Vread, who would not seem to attach any importance to the circ.u.mstance, simply nodded, by way of acquiescence, and her husband, went to join those in the lodge.

In every country whose political, commercial, or social relations, are not properly settled, or in which there exists a struggle between the principles at variance with civil order and those of enlightened progress, there will always be found a considerable portion of the population ripe and ready for violence and crime. This is an undisputable fact, and one the more dangerous too, inasmuch as crime is usually stripped by these misguided wretches of its inherent guilt, and looked upon as a necessary instrument, or, in other words, as a means to work out an end. It is true, the relative portion of the reckless and guilty is, in this country at least, considering its population, exceedingly small, for we all know how miserable the number of those who are at any time necessary to involve the character of a district at large, or inculpate the moral reputation of a whole country. At the same time, we must unquestionably admit, that, if we contrast the population of the country at large, and the frequency of crime in it, joined to its character of cool and deliberate atrocity, with that of the sister countries, we must candidly acknowledge, that the conduct of the people, even taking the proportions I have mentioned into consideration, is not only without parallel in modern times, but that religion is not merely a name, but, in every sense, incapable, whether by its internal spirit or maladministration, of discharging to society those great functional duties which mankind have a right to expect from it. But now to return.

Finnerty had joined the meeting; his wife, approaching M'Carthy, said, in a low whisper--

"They have some argument about you, whatever it is. However, with G.o.d's a.s.sistance, I'll venthur to do a thing that may be dangerous enough to myself, at any rate; but what do I care about that, if I can save an unoffendin' fellow-creature from harm?--Stay where you are then, till I come in again."

She went out as she spoke, and after an? interval of about six or eight minutes again made her appearance.