the purcell papers-2-第14节

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to　Ellen；　for　he　could　not　disguise　from

himself　the　danger　which　the　secrecy　of

his　connection　with　her　must　incur　by　his

communicating　with　her；　even　through　a

public　office；　where　their　letters　might　be

permitted　to　lie　longer　than　the　gossiping

inquisitiveness　of　a　country　town　would

warrant　him　in　supposing　safe。



It　was　about　a　fortnight　after　young

O'Mara　had　arrived　in　Dublin；　where　all

things；　and　places；　and　amusements；　and

persons　seemed　thoroughly　stale；　flat；　and

unprofitable；　when　one　day；　tempted　by

the　unusual　fineness　of　the　weather；　Lady

Emily　proposed　a　walk　in　the　College

Park；　a　favourite　promenade　at　that　time。

She　therefore　with　young　O'Mara；　accompanied

by　Dwyer　（who；　by…the…by；　when

he　pleased；　could　act　the　gentleman

sufficiently　well）；　proceeded　to　the　place

proposed；　where　they　continued　to　walk　for

some　time。



'Why；　Richard；'　said　Lady　Emily；　after

a　tedious　and　unbroken　pause　of　some

minutes；　'you　are　becoming　worse　and

worse　every　day。　You　are　growing　absolutely

intolerable；　perfectly　stupid！　not

one　good　thing　have　I　heard　since　I　left

the　house。'



O'Mara　smiled；　and　was　seeking　for　a

suitable　reply；　when　his　design　was

interrupted；　and　his　attention　suddenly　and

painfully　arrested；　by　the　appearance　of

two　figures；　who　were　slowly　passing　the

broad　walk　on　which　he　and　his　party

moved；　the　one　was　that　of　Captain

N；　the　other　was　the　form　ofMartin

Heathcote！



O'Mara　felt　confounded；　almost　stunned；

the　anticipation　of　some　impending

mischiefof　an　immediate　and　violent

collision　with　a　young　man　whom　he　had　ever

regarded　as　his　friend；　were　apprehensions

which　such　a　juxtaposition　could　not　fail

to　produce。



'Is　Heathcote　mad？'　thought　he。

'What　devil　can　have　brought　him

here？'



Dwyer　having　exchanged　a　significant

glance　with　O'Mara；　said　slightly　to　Lady

Emily：



'Will　your　ladyship　excuse　me　for　a

moment？　I　have　a　word　to　say　to　Captain

N；　and　will；　with　your　permission；

immediately　rejoin　you。'



He　bowed；　and　walking　rapidly　on；　was

in　a　few　moments　beside　the　object　of　his

and　his　patron's　uneasiness。



Whatever　Heathcote's　object　might　be；

he　certainly　had　not　yet　declared　the　secret；

whose　safety　O'Mara　had　so　naturally

desired；　for　Captain　N　appeared　in

good　spirits；　and　on　coming　up　to　his

sister　and　her　companion；　he　joined　them

for　a　moment；　telling　O'Mara；　laughingly；

that　an　old　quiz　had　come　from　the　country

for　the　express　purpose　of　telling　tales；　as

it　was　to　be　supposed；　of　him　（young

O'Mara）；　in　whose　neighbourhood　he

lived。



During　this　speech　it　required　all　the

effort　which　it　was　possible　to　exert　to

prevent　O'Mara's　betraying　the　extreme

agitation　to　which　his　situation　gave　rise。

Captain　N；　however；　suspected　no…

thing；　and　passed　on　without　further

delay。



Dinner　was　an　early　meal　in　those　days；

and　Lady　Emily　was　obliged　to　leave　the

Park　in　less　than　half　an　hour　after　the

unpleasant　meeting　which　we　have　just

mentioned。



Young　O'Mara　and；　at　a　sign　from

him；　Dwyer　having　escorted　the　lady

to　the　door　of　Colonel　O'Mara's　house；

pretended　an　engagement；　and　departed

together。



Richard　O'Mara　instantly　questioned

his　comrade　upon　the　subject　of　his

anxiety；　but　Dwyer　had　nothing　to

communicate　of　a　satisfactory　nature。　He

had　only　time；　while　the　captain　had　been

engaged　with　Lady　Emily　and　her

companion；　to　say　to　Heathcote：



'Be　secret；　as　you　value　your　existence：

everything　will　be　right；　if　you　be　but

secret。'



To　this　Heathcote　had　replied：　'Never

fear　me；　I　understand　what　I　am

about。'



This　was　said　in　such　an　ambiguous

manner　that　it　was　impossible　to　conjecture

whether　he　intended　or　not　to　act　upon

Dwyer's　exhortation。　The　conclusion

which　appeared　most　natural；　was　by　no

means　an　agreeable　one。



It　was　much　to　be　feared　that　Heathcote

having　heard　some　vague　report　of

O'Mara's　engagement　with　Lady　Emily；

perhaps　exaggerated；　by　the　repetition；

into　a　speedily　approaching　marriage；　had

become　alarmed　for　his　daughter's　interest；

and　had　taken　this　decisive　step　in　order

to　prevent；　by　a　disclosure　of　the　circumstances

of　his　clandestine　union　with　Ellen；

the　possibility　of　his　completing　a　guilty

alliance　with　Captain　N's　sister。　If

he　entertained　the　suspicions　which　they

attributed　to　him；　he　had　certainly　taken

the　most　effectual　means　to　prevent　their

being　realised。　Whatever　his　object　might

be；　his　presence　in　Dublin；　in　company

with　Captain　N；　boded　nothing　good

to　O'Mara。



They　entered　's　tavern；　in　Dame

Street；　together；　and　there；　over　a　hasty

and　by　no　means　a　comfortable　meal；　they

talked　over　their　plans　and　conjectures。

Evening　closed　in；　and　found　them　still

closeted　together；　with　nothing　to　interrupt；

and　a　large　tankard　of　claret　to　sustain

their　desultory　conversation。



Nothing　had　been　determined　upon；

except　that　Dwyer　and　O'Mara　should

proceed　under　cover　of　the　darkness　to

search　the　town　for　Heathcote；　and　by

minute　inquiries　at　the　most　frequented

houses　of　entertainment；　to　ascertain　his

place　of　residence；　in　order　to　procuring　a

full　and　explanatory　interview　with　him。

They　had　each　filled　their　last　glass；　and

were　sipping　it　slowly；　seated　with　their

feet　stretched　towards　a　bright　cheerful

fire；　the　small　table　which　sustained　the

flagon　of　which　we　have　spoken；　together

with　two　pair　of　wax　candles；　placed

between　them；　so　as　to　afford　a　convenient

resting…place　for　the　long　glasses　out　of

which　they　drank。



'One　good　result；　at　all　events；　will　be

effected　by　Heathcote's　visit；'　said　O'Mara。

'Before　twenty…four　hours　I　shall　do　that

which　I　should　have　done　long　ago。　I

shall；　without　reserve；　state　everything。

I　can　no　longer　endure　this　suspensethis

dishonourable　secrecythis　apparent

dissimulation。　Every　moment　I　have　passed

since　my　departure　from　the　country　has

been　one　of　embarrassment；　of　pain；　of

humiliation。　To…morrow　I　will　brave

the　storm；　whether　successfully　or　not　is

doubtful；　but　I　had　rather　walk　the　high

roads　a　beggar；　than　submit　a　day　longer

to　be　made　the　degraded　sport　of　every

accidentthe　miserable　dependent　upon　a

successful　system　of　deception。　Though

PASSIVE　deception；　it　is　still　unmanly；

unworthy；　unjustifiable　deception。　I

cannot　bear　to　think　of　it。　I　despise　myself；

but　I　will　cease　to　be　the　despicable　thing

I　have　become。　To…morrow　sees　me　free；

and　this　harassing　subject　for　ever　at

rest。'



He　was　interrupted　here　by　the　sound

of　footsteps　heavily　but　rapidly　ascending

the　tavern　staircase。　The　room　door

opened；　and　Captain　N；　accompanied

by　a　fashionably…attired　young　man；

entered　the　room。



Young　O'Mara　had　risen　from　his　seat

on　the　entrance　of　their　unexpected

visitants；　and　the　moment　Captain　N

recognised　his　person；　an　evident　and

ominous　change　passed　over　his　countenance。

He　turned　hastily　to　withdraw；　but；

as　it　seemed；　almost　instantly　changed　his

mind；　for　he　turned　again　abruptly。



'This　chamber　is　engaged；　sir；'　said　the

waiter。



'Leave　the　room；　sir；'　was　his　only

reply。



'The　room　is　engaged；　sir；'　repeated　the

waiter；　probably　believing　that　his　first

suggestion　had　been　unheard。



'Leave　the　room；　or　go　to　hell！'　shouted

Captain　N；　at　the　same　time　seizing

the　astounded　waiter　by　the　shoulder；　he

hurled　him　headlong　into　the　passage；

and　flung　the　door　to　with　a　crash　that

shook　the　walls。　'Sir；'　continued　he；

addressing　himself　to　O'Mara；　'I　did　not

hope　to　have　met　you　until　to…morrow。

Fortune　has　been　kind　to　medraw；　and

defend　yourself。'



At　the　same　time　he　drew　his　sword；

and　placed　himself　in　an　attitude　of

attack。



'I　will　not　draw　upon　YOU；'　said　O'Mara。

'I　have；　indeed；　wronged　you。　I　have

given　you　just　cause　for　resentment；　but

against　your　life　I　will　never　lift　my

hand。'



'You　are　a　coward；　sir；'　replied　Captain

N；　with　almost　frightful　vehemence；

'as　every　trickster　and　swindler　IS。　You

are　a　contemptible　dastarda　despicable；

damned　villain！　Draw　your　sword；　sir；

and　defend　your　life；　or　every　post

and　pillar　in　this　town　shall　tell　your

infamy。'



'Perhaps；'　said　his　friend；　with　a　sneer；

'the　gentleman　can　do　better　without　his

honour　than　without　his　wife。'



'Yes；'　shouted　the　captain；　'his　wife

a　trulla　common'



'Silence；　sir！'　cried　O'Mara；　all　the

fierceness　of　his　nature　roused　by　this　last

insult'your　object　is　gained；　your　blood

be　upon　your　own　head。'　At　the　same

time　he　sprang　across　a　bench　which　stood

in　his　way；　and　pushing　aside　the　table

which　supported　the　lights；　in　an　instant

their　swords　crossed；　and　they　were

engaged　in　close　and　deadly　strife。



Captain　N　was　far　the　st