The Black Baronet; or, The Chronicles Of Ballytrain

Little Mary street, on the north side of the good city of Dublin. These eating-houses were remarkable for the extreme n

is half black with flies, but that will not prevent it from leaving upon your coat a deep and healthy streak of somethin

mers, clad in immense frieze jackets, corduroy knee-breeches, thick woollen stockings, and heavy soled, shoes, were not so much eating as devouring the viands that were before them; whilst in another part of the rooms sat

rtained on terms somewhat more expensive. We accordingly beg our readers to accompany us up a creaking pair of stairs to a small backroom on the first floor, furnished with an old, round oak table, with turned legs, four

tout, big-boned, and apparently very powerful as regarded personal strength. He was respectably enough dressed, and, as we said, unless when it happened that he fell into a mood of thoughtfulness, which he did repeatedly, had an appearance of frankness and simplicity which at once secured instant and

ession of good humor, broad and legible, which no one could mistake for a moment, and an affectation

eader acquainted with her in the person of the female fortune-teller, who held

bage which we got for dinner. The whole of them are what I designate as sorry specimens of metropolitan luxury. May I never translate a classic, but I fear I shall soon wax aegrotat-I feel something like a telegraphic despatch commencing between my head and my stom

me, too. This shan't pass; it's gross imposition-and that is a bad thing to practi

man's ghastly features as she looked with signi

id; "it's too bad that we should mak

refreshment can be placed, without the commission of something like small sacrilege, in parallel with thee! When I think of thy soothing and gradually exhilarating influence, of the genial spirit of love and friendship which, owing to thee, warms the heart of man, and not unfrequently of the softer sex also; when I reflect upon the cheerful light which thou diffusest by gentle degrees throughout the soul, filling it with generosity, kindness, and courage, enabling it to forget care and calamity, and all the various ills that fle

hed heartily at the eloquence of his uncle, who, he could perceive, had been ta

Ginty; "he knew we were waiting fo

te and just celebrity-I say I was in his apartments, where I found himself and a few of his brother students engaged in the agreeable relaxation of taking a hair of the same dog that bit them, after a liberal compotation on the preceding night. Third place, as a scholar! Well! who may he thank for that, I interrogate. No

we can't say that he has shown much affecti

sprigs, I say, especially, when their parents or instructors happen to be poor, fight shy of the frieze and caubeen at home, and avoid the risk of resuscitating old associations. Tom, Charley looks-at least he did when I saw him to-day-very like a lad who is more studious of the bottle than the book; but I will not prejudge the youth,

then," said the prophetess, "but something

ay of the ora

so if you like,"

e the pythoness in her fury, Ginty; a joke is a joke; and here's that he may be whatever you wish him! Ay, by the bones of Maro, this liquor is pleasant discussion!" We may observe here that they had been already furnished with a better description of drink-"But with reg

you knew everything; but for the present you can't; nobod

s he not a slip from the Black B

of," she replied, "is living

e heart and soul in the Black Baronet's body by one word's speaking, if I wis

r; "no violation of sacred ties. Is not

e on our family," replied Corbet, with a look of such hatred

im, and remain in his confide

may be they will never be known," replied his nephew-"Whisht! there

d, the room, apparently the worse for liquor, and approaching the

t? Mr. Corbet, how do you do? And Cassandra, my darling death-like old prophetess,

aid Corbet, "and join u

plied the student; "for I am

ever, it doesn't matter; we are glad to see you, Mr.

are you not proud of me," said Amb

ation of dignity-"but it was well, and I trust you are not insensible of the early indoctrinati

; his forehead was neither good nor bad, but the general contour of his face contained not within it a single feature with the expression of which the heart of the spectator could harmonize. He was beetle-browed, his mouth diabolically sensual, and his eyes, which were scarc

appeared like one who was studying his character, and attempting to read his natural disposition in his countenance, manner, and conversation. Sometimes her eye brightened a little, and again

t, my worthy old grinder, again I say to you, that, by all the gerunds, participles, and roots you

, between us both, we did it. What bait, what line, what calling, or profession in life, do you propose to yourself, Mr

ckheads for the remainder of my life? But what though I fail in science, still, most revered and learned O'Donegan, I have ambition-ambition-and, come how it may, I will surge up out of obscurity, my old bu

ily. O'Donegan shook him by the hand, so did Corbet, and they now

apiece, I hear, by the death of your brother, Mr. Corbet, who was ste

prophetess, "a good, kind-hearted

Baronet in your neighborhood-Sir Thoma

on't you know that he got heavy damages again

table; and God bless the worthy, be the same man or woman, who left himself, as

e supposed; but," she added, "as they-that is, she and her brother-happened to be in town, they were anxious to see him (the student); and, indeed, t

-possession, an instant recollection of his position and circumstances, banished from them, almo

Donegan, will you take care

l not forget myself, no more than that the image and superscription of

dered in, but, in the meantime, O'Donegan's eyes were fastened upon Mr. Gray with a degree of surprise, which, considering the change in the young man's appearance, was by no means extraordinary. Whatever the topic of their conversation may have been, it is not our purpose at present to disclose; but one thing is certain, that the transition which took place in Gray's features, as well as in his whole manner, was remarkable almost beyond belief. This, as we have said, manifested itself in some degree, on hearing that Corbet and his sister had something to say to him in the next room. Now, however, the change was decided and striking. All symptoms of tipsy triumph, arising from his success in college, had completely disappeared, and were replace

ect of this mysterious meeting had be

as ever could be discovered to the contrary, and, consequently, never very deep in the confidence of his brother Charles, who was a great favorite with Sir Thomas, was supposed to be very deeply in his secrets, and held a similar situation in his establishment. It was known, or at least supposed, that his brother Edward, having lived since his youth up with a liberal and affectionate master, must have saved a good deal of money; and, as he had never married, of course his brother, and also his sister-the fortune-teller-took it for granted that, being his nearest relations, whatever savings he had put together, must, after his death, necessarily pass into t

effect it. During his illness, his brother Charles visited him several times, and had many private conversations with him. And it may be necessary to state here, that, although these two relatives had never lived upon cold or unfriendly term

with men of higher and more influential position in life, who, when moved by ambition, avarice, or any other of the darker and more dangerous passions of our nature, feel an inclination, almost instinctive, to take such men into their intrigues and deliberations. The tyrant and oppressor discovers the disposition and character of h

of our narrative, because, from that event, the train of circumstanc

breathed his last. On arriving at the mansion in Merrion square, he met

has been calling for you-see him instantly-for his sands are n

to him during his long and severe illness. All that could be done for a person in h

ily. I could not forget the esteem in which his master, my dear husband, held him, nor the confidence which he

o leave him for a time, but promised to return as soon as he could, get them discharged. In the meantime, poor Corbet sank rapidly after Charles's departure, and begged, with a degree of anguish that was pitiable, to see Lady Gourlay, as he had something, he said, of the utmost importance to communicate to her. Lady Gourlay, however, had gone out, and none of th

at can be done to soothe your mind, or afford you ease and comfort in your d

her understand that he wished her to bend down her head to him; she did so; and in accents that were barely, and

r a fainting fit. Here, however, the instincts of the defrauded heart of the bereaved and sorrowing mother were called into instant and energetic life. The physical system, instead of becoming relaxed or feeble, grew firm and vigorous, and her mind collected an

eir office-he had become speechless. Feeling conscious, however, that he could not any longer make himself understood by words, he raised

kes his appearance at Ballytrain, and whether in connection with thi