Willy Reilly / The Works of William Carleton, Volume One

ject for our H

good or evil, is, in Ireland, singularly felicitous. In the higher ranks, however, she was known as "The Lily of the Plains of Boyne," and as such she was toasted by all parties, not only in her own native county, but throughout Ireland, and at the viceregal entertainments in the Castle of Dublin. At the time of which we write, the penal laws were in operation against the Roman Catholic population of the country, and her father, a good-hearted man by nature, was wordy and violent by prejudice, and yet secretly kind and friendly to many of that unhappy creed, though by no means to all. It was well known, however, that in every thing that was generous and good i

ospitality of her father by engaging the affections of a daughter, on whose welfare his whole happiness was placed, and to whom, moreover, he could not, without committing an act of apostasy that he abhorred, ever be united as a husband? Reason and prudence, moreover, suggested to him the danger of his position, as well as the ungenero

ne-teller was extraordinary in the country, and whose predictions, come from what source

by the way, where is futurity? Because if you don't kn

"let me hear it. Whe

Mary, and you must admit it is not a very long one; pure

nd looked at him

eplied, "but shorter will be

w as little of it as I do myself. If you tell me any thing that has

fortune tould, then," sh

What has happened me, for instance,

the world before her time. I see how it will happen, for the complaint I speak of is in the fam

as happened

and a joyful heart, and a lovin' heart, you carr

vil prophecy; have you n

is as strong, and stronger, than death itself; and it is the suffering of

conjectures which practised impostors are so frequently in the habit of hazarding, replied, "That won't do, Mary; y

of Corbo. Yes, you saved his life, and you have taken his daughter's! for indeed it wo

at is to

ake a friend's advice you'll give her up; think no more of her. It may cost you an aching heart to do so, but by

d at nearly the same conclusion. Marriage, as the laws of the country then stood, was out of the question, and could not be legitimately effected. What, then, must the consequence of this irresistible but ill-fated passion be? An elopement to the Continent would not only be difficult but dangerous, if not altogether impossible. It was obviously evident that Mary Mahon had drawn her predictions from the same circumstances which led himself to similar conclusions; yet, notwithstanding all this, he felt that her wor

d and invigorated, sent for his daughter to sit with him as was her wont; for indeed, as the reader may now fully understand, his

ompany, "Well, darling, what do you think of this Mr. Mahon-pooh!-no-oh, Reilly-he who saved my life, an

apa; he appear's to be

loons, with a watch in each fob, and a frizzled wig, is considered a perfect gentleman-a perfect puppy, Helen, an accomplished trifle. Reilly, however, is none of these, for he is not only a

ith a smile, which our readers will understand

Helen that h

so, p

money, wooden shoes, and so forth, I'd marry you and him together. I'll tell you what, H

ting the question with a smile and a

and take him for your pains. Accomplish this, and let long-legged, knock-kneed Whitecraft, and

happiness with such a wretch? Such a union, sir, could not be-cannot be-must not b

have to fight for it. We must have Reilly here, and you must endeavor to convert him from P

is will be useless-it wi

en, may I ask, did yo

ially, to change his religion. And, sir, I will add myself-yes, I will say for myself, dear papa, and for Reilly too, that if from any unbecoming motive-if for the sake of love itself, I fe

ive Reilly a trial; long-legs is to dine with us the day after tomorrow-now, I will ask Reilly to meet him here-perhaps, if I get an opportunity, I wil

ll certainly mention

berg, Helen, if you d

s heard at the hall-door, and her father, going to the window, asked, "What noise is

sh to see this unfeeling and repulsive man, unle

en wit

l as in England, and had made the former principally his place of abode since he became enamored of the celebrated Cooleen Bawn. On the occasion in question he was walking about through his grounds when a female approached him; whom we beg the reader to re

s in the country? You, who are a

s for you, Sir Ro

s that

Willy Reilly-has got a footing in

hat be bad new

I know, that they had a love scene together this very morning

ked angrily, but he gave a peculiar smile, which should be seen in order to be understoo

in her turn, with a peculiar meaning. "Whene

ll by my influence as by allowing him to take she

nd hasn't he and I often sa

wn only to ourselves. You know I have the re

d Molly, "with most pe

concerned, one good turn deserves another

truth, it's more than I kn

see him; he is now concealed in my house; but first, mark

" she replied; "and if you wish to he

baronet calmly,

always dines in the back-and, from a kind of natural curiosity she's afflicted with, she puts her ear to the keyhole, and afterwards her eye. I happened to be at the squire's a

y did, and remained in consultation with him and the Red Rapparee for nearly an hour, after wh

isis the vehement but whimsical old man, whose mind was now full of another project with reference to his daughter, exp

w of yours, all skin and bones, into a man's hand, and there you let it lie. But, no ma

e my way, with the exception of this report about yourself, which I hope i

, a piece of vanity which nettled the quick and irritable feelings of the squire exceedingly. The inference he drew was, that this wealthy suit

wig is out of balance? it's a little to the one

to know all about it-that-a-I didn't take time to-a-look to my dress. And besides, as I-hum!-expect to have-a-the plea

n which appeared to constitute the great object on which his mind was engaged, the affair of the

be found under the nose of a miser; as for a chin, we could not conscientiously allow him any; his under-lip sloped off until it met the throat with a curve not larger than that of an oyster-shell, which when open to the tide, his mouth very much resembled. As for his neck, it was so long that no portion of dress at that time discovered was capable of covering more than one third of it; so that there were always two parts out of

stically, "because, if you are, I swear you're achieving won

t, "I perceive you are in one

s that you're free from hydrophobia; if you were not, I'd have died pleasantly between two

ou know, my dear sir, I gave you heavy boot;" and as he spoke, he pulled up the lapels

ss Folliard

ody, but himself. She is at home, Sir Robert, but the truth is, I don't think it would become me, as a father anxious for the happiness of his child, and that child, an

the word; her distaste to me is

ipathy is the word. Now I tell you, once

ronet, "is somewhat of the suddenest. Has an

ve other views fo

air or honorable towards me, Mr. Folliard?

tell you that

hy not

"if you found out who he was, y

cuse me, but it would seem to me that something

ou heard the name of your rival you would first kill him, then powder him, and, lastly, eat

whimsical, capricious, and in the habit of taking all his strongest and most enduring resolutions from sud

that there is no man living prizes it, and, let me add, you character too

u, sir, that the murdering miscreant, the Red Rapparee, h

am well aware of it, and you were

n the nick of time; by that glorious yo

ir, is a very accompl

him, and as handsome and fine-looking a

on the Continen

armed at this piece of information, "he

ral strength and energy, for, in point of fact, it came out of

ir," said the baronet; "ask h

d he do, when the laws would not permit of his being educated here? I

rving that Reilly is an accomplished person, as indeed every Jesuit is. Be

great Deliverer from Pope and Popery, wooden shoes, and so forth, o

of that, and of the whole Jesuitical plot from the b

, without speaking, then sat down again, and, a s

imed; "a plot, Sir

your acquaintance, and of ingratiating himself into the good graces and af

tle time he recovered. "Marrying her!" he exclaimed; "that

r the baronet to f

rd. Could any change on Reilly's part involve such a pr

what is more, my house would have been attacked last night; I myself robbed and murdered, and my daughter-my child, carried off, only for him. Nay, indeed, it was parti

prevail on her

the tenth generation, could ever, for a single moment, think of turning Papist? Sir, I hoped that you would have respected the name both of my daughter and myself, and have foreborne to add this double insult both to her and me. The insolence ev

d-I accordingly do so promptly and at once; but as for my allegations against Reilly, I am in a position to establish their truth in the clearest manner, and to prove to you that th

as-the Red Rap

d; did you yourself, or any of y

inly, we did no

more soon. I shall prov

y don't y

with great caution. You-must allow me a few days,

t in the meantime I shall

my respects to Miss Folliard be

ather; "you know perfectly well that

d the baronet, affecting a melancholy expression

er now, come and meet Reilly here at dinner the day

force myself into that person's society

and my sense of gratitude, sir, are a sufficient guarantee to the worth and respectability of any one whom I may ask to my house. And, Sir Robert, in addition to that, just

sir, I shall do m

rapid and unaccountable changes which constituted so prominent a portion of his character.

mper and purpose, hot, passionate, vindictive, generous, implacable, and benevolent. What he had seldom been accustomed to do, he commenced soliloquizing aloud, and talking to himself in such broken hints and dark mysterious allusions, drawing from unknown premises such odd and ludicrous inferences; at one time brus

ou old dog; what have you to say in favor of these same parsons-lazy, negligent fellows, who snore and slumber, feed well, clothe well, and think first of number one? Egad, I'm in a mess between them. One makes a slave of you, and the other allows you to p

l, p

I shall allow you to so

ther declin

it. This, however, is human nature, and we do not see how the learned can condemn it. Upon the day appointed for dinner only four sat down to it-that is to say, the squire, his daughter, Sir Robert Whitecraft, and Reilly. They had met in the drawing-room some time before its announcement, and as the old man introduced the two latter, Reilly's bow was courteous and gentlemanly, whilst that of the baronet, who not only detested Reilly with the hatred of a demon, but resolved to make him feel the superiority of rank and wealth, was frigid, supercilious, and offensive. Reilly at once saw this, and, as he knew not that the baronet was in possession of his secret, he felt his il

will give Miss Fo

eyes, which, as they turned upon Reilly, was ten times more repulsive than the worst squint that ever disfi

y arm. I am the old man, and you ar

wn had gone far enough in advance to be i

that you have found such favor in his sight that-that-" she hesitated, and Reilly, looking into her

st love," said

project to me which, if it could be accomplished, would seal both

he replied, "is an

," she replied, sighing

tial use of the tongue, their eyes enjoyed very gratifying advantages, and there passed between them occasionally some of those rapid glances which, especially when lovers are under surveilla

very well educated man; indeed, the thing is evident. Wh

ion a people can never be moral, prosperous, or happy. Without it, how are they to learn t

ntrol of it, I presume, sir, to the c

s his position, which is not only to educate the youth, but

look at the baronet, and a very

om the peculiarity of your views, I feel anxious, if you will pardon me,

I apprehend, beyond the reach of any opportunity you ever had to know. I received my education, sir

cious beasts of prey makes previous to its death-spring upon its victim. The old man's countenance instantly fell. He looked with surprise, not unmingled with sorrow and distrust, at Reilly,

till further within the toils he was preparing for him,

d to hear-a-a-hem-God bless me, it is very odd, v

sir?" as

t confess I was not-ahem!-God bless me.

ect," observed th

that was kept within bounds only by his respect for the other parties, and the roof

ir," replied the othe

country prevented me from receiving it here. I was placed in a Jesuit seminary, not by my own choice, but by that of my father, to who

ve?" asked the baronet, with as much of a sne

t so long as they deprive myself and my Catholic fe

though," observed the ot

e, "you seem to be very much

ife, sir, and would as soon g

ose, dissatisfied expression-soon overshadowed his features, from which disappeared all trace of that benignant, open, and friendly hospitality towards Reilly that had hitherto obtained from them. He and the baronet exchanged glances of whose import, if Reilly was

ion of the drawing-room, to let her lover know that she wished him to follow her soon. The hint was not l

our guard, especially against the latter, who has evidently, ever since we sat down to dinner, contrived to bring papa round to his own way of thinking, as he will ultimately, perhaps, to worse desig

risk, b

shall be shared by me, even at the risk of my life, or I shall extricate you out of it.

he hand, "In the presence of heaven, I

ad scarcely taken their seats when the squ