Willy Reilly / The Works of William Carleton, Volume One

cutors, he was decidedly unpopular among Protestants in general. In a few days after the events of the night we have described, Reilly, by the advic

ed, Sir Robert, as we said, came with a numerous party of his myrmidons, bringing along with them a large number of horses, carts, and cars. The house at this time was in the possession only of a keeper, a poor, feeble man, with a wife and a numerous family of small children, the other servants having fled from the danger in which their connection with Reilly involved them. Sir Robert, however, very deliberately brought up his cars and other vehicles, and having dragged out all the most valuable part of the furniture, piled it up, and had it conveyed to his own outhouses, where it was carefully-stowed. This act, however, excited comparatively little attention, for such outrages were not unfrequently committed by those who had, or at least who thought they had; the law in their own hands. It was now dusk, and the house had been gutted of all that had been most valuable in it-but the most brilliant part of the performance was yet to come. We mean no contemptible pun. The young man's dwelling-house, and office-houses were

Brown, "how conies such a wanton a

it is the property of a popish rebel and

thority for this condu

l hold myself accountable for what I do and have done. Come you, there," he added, "who have knocked down the pump, take

the scene, if one could dissociate the mind from the hellish

arent indifference, but uttered not a word. Indeed, he seemed rather to enjoy the novelty of the thing than o

e bottom of the lowest valleys. The greater portion of the crowd who were standing outside the cordon we have spoken of fled home, as the awful gusts grew stronger and stronger, in order to prevent their own houses from being stripped or unroofed, so that very few remained to witness the rage of the conflagration at its full height. The Irish peasantry entertain a superstition that whenever a strong storm of wind, without rain, arises, it has been occasioned by the necromantic spell of some guilty sorcerer, who, first having sold himself to the devil, afterwards raises him for some wicked purpose; and nothing but the sacri

gigantic play before the fire commenced at all. In the meantime, as we said, the whole premises presented one fiery mass of red and waving flames, that shot and drifted up, from time to time, towards the sky, with the rapidity, and more than the terror, of the aurora borealis. As the conflagration proceeded, the high flames that arose from the mansion, and those that leaped up from the offices, several times met across the yard, and mingled, as if to exult in their fearful task of destruction, forming a long and distinct arch of flame, so exact and regular, that it seemed to

how he exults; listen to the mirthful and crackling laughter with which the fiendish despot rejoices, as he gains the victory; mark the diabolical gambols with which he sports, and the demon glee with which he performs his capricious but frightful exultations. But the tyrant, a

fectually they search every nook and corner, lest anything might escape them! Mark the activity with which that strong fellow leaps across, from beam to beam, seizing upon each as he goes. A different task has been assigned to another: he attacks the rafters of the roof-he fails at first, but, like the constrictor, he first licks over his victim before he destroys it-bravo!-he is at it again-it gives way-he is upon it, and about it; and now his difficulties are over-the red wood glo

and now they unite-or how?-Do they oppose each other? Here does the windstorm drive back the god of fire from his victim; again the fiery god attempts to reach it; and again he feels that he has met

hunder of the wind supplies them with the appropriate music, and continues until; this terrible and gigantic waltz of the elements is concluded. But now these fearful ravagers are satisfied, because they have nothing more on which they can glut themselves. They appear, however, to be seated. The wind has become low, and is only able to work up a feeble effort at its former strength. The flames, too, are subsiding-their power is gone; occasional jets of fire I come forth, but they instantly disappear. By degrees, and one after another, they vanish. Nothing now is visible but smoke, and every thing is considered as

black mass of smoking ruins, turned their steps to the parsonage, which they had no sooner entered than they went immediately to Reilly's

a good deal of damage, I fear, to your house and premises, Mr. Brown. I heard the slates falling abo

t in more senses than o

borhood, I observed through the windows a strong light flickering and

alm; your house and premises are, at this

," replied Reilly-"Si

"it is too true, Reilly-you are now housel

then looking at each of them, said, in a voice rendered hoarse by the indignation and resentment which he felt him

f. "In the presence of God, and before all the world. I would pronounce it one of the most diabolical acts ever

at torture me, and that plant in my heart a principle of vengeance more fearful than his. But you do not understand me, gentlemen; I could smile at all he has done to mysel

ge of His wisdom. Have patience. Your situation is one of great distress and almost unexampled difficulty. At all events, you are, for the present, safe under this

or worlds. Yet is it not strange, gentlemen, that that man will slee

gently at the door, which was c

te which I was desired to give

ove; I will read

hilst looking on at the destruction of Reilly's property, never once opened his lips. Neither did he, from the moment they entered Reilly's room. He sat like a dumb man, occasiona

t your residence, concealment, or whatever it is, has been discovered by Sir Robert White

up, and taking R

will not leave the country; but there is one fact I wish to impress upon

, lest they should surround the house and render escape impossible

ad demanded admittance. The whole house was searched from top to bottom, but, as usual, without success. Sir Robert Whitecraft himself was not with them, but the p

ree that stood in the centre of a field adjoining a kind of back lawn that stretched from the walled garden of the parsonage. The fact is, that the clergyman's house had two hall-doors-one in front, and the other in the rear-and as the rooms command

several of them galloped across the lawn-it was a cavalry party, having been sent out for speed and passed into the field where th

of resistance against the law, on his side. Sir Robert has been most credibly informed that that disloyal parson has concealed him in his house for nearly the last month. Now

a disloyal parson is a liar,"

, by -- it was too bad to burn his house and place-and see whether Sir Robert will come off the better of it. I myself am a good Protestant-show me the man that will deny that, and I'll become his schoolmaster only for five minutes. I do say, and I'll tell it to Sir Robert's face, that there's something wrong somewhere. Give me a Papish that breaks the law, let

d another of them, "that I

" said Johnston, "

to know?" asked another, "tha

re can tell that?

rtable one for us. But here comes these fellows, just as the

, the man's not in the country, and whoever gave the information as to the parson keeping him was some enemy of the parson's

itary, whose numbers were mostly rated, according to the services he required of them, by the zeal and activity of their employer, as well as for his protection; and, in order to their accommodation, some uninhabited house in the neighborhood was converted into a barrack for the purpose. Such was the case in the instance of Sir

tleman, suffering persecution from the tool and scourge of a hostile government, might have calculated upon shelter and secrecy from those belonging to his own creed. And so, indeed, in nineteen cases out of twenty he might; but in what predicament should he find himself if the twentieth proved treacherous? And against this he had no guarantee. That age was peculiarly marked by the foulest personal perfidy, precipitated into action by rapacity, ingratitude, and the blackest ambition. The son of a Roman Catholic gentleman, for instance, had nothing more to do than change his creed, attach himself to the government, become a spy and informer on his f

nd himself a solitary traveller on the road, ignorant of his destiny, an

rtook another traveller, with w

e you, m

," replied the other; "wa

nconsciously, and for the moment forge

at off his guard by the accent of his companion, fr

"how could it be more awful t

aid Reilly, "and that yours was not,

ep sigh; "but sure you ought to know, s

aps I do

t, sir-the burning of Mr.

Reilly?" ask

r, that the soldiers are

of violating the law, especially their priests, who persist in marrying Protestants and Papists together, alth

t is still more strange, it very often happens that persons of their o

Reilly, "let them not deser

n the personal pronoun which we have put in italics; "are you of opinion, sir

hose circumstances it applied so powerfully, and he consequently paused for a little t

ly would say if such a

say-that neither innocence nor obedience is always

vow the suspicions he entertained of his identity, although he felt anxious to repose the fullest confidence in him; and Reilly, on the other hand, though perfectly aware of the true character of his companion, was influenced in their conversation by a similar feeling. Distrust it could not b

ut the bush with each other to no purpose; although I

Mr. Reilly, whose house was burned down by a vill

ose you a

would ill become my cloth and character to act dis

li miseris suc

gh I'm not so sharp at my Latin as I was, still I couldn't use ignarus, as you see, without fairly committing mysel

fell at once into his easy and natural manner, and rattled away very much to the amusem

w did it happen that you were force

walls have ears, and so may hedges. How, you ask? Why, you see, I'm not register

t was lost by a majority of two. So far make your mind easy. The consequence is, that if you labor under no ecclesia

a perfect Proteus. The metamorphoses of Ovid were nothing to mine. I have represented every character in society at large; to-day I've been a farme

among them all?" asked Reilly, wit

the fiddle I was about to give myself up to government at once. As for my part, I'd be ashamed t

how long is

ter than three week

dress did you wear on tha

ake a little refreshment, ordered in something to eat, and began to make me play for him. There was a Protestant in the house, too, so that I couldn't tell him who I was, and I accordingly began, and soon cleared the house of t

that?" as

walked, dressed in a red coat, military hat, white knee-breeches, and black leggings. As I was going out I met the soldiers. 'Is the priest inside, Art?' they asked. I pointed in a wrong direction. 'Up by Kilclay?' I nodded. They first searched the house, however, but found neither priest nor fool; only one of them, something sharper than the rest, went out of the back door, and saw unfortunate Art, dressed in black, running for the bare life. Of course they thought it was me they had. Off they started; and a tolerable chase Art put them to. At last he was caught, after a run across the country of about four miles; but ne'er a word came out of his lips, till a keen fellow, on looking closely at him, discovered the mistake. Some of them were then going to kill the poor foo

a narrow part of the roa

go on a couple of miles further, until we reach Glen Dhu, where

anion; "it would be a soft bed that would

ere will be few hearts there free from care, no more than yours, Mr. Re

Reilly. "Take my arm; I am strong

slower pace, until they got over the next

e are now within a hundred yards of our bert

here is neither house nor home within two miles of us

companion, "and I a

uch so that, if the termination of his journey had been at a much long

ss that we have God and truth on our side, and this gives us strength and courage to suffer. And if we fly, Mr. Reilly, and hide ourselves, it is not from any moral cowardice we do so. It certainly is not true courage to expose our lives wantonly and unnecessarily to the vengeance of our enemies. Read the Old Testament and his

tion against you only knew how certainly and surely it defeats their purpose, by cementing your hearts and the hearts of your flocks together, they would not, from principles even of worldly policy,

so grossly at variance with human liberty, ever succeed? As it is, we go out in the dead hours of the night, when even persecution is asleep, and administer the consolations of religion to the sick, the dying, and the destitute. Now these stolen visits are sweeter, perhaps, and more efficacious, than if they took place in freedom and the open day. Again, we educate their children in the principles of their

them here for the present; but not without a hope that they fo