"That I am a beggar, and shall be sent to prison?"
"The master to prison--Och hone!"
"That my daughter is no longer an heiress, but without a shilling?"
"The beautiful child without a shilling--Och hone!"
"That you will have to leave--be turned out of the castle!"
"Me turned out of the castle--Och hone!"
"Yes, Norah, all this will take place in a few days."
"And who will do it?"
"Why, the young man upstairs, whose life we are saving. So much for grat.i.tude."
"Grat.i.tude! Och hone--and so young--and so beautiful, too, as he is."
"But he may die, Norah."
"Sure enough he may die," replied the old woman, brightening up at the idea. "It"s a bad fever that"s on him."
"And he may recover, Norah."
"Sure enough he may recover," replied she, mournfully; "he"s but young blood."
"Now, Norah, do you love your master--do you love your young mistress?"
"Do I love the master and the mistress?" replied the old woman indignantly; "and it"s you that"s after asking me such a question!"
"Can you bear to see us turned out of house and home--to be cast on the wide world with poverty and rags? Will you permit it, when, by a.s.sisting me, you can prevent it?"
"Can I bear it? Will I a.s.sist?--tell me the thing that you"d have me do, that"s all."
"I said that the wounded person might die.--Norah, he _must_ die."
The old woman looked up earnestly at Rainscourt"s face, as if to understand him. "I see!"--then remaining with her head down for some time, as if in cogitation; she again looked up. "Will father O"Sullivan give me absolution for that?"
"He will--he shall--I will pay for ten thousand ma.s.ses for your soul over and above."
"But what would you have me do--so young and so beautiful, too! I"ll think over it to-night. I never sleep much now, the rats are so troublesome."
"Rats!" cried Rainscourt; "why not get some a.r.s.enic?"
"a.r.s.enic!" echoed the old woman; "is it a.r.s.enic for the rats you mean?"
"Yes," replied Rainscourt, significantly; "for all sorts of rats--those who would undermine the foundation of an ancient house."
"Sure it"s an old house, that of the Rainscourts," replied the nurse; "but I"m giddy a little--I"ll think a bit." In a second or two, her face brightened up a little. "Why don"t you marry the two together?
Such a handsome couple as they"d be!"
"Marry, you old fool! Do you think, now that he is aware that all the property is his, that he would marry Emily, without a sixpence? No-- no."
"True--and it"s the a.r.s.enic you want, then?--and you"re sure that the priest will give absolution?"
"Sure," replied Rainscourt, out of patience; "come to me at daylight to-morrow morning."
"Well, I"ll think about it to-night when I"m asleep.--And so young, and so beautiful, too. Och hone!" murmured the old woman, as she unlocked the door, and with tremulous gait quitted the room.
Rainscourt, left to himself again became the prey to conflicting pa.s.sions. Although his conscience had long been proof against any remorse at the commission of the every-day crimes which stained the earth, yet it recoiled at meditated murder. More than once he determined to leave it all to chance, and if Seymour did recover, to fly the country with all the money he could raise; but the devil had possession, and was not to be cast out.
The door was again opened, and Emily, radiant with happiness after the interview with Seymour, in which she had plighted and received the troth of her beloved, entered the room.
"My dear father, Mr Seymour is so much better this evening."
"Would he were in his grave!" replied Rainscourt, bitterly.
Emily had come in, at the request of Seymour, to state to her father what had taken place, but this violent exclamation deterred her. She thought that it was not a favourable moment, and she retired, wishing him good night, with no small degree of indignation expressed in her countenance at his iniquitous wish. She retired to her chamber--her anger was soon chased away by the idea that it was for her sake that her father was so irritated, and that to-morrow all would be well. Bending to her Creator in grat.i.tude and love, and not forgetting Seymour in her orisons, she laid her head upon her pillow, and visions of future happiness filled her dreams in uninterrupted succession.
Enjoy them, beautiful and innocent one! Revel in them, if it were possible, to satiety--for they are thy last enjoyment. How much would the misery of this world be increased, if we were permitted to dive into futurity. The life of a man is a pilgrimage in error and in darkness.
The _ignis fatuus_ that he always pursues, always deceives him, yet he is warned in vain--at the moment of disappointment, he resolves--sees another, and pursues again. The fruit is turned to ashes in his mouth at the fancied moment of enjoyment--warning succeeds warning-- disappointment is followed up by disappointment every grey hair in his head may be considered as a sad memento of dear-bought, yet useless experience--still he continues, spurred on by Hope, antic.i.p.ating everything, in pursuit of nothing, until he stumbles into his grave, and all is over.
Little did McElvina and the vicar think what the consequences would be of their leaving Rainscourt in his wrath. Little did Rainscourt and the nurse imagine how dreadful and how futile would be the results of their wicked intentions. Little did the enamoured and guileless pair, who now slumbered in antic.i.p.ated bliss, contemplate what, in the never-ceasing parturition of time, the morrow would bring forth.
Early in the morning, Rainscourt, who was awake, and who had not taken off his clothes, was startled by a low tapping at his door. It was the nurse.
"Well," said Rainscourt, hastily, "have you procured what we were talking of?"
"I have indeed; but--"
"No buts, Norah, or we part for ever. Where is it? Who is with him?"
"One of the women. I tould her I would nurse him after daylight."
"When does he take his fever draughts?"
"Every two hours--Och hone, he"ll take but one more.--So young, and so beautiful, too."
"Silence, fool; go and send the other woman to bed, and then bring in one of the draughts."
The old nurse turned back as she was hobbling away--
"And the absolution?"
"Away, and do as I order you," cried Rainscourt, with violence.
"Blessed Jesus, don"t talk so loud! It"s the whole house will hear you," said the hag, beseechingly, as she left the room.