Fardorougha, The Miser: The Works of William Carleton, Volume OneCarleton, William
General
Fardorougha, The Miser: The Works of William Carleton, Volume One
Carleton, William
Ireland -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
“An' if you write to him, sir, just in a single line, to say that the
affectionate ould friend never forgot him.”
“That, too, shall be done,” replied John; “you may rest assured of it.”
The Bodagh, whose notions in matters of delicacy and feeling were rough
but honest, now rang the bell with an uncommon, nay, an angry degree of
violence.
“Get up some spirits here, an' don't be asleep. You must take a glass of
whiskey before you go,” he said, addressing Nogher.
“Sir,” replied Nogher, “I'm in a hurry home, for I'm _aff_ my day's
work.”
“By ---, but you must,” rejoined the
Bodagh; “and what's your day's wages?”
“Ten pence.”
“There's half-a-crown; an' I tell you more, you must come an' take a
_cot--tack_ undher me, and you'll find the change for the betther, never
fear.”
In point of fact in was so concluded, and Nogher left the Bodagh's house
with a heart thankful to Providence that he had ever entered it.
The day of Flanagan's trial, however, now approached, and our readers
are fully aware of the many chances of escaping justice which the
state of the country opened to him, notwithstanding his most atrocious
villainy. As some one, however, says in a play--in that of Othello,
we believe--“God is above all,” so might Flanagan have said on this
occasion. The evidence of Biddy Nulty, some of the other servants,
and the Bodagh, who identified some of the notes, was quite sufficient
against him, with respect to the robbery. Nor was any evidence adduced
of more circumstantial weight than Kitty Lowry's, who, on being
satisfied of Flanagan's designs against Una, and that she was
consequently no more than his dupe, openly acknowledged the part she
had taken in the occurrences of the night on which the outrages were
committed. This confession agreed so well with Bartle's character
for caution and skill in everything he undertook, that his object in
persuading her to leave the hall door open was not only clear, but
perfectly consistent with the other parts of his plan. It was a capital
crime; and when fame once more had proclaimed abroad that Bartle
Flanagan was condemned to be hanged for robbing Bodagh Buie, they
insisted still more strongly that the sentence was an undeniable
instance of retributive justice. Striking, indeed, was the difference
between his deportment during the trial, and the manly fortitude of
Connor O'Donovan, when standing under as heavy a charge at the same bar.
The moment he entered the dock, it was observed that his face expressed
all the pusillanimous symptoms of the most unmanly terror. His brows
fell, or rather hung over his eyes, as if all their muscular power had
been lost--giving to his countenance not only the vague sullenness of
irresolute ferocity, but also, as was legible in his dead small eye,
the cold calculations of deep and cautious treachery; nor was his white,
haggard cheek a less equivocal assurance of his consummate cowardice.
Many eyes were now turned upon him; for we need scarcely say that his
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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