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
And now, gentle and patient reader--for well, indeed, has thy patience
been tried, during the progress of this tantalizing narrative--we beg
to assure thee, that unless thou art so exquisitely tender-hearted as to
mourn over the fate of Bartle Flanagan, the shadows which darkened the
morning and noon of our story have departed, and its eye will be dewy,
and calm, and effulgent.
Flanagan's execution, like any other just and necessary vindication of
the law, was not without its usual good effect upon the great body
of the people; for, although we are not advocates for a sanguinary
statute-book, neither are we the eulogists of those who, with sufficient
power in their hands, sit calmly and serenely amidst scenes of outrage
and crime, in which the innocent suffer by the impunity of the guilty.
Fame, who is busy on such occasions, soon published to a far distance
Flanagan's confession of having committed the crime for which O'Donovan
was punished. John O'Brien had it himself! from the sheriff's lips, as
well as from a still more authentic statement written by the priest who
attended him, and signed by the unhappy culprit's mark, in the presence
of that gentleman, the governor of the gaol, and two turnkeys. The
sheriff now heard, from O'Brien, for the first time, that O'Donovan's
parents, having disposed of all their property, followed him to New
South Wales, a circumstance by which he was so much struck at the
moment, that he observed to O'Brien,--
“Do you not think it the duty of the Government, considering all the
young man and his parents have suffered by that rascal's malice, to
bring the whole family back at its own expense? For my part, aware as
I am of the excellent disposition of the Secretary, I think, if we ask
them, it will be done.”
“Our best plan, perhaps,” replied John, “is to get a memorial to that
effect signed by those who subscribed to the former one in his behalf.
I think it is certainly necessary, for, to tell you the truth, I doubt
whether they are in possession of funds sufficient for the expenses of
so long a journey.”
“I know,” said the sheriff, “that there is little time to be lost, for
S----,” naming the governor of the gaol, “tells me that the next convict
ship sails in a fortnight. We must, therefore, push forward the business
as rapidly as we can.”
Well and truly did they keep their words, for we have the satisfaction
of adding, that on the seventh day from the date of that conversation,
they received a communication from the Castle, informing them that,
after having taken the peculiar hardships of O'Donovan's singular case
into mature consideration, they deemed the prayer of the memorial such
as they felt pleasure in complying with; and that the Colonial Secretary
had been written to, to take the proper steps for the return of the
young man and his parents to their own country at the expense of the
Government.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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