Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction
“You may be sure I walked up the hill to the parade-ground that
afternoon, and with a beating heart too. I came to the widow's house. It
was called 'New Molloyville,' as this is. Wherever she takes a house for
six months she calls it 'New Molloyville;' and has had one in Mallow,
in Bandon, in Sligo, in Castlebar, in Fermoy, in Drogheda, and the deuce
knows where besides: but the blinds were down, and though I thought I
saw somebody behind 'em, no notice was taken of poor Denny Haggarty,
and I paced up and down all mess-time in hopes of catching a glimpse of
Jemima, but in vain. The next day I was on the ground again; I was just
as much in love as ever, that's the fact. I'd never been in that way
before, look you; and when once caught, I knew it was for life.
“There's no use in telling you how long I beat about the bush, but when
I DID get admittance to the house (it was through the means of young
Castlereagh Molloy, whom you may remember at Leamington, and who was
at Cork for the regatta, and used to dine at our mess, and had taken a
mighty fancy to me)--when I DID get into the house, I say, I rushed in
medias res at once; I couldn't keep myself quiet, my heart was too full.
“Oh, Fitz! I shall never forget the day,--the moment I was inthrojuiced
into the dthrawing-room” (as he began to be agitated, Dennis's brogue
broke out with greater richness than ever; but though a stranger may
catch, and repeat from memory, a few words, it is next to impossible for
him to KEEP UP A CONVERSATION in Irish, so that we had best give up all
attempts to imitate Dennis). “When I saw old mother Gam,” said he, “my
feelings overcame me all at once. I rowled down on the ground, sir, as
if I'd been hit by a musket-ball. 'Dearest madam,' says I, 'I'll die if
you don't give me Jemima.'
“'Heavens, Mr. Haggarty!' says she, 'how you seize me with surprise!
Castlereagh, my dear nephew, had you not better leave us?' and away he
went, lighting a cigar, and leaving me still on the floor.
“'Rise, Mr. Haggarty,' continued the widow. 'I will not attempt to deny
that this constancy towards my daughter is extremely affecting, however
sudden your present appeal may be. I will not attempt to deny that,
perhaps, Jemima may have a similar feeling; but, as I said, I never
could give my daughter to a Catholic.'
“'I'm as good a Protestant as yourself, ma'am,' says I; 'my mother was
an heiress, and we were all brought up her way.'
“'That makes the matter very different,' says she, turning up the whites
of her eyes. 'How could I ever have reconciled it to my conscience to
see my blessed child married to a Papist? How could I ever have taken
him to Molloyville? Well, this obstacle being removed, _I_ must put
myself no longer in the way between two young people. _I_ must sacrifice
myself; as I always have when my darling girl was in question. YOU shall
see her, the poor dear lovely gentle sufferer, and learn your fate from
her own lips.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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