English fiction -- 19th century; Ireland -- Fiction; Short stories, English
with black, and girded round the loins; exactly the costume which Shamus
had often studied in a little framed and glazed print, hung up in the
sacristy of the humble chapel recently built in the neighbourhood of the
ruin by a few descendants of the great religious fraternity to whom, in
its day of pride, the abbey had belonged. As he returned very
inquisitively, though, as he avers, not now in alarm, the fixed gaze of
his midnight visitor, a voice reached him, and he heard these strange
words:
“Shamus Dempsey, go to London Bridge, and you will be a rich man.”
“How will that come about, your reverence?” cried Shamus, jumping up
from the straw.
But the figure was gone; and stumbling among the black embers on the
remarkable place where it had stood, he fell prostrate, experiencing a
change of sensation and of observance of objects around, which might be
explained by supposing a transition from a sleeping to a waking state of
mind.
The rest of the night he slept little, thinking of the advice he had
received, and of the mysterious personage who gave it. But he resolved
to say nothing about his vision, particularly to his wife, lest, in her
present state of health, the frightful story might distress her; and, as
to his own conduct respecting it, he determined to be guided by the
future; in fact, he would wait to see if his counsellor came again. He
did come again, appearing in the same spot at the same hour of the
night, and wearing the same dress, though not the same expression of
feature; for the shadowy brows now slightly frowned, and a little
severity mingled with the former steadfastness of look.
“Shamus Dempsey, why have you not gone to London Bridge, and your wife
so near the time when she will want what you are to get by going there?
Remember, this is my second warning.”
“Musha, your reverence, an’ what am I to do on Lunnon Bridge?”
Again he rose to approach the figure; again it eluded him. Again a
change occurred in the quality of the interest with which he regarded
the admonition of his visitor. Again he passed a day of doubt as to the
propriety of undertaking what seemed to him little less than a journey
to the world’s end, without a penny in his pocket, and upon the eve of
his wife’s accouchement, merely in obedience to a recommendation which,
according to his creed, was not yet sufficiently strongly given, even
were it under any circumstances to be adopted. For Shamus had often
heard, and firmly believed, that a dream or a vision instructing one how
to procure riches ought to be experienced three times before it became
entitled to attention.
He lay down, however, half hoping that his vision might thus recommend
itself to his notice It did so.
“Shamus Dempsey,” said the figure, looking more angry than ever, “you
have not yet gone to London Bridge, although I hear your wife dying out
to bid you go. And, remember, this s my third warning.”
“Why, then, tundher an’ ouns, your reverence, just stop and tell me-“
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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