The Black Baronet; or, The Chronicles Of Ballytrain: The Works of William Carleton, Volume OneCarleton, William
General
The Black Baronet; or, The Chronicles Of Ballytrain: The Works of William Carleton, Volume One
Carleton, William
Ireland -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
have never seen the enemy they speak of themselves. But the enemy we see
we can understand and grapple with; ergo, the influence of religion over
law; ergo, the influence of the priest, who deals in the imaginary and
ideal, over the legislator and the magistrate, who deal only in the
tangible and real. Yes, this indeed, is the principle. How we do fear a
ghost! What a shiver, what a horror runs through the frame when we think
we see one; and how different is this from our terror of a living enemy.
Away, then, with this imposture, I will none of it. Yet hold: what was
that I saw looking into the window of the carriage that contained my
brother's son? What was it? Why a form created by my own fears. That
credulous nurse, old mother Corbet, stuffed me so completely with
superstition when I was young and cowardly, that I cannot, in many
instances, shake myself free from it yet. Even the words of that priest
alarmed me for a moment. This, however, is merely the weakness of human
nature--the effect of unreal phantasms that influence the reason while
we are awake, just as that of dreams does the imagination while we are
asleep. Away, then, ye idle brood! I will none of you.”
He then sat himself down on the sofa, and rang for Gibson, but still the
train of thought pursued him.
“As to Lucy, I think it is still possible to force her into the position
for which I destined her--quite possible. She reasons like a girl, of
course, as I told her. She reasons like a girl who looks upon that
silly nonsense called love as the great business of life; and acts
accordingly. Little she thinks, however, that love--her love--his
love--both their loves--will never meet twelve months after what is
termed the honey-moon. No, they will part north and south. And yet the
honey-moon has her sharp ends, as well as every other moon. When love
passes away, she will find that the great business of life is, to make
as many as she can feel that she is above them in the estimation of the
world; to impress herself upon her equals, until they shall be forced to
acknowledge her superiority. And although this may be sometimes done by
intellect and principle, yet, in the society in which she must move,
it is always done by rank, by high position, and by pride, that jealous
vindictive pride which is based upon the hatred of our kind, and at once
smiles and scorns. What would I be if I were not a baronet? Sir Thomas
Gourlay passes where Mr. Gourlay would be spurned. This is the game
of life, and we shall play it with the right weapons. Many a cringing
scoundrel bows to the baronet who despises the man; and for this reason
it is that I have always made myself to be felt to some purpose, and so
shall Lucy, if I should die for it. I hate society, because I know that
society hates me; and for that reason I shall so far exalt her, that she
will have the base compound at her feet, and I shall teach her to scorn
and trample upon it. If I thought there were happiness in any particular
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