The Emigrants Of Ahadarra: The Works of William Carleton, Volume TwoCarleton, William
General
The Emigrants Of Ahadarra: The Works of William Carleton, Volume Two
Carleton, William
Ireland -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
“What!” exclaimed Hogan, or rather roared again, as he fastened his
blazing eyes on Kate--“what, you yalla mullotty, do you dar to refuse?”
“Ay, do dar to refuse!--an' I'd see you fizzin' on the devil's
fryin'-pan, where you'll fiz yet, afore I'd dhrink it. Come, come,” she
replied, her eye blazing now as fiercely as his own, “keep quiet, I bid
you--keep calm; you ought to know me now, I think.”
“Drink it,” he shouted, “or I'll brain you.”
“Howl him,” said Teddy--“howl him; there's murdher in his eye. My soul
to happiness but he'll kill her.”
“Will he, indeed?” said Bat, with a loud laugh, in which he was joined
by Ned--“will he, indeed?” they shouted. “Go on, Kate, you'll get
fair play if you want it--his eye, Teddy! ay, but look at her's, man
alive--look at her altogether! Go on, Kate--more power!”
Teddy, on looking at her again, literally retreated a few paces from
sheer terror of the tremendous and intrepid fury who now stood before
him. It was then for the first time that he observed the huge bones and
immense muscular development that stood out into terrible strength
by the force of her rising passion. It was the eye, however, and the
features of the face which filled him with such an accountable dread.
The eyes were literally blazing, and the muscles of the face, now cast
into an expression which seemed at the same time to be laughter and
fury, were wrought up and blended together in such a way as made the
very countenance terrible by the emanation of murder which seemed to
break from every feature of it. “Drink it, I say again,” shouted Philip.
Kate made no reply, but, walking over to where he stood, she looked
closely into his eyes, and said, with grinding teeth--“Not if it was to
save you from the gallows, where you'll swing yet; but listen.” As she
spoke her words were hoarse and low, there was a volume of powerful
strength in her voice which stunned one like the roar of a lioness.
“Here,” she exclaimed, her voice now all at once rising or rather
shooting up to a most terrific scream--“here's a disgraceful death to
Hycy Burke! and may all that's good and prosperous in this world, ay,
and in the next, attend Bryan M'Mahon, the honest man! Now, Philip, my
man, see how I drink them both.” And, having concluded, she swallowed
the glass of whiskey, and again drawing her face within an inch of his
she glared right into his eyes.
“Howl me,” he shouted, “or I'll sthrike, an' we'll have a death in the
house.”
She raised one hand and waved it behind her, as an intimation that they
should not interfere.
The laughter of the brothers now passed all bounds. “No, Kate, go on--we
won't interfere. You had better seize him.”
“No,” she replied, “let him begin first, if he dar.”
“Howl me,” shouted Philip, “she'll only be killed.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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