The Evil Eye; Or, The Black Spector: The Works of William Carleton, Volume OneCarleton, William
General
The Evil Eye; Or, The Black Spector: The Works of William Carleton, Volume One
Carleton, William
Ireland -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
Now, the benevolence and singular power of Valentine Greatrakes are
historical facts which cannot be contradicted. After about a month from
the time he cured Alice Goodwin he came to the town of Rathfillan, with
several objects in view, one of which was to see Alice Goodwin, and to
ascertain that her health was perfectly reestablished. But the other
and greater one was that which we shall describe. Mr. Lindsay, having
perceived that his son Charles's health was gradually becoming worse,
though his wound was healed, and on finding that the physician who
attended him could neither do anything for his malady, nor even account
for it, or pronounce a diagnosis upon its character, bethought him
of the man who had so completely cured Alice Goodwin. Accordingly, on
Greatrakes's visit to Rathfillan, he waited upon him, and requested, as
a personal favor, that he would come and see his dying son, for indeed
Charles at that time was apparently not many days from death. This
distinguished and wealthy gentleman at once assented, and told Mr.
Lindsay that he “would visit his sen the next day.
“I may not cure him,” said he, “because there are certain complaints
which cannot be cured. Such complaints I never attempt to cure; and even
in others that are curable I sometimes fail. But wherever there is a
possibility of cure I rarely fail. I am not proud of this gift; on the
contrary, it has subdued my heart into a sense of piety and gratitude to
God, who, in his mercy, has been pleased to make me the instrument of so
much good to my fellow-creatures.”
Mr Lindsay returned home to his family in high spirits, and on his way
to the house observed his stepson Woodward and Barney Casey at the door
of the dog-kennel.
“I maintain the dog is wrong,” said Woodward, “and to me it seems an
incipient case of hydrophobia.”
“And to me,” replied Barney, “it appears that his complaint is hunger,
and that you have simply deprived him of his necessary food.”
At this moment Mr. Lindsay approached them, and exclaimed,--
“Harry, let your honest and affectionate heart cheer up. Valentine
Greatrakes will be here to-morrow, and will cure Charles, as he cured
Alice Goodwin, and then we will have them married; for if he recovers
I am determined on it, and will abide no opposition from any quarter.
Indeed, Harry, your mother is now willing that they should be married,
and is sorry that she ever opposed it. Your mother, thank God, is a
changed woman, and thank God the change is one that makes my very heart
rejoice.”
“God be praised,” exclaimed Barney, “that is good news, and makes my
heart rejoice nearly as much as yours.”
“Father,” said Woodward, “you have taken a heavy load off my mind.
Charles is certainly very ill, and until Greatrakes comes I shall make
it a point to watch and nurse-tend him myself.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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