The Tithe-Proctor: The Works of William Carleton, Volume TwoCarleton, William
General
The Tithe-Proctor: The Works of William Carleton, Volume Two
Carleton, William
Ireland -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
“No,” replied M'Carthy, “do as I have desired you--some other time you
may hear it, but not now.”
At this moment, Mogue, who was very circumspect in all his looks as well
as in all his motions, saw by a side glance that Julia, on coming down
the stairs, saw M'Carthy--a circumstance which delighted his very
heart, inasmuch as he resolved to so manage it, that it might be made
to confirm the hint he had already thrown out against M'Carthy--if that
could be called a hint which was a broad and undisguised assertion. He
accordingly watched until an opportunity presented itself of addressing
her apart from listeners; and in the course of the morning, as she went
to look after some favorite flowers in the garden, he met her at the
gate.
“Miss Julia,” said he, “I wish to spake one word to you, i' you plaise,
miss.”
“Well, Mogue, what is it?”
“You know what I tould you about poor Misther Frank last night; and what
I want to say, miss, is, that you aren't to put any trust in it; truth,
I believe I had a sup in--don't be guided by it--it was only jokin'
about him I was--that I may never do an ill turn but it was--now.”
“You need make no apology about it, Mogue,” she replied; “I am not at
all interested in the matter; but I now know that you told me truth;
and as a friend and well-wisher of Mr. M'Carthy's, in common with all my
family, I am sorry to find it so.”
“Oh, well now, miss, what will I do at all? wisha, but that's the way
wid me ever and always; when the little sup is in--and indeed it wasn't
much I tuck--the truth always come out--if it was the killin' of a man,
my heart always gets the betther of ma then.”
“I saw him, Mogue, with his face blackened.”
“Wisha, wisha, but I was a haythen to mention it at all. The truth is,
I like Mr. Frank--but then again, I don't like anything like desate, or
that carries two faces--only as you did see him, Miss Julia, if you're
loyal to me and won't turn traitor on me--you've but to wait for a
little, I'll be able to tell you more about the same foolish--I'd rather
say foolish for the sake of settin' a Christian pat-thern, than wicked
or traicherous--och, ay--for sure we all have our failins--howandiver
as I was sayin', I'll soon be able, I think, to tell you more about
him--things that will surprise you, miss, ay, and make the blood in your
veins run cowld. Only I say, if you wish to hear this, and to have it as
clearly proved to you as what I tould you last night, you musn't betray
me.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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