Part 11 (1/2)
”During this interval the distress of Widow Doran had become known to the inmates of his family, and his mother--for she lived with him--used to bring down each day some nouris.h.i.+ng food to the sick boy. In these kind offices she was very punctual; and so great was the poverty of the poor widow, and so dest.i.tute the situation of her sick son, that, in fact, the burden of their support lay princ.i.p.ally upon Vengeance's family.
”Vengeance was a small, thin man, with fair hair, and fiery eyes; his voice was loud and shrill, his utterance rapid, and the general expression of his countenance irritable. His motions were so quick, that he rather seemed to run than walk. He was a civil, obliging neighbor, but performed his best actions with a bad grace; a firm, unflinching friend, but a bitter and implacable enemy. Upon the whole he was generally esteemed and respected--though considered as an eccentric character, for such indeed he was. On hearing of Widow Doran's distress, he gave orders that a portion of each meal should be regularly sent down to her and her son; and from that period forward they were both supported princ.i.p.ally from his table.
”In this way some months had pa.s.sed, and still Vengeance was undisturbed in his farm. It often happened, however, that Doran's other son came to see his brother; and during these visits it was but natural that his mother and brother should allude to the kindness which they daily experienced from Vesey.
”One night, about twelve o'clock, a tap came to Widow Doran's door, who happened to be attending the invalid, as he was then nearly in the last stage of his illness. When she opened it, the other son entered, in an evident hurry, having the appearance of a man who felt deep and serious anxiety.
”'Mother,' said he, 'I was very uneasy entirely about Mick, and just started over to see him, although they don't know at home that I'm out, so I can't stay a crack; but I wish you would go to the door for two or three minutes, as I have something to say to him.'
”'Why, thin, Holy Mother!--Jack, a-hagur, is there anything the matther, for you look as if you had seen something?'*
* This phrase means--you look as if you had seen a ghost; it is a very common one.
”'Nothing worse than myself, mother,' he replied; 'nor there's nothing the matther at all--only I have a few words to say to Mick here, that's all.'
”The mother accordingly removed herself out of hearing.
”'Mick,' says the boy, 'this is a bad business--I wish to G.o.d I was clear and clane out of it.'
”'What is it?' said Mick, alarmed. ”' Murther, I'm afeard, if G.o.d doesn't turn it off of them, somehow.
”'What do you mane, man, at all?' said the invalid, raising himself, in deep emotion, on his elbow, from his poor straw bed.
”'Vengeance,' said he--'Vengeance, man--he's going to get it. I was out with the boys on Sunday evening, and at last it's agreed on to visit him to-morrow night. I'm sure and sartin he'll never escape, for there's more in for him than taking the farm, and daring them so often as he did--he shot two fingers off of a brother-in-law of Jem Reilly's one night that they war on for thres.h.i.+ng him, and that's coming home to him along with the rest.'
”'In the name of G.o.d, Jack,' inquired Mick, 'what do they intend to do to him?'
”' Why,' replied Jack, 'it's agreed to put a coal in the thatch, in the first place; and although they were afeared to name what he's to get besides, I doubt they'll make a spatchc.o.c.k of himself. They won't meddle with any other of the family, though--but he's down for it.'
”'Are you to be one of them?' asked Mick.
”'I was the third man named,' replied the other, 'bekase, they said, I knew the place.'
”'Jack,' said his emaciated brother, with much solemnity, raising himself up in the bed--'Jack, if you have act or part in that b.l.o.o.d.y business, G.o.d in his glory you'll never see. Fly the country--cut off a finger or toe--break your arm--or do something that may prevent you from being there. Oh, my G.o.d!' he exclaimed, whilst the tears fell fast down his pale cheeks--'to go to murder the man, and lave his little family widout a head or a father over them, and his wife a widow! To burn his place, widout rhime, or rason, or offince! Jack, if you go, I'll die cursing you. I'll appear to you--I'll let you rest neither night nor day, sleeping nor waking, in bed or out of bed. I'll haunt you, till you'll curse the very hour you war born.'
”'Whist, Micky,' said Jack, 'you're frightening me: I'll not go--will that satisfy you?'
”'Well, dhrop down on your two knees, there,' said Micky, 'and swear before the G.o.d that has his eye upon you this minute, that you'll have no hand in injuring him or his, while you live. If you don't do this, I'll not rest in my grave and maybe I'll be a corpse before mornin.'
”'Well Micky, said Jack, who though wild and unthinking, was a lad whose heart and affections were good, 'it would be hard for me to refuse you that much, and you! not likely to be long wid me--I will;' and he accordingly knelt down and swore solemnly, in words which his brother dictated to him, that he would not be concerned in the intended murder.
”'Now, give me your hand, Jack,' said the invalid; 'G.o.d bless you--and so He will. Jack, if I depart before I see you again, I'll die happy.
That man has supported me and my mother for near the last three months, bad as you all think him. Why, Jack, we would both be dead of hunger long ago, only for his family; and, my G.o.d! to think, of such a murdhering intention makes my blood run cowld'--
”'You had better give him a hint, then,' said Jack, 'some way, or he'll be done for, as sure as you're stretched on that bed; but don't mintion names, if you wish to keep me from being murdhered for what I did.
I must be off now, for I stole out of the barn:* and only that Atty Laghy's gone along wid the master to the ---- fair, to help him to sell the two coults, I couldn't get over at all.'
* Laboring servants in Ireland usually sleep in barns.
”'Well, go home, Jack, and G.o.d bless you, and so He will, for what you did this night.'