The Macdermots of Ballycloran. Anthony Trollope

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СКАЧАТЬ and perhaps not at all times so gentle in his words as he should be, his heart is in the right place—at any rate where you are concerned. Though maybe he doesn't say so as often as others might, he's a very fond brother to you."

      "And I'm sure I'm always very fond of him—but then he's so queer; but, Father John, if I've offended Thady, I'll beg his pardon, for I'm sure I don't want to be out with him."

      "I'm sure you don't, Feemy; but that's not exactly it either. Thady's not the least in life offended with you; he's not at all easy to take offence, at least not with you; but he doesn't think you are just at ease with yourself; and to come to the truth at once, he was telling me what passed between you yesterday."

      Feemy blushed up to her paper curls, but she said nothing.

      "Now, I'm thinking Thady didn't go about saying what he wanted to say yesterday, quite the way he should have done, and I am not sure I shall do it any better myself. But I thought it as well to step up, as I was certain you'd hear whatever your priest had to say to you."

      "I don't think the better of Thady, though, for going and talking about me. If he'd only let me alone by myself I'd do well enough; it's all that talking does the harm, Father John."

      Father John didn't exactly like to tell Feemy that girls in her situation were just the people that ought not to be left alone by themselves—which probably means being left alone with some one of their own choosing; and that he was of opinion that she would not do very well if left alone in that way. That, however, was what he wished to convey to her.

      "Oh, but, my dear, you must think better of Thady for wishing to protect you as well as he can, and you left alone so much yourself here. So you know,"—and Father John even blushed a little as he said it—"it's about this fine lover of yours we are speaking. Now, my dear, I've nothing whatever to say against Captain Ussher, for you know he and I are great cronies; indeed, it's only last night he was taking his punch with your brother and Cullen down at the cottage—"

      "You weren't saying anything to Captain Ussher about me, Father John?"

      "You may take your oath of that, my dear. I respect a lady's secret a great deal too much for that. No; I was only saying that he was down at the cottage last night, to prove that he and I are friends, and it's not out of any prejudice I'm speaking—about his being a Protestant, and all that; not but that I'd sooner be marrying you to a good Catholic, Feemy—but that's neither here nor there. But you've known him now a long time; it's now four months since we all heard for certain it was to be a match; and, to tell you the truth, my dear, people are saying that Captain Ussher doesn't mean anything serious."

      "I think they'll dhrive me mad with their talk! And what good will it do for you and Thady to be coming telling me what they say?"

      "This good, Feemy; if what they say is false and unfounded, as I am sure I hope it is—and if you're so fond of Captain Ussher—don't you think it would be as well to put an end to the report by telling your father and brother of your being engaged, and settling something about your marriage, and all that?"

      "I did tell my brother I was engaged, Father John; what would you have?"

      "I'll tell you what I'd have. I'd have Captain Ussher ask your father or brother's consent: there's no doubt, we all know, but he'd get it; but it's customary, and, in my mind, it would only be decent."

      "So he will, I dare say; but mayn't there be rasons why he don't wish to have it talked about yet?"

      "Then, Feemy, in your situation, do you think a long clandestine engagement is quite the thing for you; is quite prudent?"

      "And how can it be clandestine, Father John, when you and Thady, and every one else almost, knows all about it?"

      Feemy's sharpness was too much for Father John, so he had to put it on another tack.

      "Well, Feemy, now just look at the matter this way, one moment: supposing now—only just for supposition—this lover of yours was not the sort of man we all take him to be, and that he was to turn out false, or inconstant; suppose now it turned out he had another wife somewhere else—"

      "Oh, that's nonsense, you know, Father John."

      "Yes, but just supposing it—or that he took some vagary into his head, and changed his mind! You must have heard of men doing such things, and why shouldn't your lover as well as another girl's? We're all likely to be deceived in people, and why mayn't we be as well deceived in Captain Ussher, as others have been in those they loved as well? We'll all hope, and think, and believe it's not so; but isn't it as well to be on the safe side, particularly in so important a thing as your happiness, Feemy? You wouldn't like it to be said through the country that you'd been jilted by the handsome captain, and that you'd been thrown off by your lover as soon as he was tired of you?"

      "And that's thrue for you, Father John; but Myles isn't tired of me, else why should he be coming up here to see me oftener than ever?"

      "But it's that he never may be tired of you, Feemy; take my word for it, he'll respect you a great deal more if you'll show more respect to yourself."

      "Well, Father John, and what is it you'd have me be doing?"

      "Why, then, I'd just ask him to speak a word to Thady—just to propose himself in the regular way."

      "But Thady hates him so."

      "No; Thady don't hate him: he's only jealous lest Captain Ussher isn't treating you quite as he ought to do."

      "But Thady is so queer in his manners; and I know Myles wouldn't like to be asking leave and permission to be courting me."

      "But, Feemy, he must like it; and you shouldn't like your lover the more for thinking so little of your brother, or, for the matter of that, of yourself either."

      "You know, Father John, I can't help what he thinks of Thady. As to his thinking of me, I'm quite satisfied with that, and I suppose that's enough."

      Father John was beginning to wax wroth, partly because he was displeased with Feemy himself, and partly because Feemy answered him too knowingly.

      "Well, then, Feemy, it'll be one of the two: either Captain Ussher will have to speak to Thady, and settle something about the marriage in a proper and decent way; or else Thady will be speaking to him. And now, which do you think will be the best?"

      "It's not like you, Father John, to be making Thady quarrel with Captain Ussher. You know it'd come to a quarrel if Thady was to be spaking to Myles that way; and he would never think of doing so av you didn't be putting him up to it."

      "And that's little like you, Feemy, to be saying that to your priest; telling me I put the young men up to be quarrelling: it's to save you many a heart-ache, and many a sting of sorrow and remorse; it's to prevent all the evil of unlawful love—bad blood, and false looks—that I've come here on a most disagreeable and thankless errand; and now you tell me I'd be putting the young men up to fight!"

      Feemy had, by this time, become sullen, but she didn't dare go farther with her priest.

      "I didn't say you'd be making them fight, Father John. I only said, if you told Thady not to be meddling with Myles, why, in course, they wouldn't be quarrelling."

      "And how could I tell a brother not to meddle with his sister's honour, and reputation, and happiness? But СКАЧАТЬ