I AM NOT CONTENT WITH MINDING MY OWN BUSINESS, BUT MUST HAVE A HAND IN
THAT OF OTHERS, BY WHICH MEANS I PUT MY FOOT IN IT.
He then, after his own fashion, told me, that, as executor he must
retain those papers; pointed out to me the little probability there was
of their containing any information relative to my birth, even allowing
that a person of the name of De Benyon did call at the Foundling to ask
for me, which was only a supposition; and, finally, overthrew all the
hopes which had been, for so many days, buoying me up. When he had
finished, I threw myself upon the sofa in despair, and wished, at the
moment, that I had never been born. Still hope again rose uppermost,
and I would have given all I possessed to have been able to break open
the seals of that packet, and have read the contents. At one moment I
was so frantic, that I was debating whether I should not take them from
Mr Cophagus by force, and run off with them. At last I rose, and
commenced reading the letters which I had put aside, but there was
nothing in them but the trifling communications of two young women, who
mentioned what was amusing to them, but uninteresting to those who were
not acquainted with the parties.
When we had finished, Mr Cophagus collected all together, and putting
them into a box, we returned in a coach to the hotel. The next day Mr
Cophagus had completed all his arrangements, and the day following had
determined to return to England. I walked with him down to the vessel,
and watched it for an hour after it had sailed, for it bore away a
packet of papers, which I could not help imagining were to discover the
secret which I was so eager in pursuit of. A night's sleep made me more
rational, and I now resolved to ascertain where Sir Henry de Clare, or
Melchior, as I felt certain he must be, was to be found. I sent for the
waiter, and asked him if he could inform me. He immediately replied in
the affirmative, and gave his address, Mount Castle, Connemara, asking
me when I intended to set out. It did not strike me till afterwards,
that it was singular that he should be so well acquainted with the
address, and that he should have produced a card with it written upon
it; or, moreover, that he should know that it was my intention to go
there. I took the address, and desired that I might have horses ready
very early the next morning. I then sat down and wrote a letter to
Harcourt, informing him of my proceedings, also one to Mr Masterton
much more explicit, lastly to Timothy, to the care of Harcourt,
requesting him to let me know what had occurred between him and the
gipsies. After dinner, I packed up ready for my journey, and having
settled my bill, I was not sorry to retire to my bed.
At daylight I was, as I requested, called by the waiter; and taking with
me only a very small portmanteau, having left the rest of my effects in
the charge of the people who kept the hotel, I set off in a post-chaise
on my expedition. I was soon clear of the city, and on a fine smooth
road, and, as I threw myself back in the corner of the chaise, I could
not help asking myself the question--what was the purport of my journey?
As the reader will perceive, I was wholly governed by impulses, and
never allowed reason or common sense to stand in the way of my feelings.
"What have I to do?" replied I to myself; "to find out if Melchior and
Sir Henry de Clare be not one and the same person. And what then? What
then?--why then I may find out something relative to Fleta's parentage.
Nay, but is that likely--if, as you suppose, Melchior is Sir Henry de
Clare--if, as you suppose, it is he who is now trying to find out and
carry off Fleta--is it probable that you will gain any information from
him? I have no idea that Fleta is the little girl said to have died,
who was the child of his elder brother. Why so? What interest could
Melchior have in stealing his own niece? That I cannot tell. Why did
Nattee give me the necklace? I cannot tell; she would hardly betray her
husband. At all events, there is a mystery, and it can only be
unravelled by being pulled at; and I may learn something by meeting
Melchior, whereas I shall learn nothing by remaining quiet." This last
idea satisfied me; and for many hours I remained in a train of deep
thought, only checked by paying for the horses at the end of every
stage.
It was now past twelve o'clock, when I found that it was necessary to
change the chaise at every post. The country also, as well as the
roads, had changed much for the worse. Cultivation was not so great,
the roads were mountainous, and civilisation generally disappeared. It
was nearly dark when I arrived at the last post, from whence I was to
take horses to Mount Castle. As usual, the chaise also was to be
changed; and I could not help observing that each change was from bad to
worse. Rope harness was used, and the vehicles themselves were of the
most crazy condition. Still I had travelled very fairly; for an Irish
postilion knows how to make an Irish horse go very fair pace. I
descended from the chaise, and ordered another out immediately. To this
there was no reply, except, "Wait, your honour; step in a moment, and
rest from your fatigue a little." Presuming this was merely to give
them time to get ready, I walked into the room of the inn, which indeed
was very little better than a hovel, and sat down by the turf fire in
company with some others, whom I could hardly distinguish for smoke. I
paid the chaise and postilion, and soon afterwards heard it drive off,
on its way back. After a few minutes I inquired if the chaise was
getting ready.
"Is it the chaise your honour means?" said the landlady.
"Yes," replied I; "a chaise on to Mount Castle."
"Then I am sorry that your honour must wait a little for our chaise, and
the only one which we have, is gone to the castle, and won't be back
till long after the moon is up. What will your honour please to take?"
"Not back till moonlight!" replied I; "why did you not say so? and I
would have gone on with the other."
"Is it with the other you mane, your honour? Then if Teddy Driscoll
could make his horses go one step farther than our door, may I never
have a soul to be saved. Will your honour please to sit in the little
room? Kathleen shall light a fire."
Vexed as I was with the idea of passing the night in this horrid place,
there was no help for it; so I took up my portmanteau, and followed the
landlady to a small room, if it deserved the appellation, which had been
built after the cottage, and a door broken through the wall into it.
Ceiling there was none; it had only lean-to rafters, with tiles
overhead. I took a seat on the only stool that was in the room, and
leant my elbow on the table in no very pleasant humour, when I heard the
girl say, "And why don't you let him go on to the castle? Sure the
chaise is in the yard, and the horses are in the stable."
"There's orders 'gainst it, Kathleen," replied the landlady. "Mr
McDermott was here this blessed day, and who can deny him?"
"Who is he then?" replied the girl.
"An attorney with a warrant against Sir Henry; and, moreover, they say
that he's coming to 'strain upon the cattle of Jerry O'Toole for the
tithes."
"He's a bould young chap, at all events," replied the girl, "to come
here all by himself."
"Oh! but it's not till to-morrow morning, and then we'll have the troops
here to assist him."
"And does Jerry O'Toole know of this?"
"Sure enough he does; and I hope there'll be no murder committed in my
house this blessed night. But what can a poor widow do when McDermott
holds up his finger? Now, go light the fire, Kathleen, and see if the
poor young man wants anything; it's a burning pity that he shouldn't
have something to comfort him before his misfortunes fall upon him."
Kathleen made no reply. The horror that I felt at this discourse may
easily be imagined. That it was intended that I should meet with foul
play was certain, and I knew very well that, in such a desolate part of
the country, the murder of an individual, totally unknown, would hardly
be noticed. That I had been held up to the resentment of the
inhabitants as a tithe collector, and an attorney with a warrant, was
quite sufficient, I felt conscious, to induce them to make away with me.
How to undeceive them was the difficulty.