Laughing at Larry's fears, I, having just finished winding up my line
and disconnecting my rod, bade him take up the fish, while I walked
towards the clump of trees where he had seen the headless ghost.
I didn't feel altogether sure that something would not appear. I had
not gone many paces before I caught sight of a white object. Larry saw
it also, and my gallant follower, who would have tackled a dozen
Frenchmen with a cutlass in his hand, fairly turned tail and scampered
away, shouting out--
"The ghost! the ghost! It's Nick Brian himself, barring his head. Run,
Mr Terence! Run, Mr Denis! or he'll be taking hold of us, and
carrying us off into the river to help him to look for it."
In spite of Larry's shouts, I still went on, although not feeling over
comfortable, when, as I got nearer, out flew, with a loud hiss, a large
white swan, whose nest was probably thereabouts. Though I might have
defended myself with the end of my rod, I thought it prudent to beat a
retreat and leave her in quiet possession of the locality. On seeing
this she also returned to her nest. When I overtook Larry,--who,
finding that I was not following him, had halted,--I assured him that
the ghost was only a swan. He, however, still remained incredulous,
declaring that it might have appeared like a swan to me in the gloom of
the evening, but he felt sure it was Nick Brian, and no one else. In
vain I endeavoured to induce him to return with me.
"I'd rather not, Mr Terence, if it's the same to you," he answered.
"It's not wise to be hunting up them sorts of things."
Denis now joined us, and though he laughed at the idea of a ghost, he
remarked that it would be as well, while there was sufficient light to
see our way, to commence our return home, which, as it was, we should
not reach till long after dark. I saw Larry every now and then turning
his head round, evidently expecting that Nick Brian the headless would
be following us.
We got home without any other adventure, where Larry gave a full account
of our encounter with Nick Brian's ghost, and the gallant way in which
Mr Terence had faced him, though he was not ashamed to confess that he
had not backed me up as he should have done, had I been attacked by a
human foe.
Though Denis had not seen the ghost, and I assured every one that it was
only a white swan, I found that Larry's account was believed in
preference to mine; the general opinion being that I fancied I had seen
the bird, though it was a ghost notwithstanding.
To do honour to my return, and to keep up the dignity of the family, my
mother and sisters considered it necessary to give a ball to the
neighbours, and invitations were issued accordingly. The major was
rather against the matter, on the score of expense, but he didn't hold
out as stoutly as usual. The preparations, however, were not on a very
extensive scale. Such flags and banners as were to be found in the
castle--many of them tattered and torn--were arranged so as to decorate
the entrance hall. The furniture was carried out of the dining-room--
the largest room in the house--and piled up in the dingy study.
Supper-tables were placed on one side of the hall; and my mother and
sisters, and all the females in the establishment, were engaged for some
days in manufacturing pasties, tarts, and jellies; while at the same
time sundry pieces of beef, ham, turkeys, and poultry were boiling and
roasting at the kitchen fire.
At the usual hour the guests began to arrive,--some in family coaches,
once covered with paint and gilt, but now battered and dingy; others
came in cars and gigs, and a considerable number of the fair sex on
horseback, having sent their ball dresses on before, by the invitation
of my sisters, who had promised their assistance in bedecking them. My
father complained that he was hurried away from the dinner-table that
due time might be obtained for making the necessary preparations. He
was left in his chair in the corner of the room, whence he watched the
proceedings with an expression which showed that he could not make out
exactly what was being done. I went up to him several times and tried
to make him understand.
At last the O'Maleys, the O'Flahertys, the Frenches, the Fitzgeralds,
the Burkes, the Geraldines, and the members of numerous other families
began to arrive, and Larry, habited in a sky-blue coat, a huge frill to
his shirt, pink breeches and green stockings, with four or five other
musicians, similarly attired, playing various instruments, took their
places on a raised platform which served as an orchestra.
A country dance was speedily formed, the couples standing opposite each
other, reaching from the top to the bottom of the room, and I had the
honour of leading out Miss Nora O'Flaherty, who was considered one of
the beauties of the county, though in many respects I doubt whether Tom
Pim would have looked upon her with the same eyes as he had done on Lucy
Talboys. Taking my partner, I led her prancing down the centre, and
proud enough I felt as I heard the remarks made upon us. Then we had to
come back and turn each couple, and so on in succession till we reached
the bottom. It was pretty hard work, though my fair partner seemed to
enjoy it amazingly. Of course, as was the custom of those days, I could
not take another partner, and I had every reason to congratulate myself
on having obtained so good a one. I suspect that many envied me. I was
naturally over head and ears in love with her before the evening was
over. There was very little rest between the dances. As soon as one
was over another was started, the musicians playing away with might and
main. We got through a few minuets, but such dances were too tame for
my fair countrywomen; indeed, but few of the men were able to perform
them, whereas all took to the country dances as if by instinct.
While we younger ones were thus amusing ourselves, the older people
passed the time playing cards, and afterwards did ample justice to the
supper. Indeed, very few of the young ladies were very backward at
that. Even Nora managed to discuss the wing and breast of a chicken,
with ham and a slice of beef, not to speak of tartlets and other
delicacies, without the slightest difficulty.
I saw her to her family coach, which conveyed her mamma, two sisters,
and a he cousin besides, of whom I felt prodigiously jealous. I could
think of nothing and talk of nobody but Nora O'Flaherty all the next
day, and proposed riding over to pay my respects to the family.
"You'll do nothing of the sort, Terence!" said my uncle. "I should be
the first to say `Go,' if I thought it would add to your happiness; but,
to the best of my belief, the young lady is engaged to her cousin; and
even supposing that she cared for you, and would consent to wait till
you became a post-captain, you would then only have your pay, and she
has not a stiver in the world, and you would thus be doing her a great
injustice. Talk of her as you like, think of her as a perfect angel;
but angels don't make good wives down here on earth, whatever they might
do in ethereal regions."
In fine, my uncle talked and laughed me out of my first love. Instead
of going over to Castle Moirty, I employed myself in fishing, shooting,
and other rural sports with my brothers and my brothers-in-law, and
occasionally with the major. This sort of life, however, didn't suit my
taste, and I began to wish myself once more afloat.
Among the young ladies present at the ball given in honour of my return
was a Miss Kathleen O'Brien, to whom I observed my brother Maurice paid
the most devoted attention, and I guessed, as I afterwards discovered,
that he was over head and ears in love with her. It was not a matter of
surprise, considering that she was among the prettiest of the very
pretty girls present. As she was an only daughter, and heiress of a
very fine estate, my family were highly delighted at the prospect of his
winning her; and as he was supposed to be crowned with laurels, had a
couple of honourable wounds in his arms, and our family was equal to
hers, it was hoped that no impediment would be thrown in the way of
their marriage, provided the young lady would accept him. Young ladies
in those days in Ireland had a free will of their own, and Maurice
acknowledged that he was not certain what way he had made in her
affections. My mother and sisters, however, encouraged him, and,
considering that there was no young man like him in that part of the
country, assured him that he had no cause to fear. Thus it appeared to
me that the battle was half won, and I had no doubt, when he set out the
next morning, attired in his red military suit, to pay his respects at
Castle Blatherbrook, that he would return back an accepted lover. We
cheered him as he set forth.
"Good luck go with you," cried Denis. "We will welcome you as an
intended Benedict when you come back again. Kathleen's tender heart
will never stand that gay coat and clashing sword. Talk of your
laurels, Maurice, and tell her how beautiful she will look with a wreath
of orange-blossoms across that fair brow of hers."
Maurice, a good-natured fellow, took all our jokes in good humour, and,
waving his hand as he put spurs to his steed, galloped off; while Denis
and I went to amuse ourselves with our fishing-rods, in hopes of
obtaining some variety to our usual fare. On our return we found that
Maurice had not come back from his wooing. This was considered a good
sign, as it was hoped that he was detained at the castle as an accepted
suitor. Our own meal was over, and evening was approaching; still
Maurice did not appear. My mother and sisters were very positive that
he had won the lady. At length, just as it grew dark, his horse's hoofs
were heard clattering up the avenue.
"You must not be disappointed," said the major, as we were all rushing
out to welcome him. "Girls are not always to be won by once asking."
Maurice threw his rein to Larry, who had taken up his old office of
groom, with what we thought a disconsolate air.
"Well, my dear boy, has she accepted you?"
"Yes, I'm sure she has. She could not have said no," exclaimed my
mother, taking him by the hand.
"Faith, then, she has," cried Maurice, "and I ought to be, and fancy I
am, the happiest man under the sun. But I am to quit the army, and turn
my sword into a ploughshare, and gather oats instead of laurels; and I
am not quite certain how I shall take to that sort of life."
We all congratulated him on his good fortune, and assured him that he
would soon get accustomed to a domestic state of existence.
After this I had very little of his society, as he rode off every
morning to Blatherbrook. He used to look bright and happy enough when
he came back, and Denis and I agreed that he was by degrees getting
accustomed to the thoughts of his expected change of life. This was
very good fun for Maurice, but I began to find it rather dull, and even
to wish myself afloat again. However, I wanted to wait for the wedding,
which, to my great satisfaction, I found was fixed for an early day. I
managed to spend the intermediate time much as before,--fishing or
sailing and shooting on the Shannon, with Larry as crew and old Mike
O'Hagan as pilot, when we explored not only the banks of the beautiful
river, but the various lochs which opened out of it. At last the happy
day arrived which was to see my brother united to his lady love. The
ceremony was to take place at her father's house, as was the custom of
those days among people of rank and fashion. Everything was arranged on
a splendid scale. All our neighbours from far and near assembled at
Castle Ballinahone, to see the bridal party set off, and to wish us good
luck. We had wedding favours down from Dublin, and wedding clothes of
resplendent hue, no one just then troubling themselves much as to how
they were to be paid for. My sisters were adorned with silks and
satins, and looked unusually handsome; but my mother, as became her
position, was attired in a costume of silver satin, so that when she put
it on the evening before, the light of the lamps made her resemble a
moving constellation. My brother, as became his military character, was
habited in a scarlet uniform, to which the tailor had added a sufficient
amount of gold lace to adorn the coats of half a dozen field-marshals,
white satin breeches, silk stockings, and diamond buckles in his shoes,
setting him off to great advantage, and we all agreed that a more
gallant bridegroom never set forth on a matrimonial expedition. The
family coach had been burnished up for the occasion, and was drawn by
four of the sleekest steeds in the stable, Larry and the other boys
having been employed for many a day previously in currying them down.
Dan Bourke was turned into coachman for the occasion, dressed in a
magnificent bright blue coat and hat adorned with gold lace. The
footboys, Mick Kelly and Tim Daley, were habited in new liveries, of the
same colour as Dan's, and stood behind the coach, in which were
ensconced my mother, two sisters, and the happy bridegroom. My uncle,
disdaining to enter a coach, led the way on horseback, dressed also in
full uniform; and amid the shouts and good wishes of the assembled
spectators, the family coach set off, those who had horses or vehicles
immediately following at a respectful distance. Denis, my two
brothers-in-law, and I had a vehicle to ourselves, which it had not been
thought necessary to furbish up. It was an old travelling chaise, which
had long rested in an out house, covered with dust and cobwebs, and
often the roosting-place of poultry. It was drawn by two sorry hacks,
and driven by Phil Kearney, the gamekeeper, for so he was called, though
there was but little game on the estate to keep, he being our usual
attendant on all sporting expeditions; while Larry, dressed in the
attire in which he had appeared at our ball, mounted the rumble with his
beloved fiddle, all ready, as he said, for setting the heels of the boys
and girls going in the kitchen, while their betters were dancing in the
hall. Denis and our two brothers-in-law were habited, as became the
attendants of the happy bridegroom, in white cloth coats with blue
capes, waistcoats and breeches of blue satin, spangled and laced all
over, while their heads were adorned with large paste curls, white as
snow, and scented with bergamot. I was more modestly attired in a new
naval uniform, carefully made from the pattern of my last old one under
my uncle's inspection. As we wished to reach Blatherbrook Castle before
the rest of the party, we took a short cut across the country, so as to
get into another high road, which would lead us directly to our
destination. Phil lashed on our steeds, when, with a pull and a jerk,
our horses, not being accustomed to work together, dashed forward at a
rapid pace over the stones, in a way calculated not only to dislocate
our limbs, but to shake the vehicle to pieces, but we held on to the
sides, trying to keep it together as best we could.
When we settled to take this route, we forgot that there existed a
turnpike on the road, an institution to which Irishmen have a decided
objection. The old turnpike-keeper, a discharged soldier, who had only
lately been sent there, and was thus unacquainted with any of us,
cautiously closed the gate, knowing that travellers often forgot to pull
up and pay. We, as loyal subjects of His Majesty, were ready to
disburse whatever was demanded of us. I accordingly put my hand in my
pocket, but not a coin could I find in it, and, knowing that my
brothers-in-law were not over-willing to draw their purse-strings if
there was any one else ready to do it, I desired Denis to give the
gate-keeper the toll.
"I quite forgot to put any money in my pocket," he observed. "But you
can pay him, Daley."
"I have not a stiver," said Daley, feeling first in one pocket, then in
the other.
"Well, we must come upon you, Fitz," I said.
"Faith, I left my purse in my other small-clothes," he answered.
"Is there any cash in it?" asked Daley, with a wink.
"Well, but the man must be paid," I said. "I'll tell Phil Kearney,"
and, looking out of the window, I called to him.
"Sorra a ha'p'orth of coppers there are in my pocket, seeing not a sight
of coin have I got from the master this many a day," he answered.
I then turned to Larry, hoping that he might be better off than the rest
of us.
"Faith, Mr Terence, it's a long time since I have had a coin to boast
of, and if I had that same, I'd not be after chucking it to an old
spalpeen for just opening a gate."
Phil at this juncture, observing that the gate was swinging slowly back,
lashed on his horses, and attempted to pass through, on which the old
soldier seized them by their heads; but Phil, not inclined to be
stopped, furiously flourishing his whip, bestowed his lashes, not only
on their backs, but on the shoulders of the gate-keeper. Fitzgerald,
who was the most peppery of the party, tried to get out to join in the
fight, but fortunately could not open the carriage door. Just then the
gate-keeper's wife hurried out, and joined her husband in hurling abuse
at us.
"I see who you are," she exclaimed, "a party of vagabond stage-players
running away from Cork, where you haven't paid your bills, and going to
wheedle the people at Limerick out of their money."
"That's true enough, mistress," said Fitzgerald, who had a soft tongue
in his head when he chose to use it; "but we're coming back soon, and
we'll pay you double for the beating your husband has got, and remember,
the next time he deserves it you'll pardon him for our sakes, and it
will save you the trouble of giving it to him. It's not to Limerick
we're going, but only to Castle Blatherbrook, where we're to play for
the entertainment of the wedding guests, for it's Mr Maurice O'Finnahan
is to marry Miss Kathleen O'Brien; and Mr O'Brien, the lady's father,
will be after paying us well, for he's as rich as Croesus, and we'll
bring away a bottle or two of the cratur to comfort your old soul."
As Phil had by this time ceased beating his horses, which stood quietly
enough while Fitz was giving this address, the old man let go their
heads and came to listen.
"Shure then you look like dacent stage-players, for certain; and as I'm
mighty fond of a good tune, now just give us one, and maybe if I like
it, I'll let you off this time, and thank you into the bargain," said
the old soldier.
"With all the pleasure in the world," answered Fitz. "There's our
musician sitting behind the coach, and he'll tune up his fiddle while we
tune up our pipes, and just consider what's likely to please you."