murad the unlucky and other tales-第10部分

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Mr。　O'Neill；　and　more　than　ever　I　gave　you　reason　to　do。　　It　would
be　neither　pleasure　nor　pride　to　me　to　be　won　and　worn；　as　you　were
pleased　to　say；　in　spite　of　them　all；　and　to　be　thrown；　without　a
farthing　in　my　pocket；　upon　the　protection　of　one　who　expects　so
much　at　first　setting　out。So　I　assure　you；　sir；　whatever　you　may
expect；　I　shall　not　put　on　the　Limerick　gloves。〃

Mr。　O'Neill　was　not　without　his　share　of　pride　and　proper　spirit；
nay；　he　had；　it　must　be　confessed；　in　common　with　some　others　of
his　countrymen；　an　improper　share　of　pride　and　spirit。　　Fired　by
the　lady's　coldness；　he　poured　forth　a　volley　of　reproaches；　and
ended　by　wishing；　as　he　said；　a　good　morning；　for　ever　and　ever；　to
one　who　could　change　her　opinion；　point　blank；　like　the
weathercock。　　〃I　am；　miss；　your　most　obedient；　and　I　expect　you'll
never　think　no　more　of　poor　Brian　O'Neill　and　the　Limerick　gloves。〃

If　he　had　not　been　in　too　great　a　passion　to　observe　anything；　poor
Brian　O'Neill　would　have　found　out　that　Phoebe　was　not　a
weathercock：　　but　he　left　her　abruptly；　and　hurried　away；　imagining
all　the　while　that　it　was　Phoebe；　and　not　himself；　who　was　in　a
rage。　　Thus；　to　the　horseman　who　is　galloping　at　full　speed；　the
hedges；　trees；　and　houses　seem　rapidly　to　recede；　whilst；　in
reality；　they　never　move　from　their　places。　　It　is　he　that　flies
from　them；　and　not　they　from　him。

On　Monday　morning　Miss　Jenny　Brown；　the　perfumer's　daughter；　came
to　pay　Phoebe　a　morning　visit；　with　face　of　busy　joy。

〃So；　my　dear！〃　said　she：　　〃fine　doings　in　Hereford！　　But　what　makes
you　look　so　downcast？　　To　be　sure　you　are　invited；　as　well　as　the
rest　of　us。〃

〃Invited　where？〃　cried　Mrs。　Hill；　who　was　present；　and　who　could
never　endure　to　hear　of　an　invitation　in　which　she　was　not
included。　　〃Invited　where；　pray；　Miss　Jenny？〃

〃La！　have　not　you　heard？　　Why；　we　all　took　it　for　granted　that　you
and　Miss　Phoebe　would　have　been　the　first　and　foremost　to　have　been
asked　to　Mr。　O'Neill's　ball。〃

〃Ball！〃　cried　Mrs。　Hill；　and　luckily　saved　Phoebe；　who　was　in　some
agitation；　the　trouble　of　speaking。　　〃Why；　this　is　a　mighty　sudden
thing：　　I　never　heard　a　tittle　of　it　before。〃

〃Well；　this　is　really　extraordinary！　　And；　Phoebe；　have　you　not
received　a　pair　of　Limerick　gloves？〃

〃Yes；　I　have；〃　said　Phoebe；　〃but　what　then？　　What　have　my　Limerick
gloves　to　do　with　the　ball？〃

〃A　great　deal；〃　replied　Jenny。　　〃Don't　you　know　that　a　pair　of
Limerick　gloves　is；　as　one　may　say；　a　ticket　to　this　ball？　for
every　lady　that　has　been　asked　has　had　a　pair　sent　to　her　along
with　the　card；　and　I　believe　as　many　as　twenty；　besides　myself；
have　been　asked　this　morning。〃

Jenny　then　produced　her　new　pair　of　Limerick　gloves；　and　as　she
tried　them　on；　and　showed　how　well　they　fitted；　she　counted　up　the
names　of　the　ladies　who；　to　her　knowledge；　were　to　be　at　this　ball。
When　she　had　finished　the　catalogue；　she　expatiated　upon　the　grand
preparations　which　it　was　said　the　widow　O'Neill；　Mr。　O'Neill's
mother；　was　making　for　the　supper；　and　concluded　by　condoling　with
Mrs。　Hill　for　her　misfortune　in　not　having　been　invited。　　Jenny
took　her　leave　to　get　her　dress　in　readiness：　　〃for；〃　added　she；
〃Mr。　O'Neill　has　engaged　me　to　open　the　ball　in　case　Phoebe　does
not　go；　but　I　suppose　she　will　cheer　up　and　go；　as　she　has　a　pair
of　Limerick　gloves　as　well　as　the　rest　of　us。〃

There　was　a　silence　for　some　minutes　after　Jenny's　departure；　which
was　broken　by　Phoebe；　who　told　her　mother　that；　early　in　the
morning；　a　note　had　been　brought　to　her；　which　she　had　returned
unopened；　because　she　knew；　from　the　handwriting　of　the　direction；
that　it　came　from　Mr。　O'Neill。

We　must　observe　that　Phoebe　had　already　told　her　mother　of　her
meeting　with　this　gentleman　at　the　poor　widow's；　and　of　all　that
had　passed　between　them　afterwards。　　This　openness　on　her　part　had
softened　the　heart　of　Mrs。　Hill；　who　was　really　inclined　to　be
good…natured；　provided　people　would　allow　that　she　had　more
penetration　than　any　one　else　in　Hereford。　　She　was；　moreover；　a
good　deal　piqued　and　alarmed　by　the　idea　that　the　perfumer's
daughter　might　rival　and　outshine　her　own。　　Whilst　she　had　thought
herself　sure　of　Mr。　O'Neill's　attachment　to　Phoebe；　she　had　looked
higher；　especially　as　she　was　persuaded　by　the　perfumer's　lady　to
think　that　an　Irishman　could　not　but　be　a　bad　match；　but　now　she
began　to　suspect　that　the　perfumer's　lady　had　changed　her　opinion
of　Irishmen；　since　she　did　not　object　to　her　own　Jenny's　leading　up
the　ball　at　Mr。　O'Neill's。

All　these　thoughts　passed　rapidly　in　the　mother's　mind；　and；　with
her　fear　of　losing　an　admirer　for　her　Phoebe；　the　value　of　that
admirer　suddenly　rose　in　her　estimation。　　Thus；　at　an　auction；　if　a
lot　is　going　to　be　knocked　down　to　a　lady　who　is　the　only　person
that　has　bid　for　it；　even　she　feels　discontented；　and　despises　that
which　nobody　covets；　but　if；　as　the　hammer　is　falling；　many　voices
answer　to　the　question；　〃Who　bids　more？〃　then　her　anxiety　to　secure
the　prize　suddenly　rises；　and；　rather　than　be　outbid；　she　will　give
far　beyond　its　value。

〃Why；　child；〃　said　Mrs。　Hill；　〃since　you　have　a　pair　of　Limerick
gloves；　and　since　certainly　that　note　was　an　invitation　to　us　to
this　ball；　and　since　it　is　much　more　fitting　that　you　should　open
the　ball　than　Jenny　Brown；　and　since；　after　all；　it　was　very
handsome　and　genteel　of　the　young　man　to　say　he　would　take　you
without　a　farthing　in　your　pocket；　which　shows　that　those　were
misinformed　who　talked　of　him　as　an　Irish　adventurer；　and　since　we
are　not　certain　'twas　he　made　away　with　the　dog；　although　he　said
its　barking　was　a　great　nuisance；　there　is　no　great　reason　to
suppose　he　was　the　person　who　made　the　hole　under　the　foundation　of
the　cathedral；　or　that　he　could　have　such　a　wicked　thought　as　to
blow　it　up；　and　since　he　must　be　in　a　very　good　way　of　business　to
be　able　to　afford　giving　away　four　or　five　guineas'　worth　of
Limerick　gloves；　and　balls　and　suppers；　and　since；　after　all；　it　is
no　fault　of　his　to　be　an　Irishman；　I　give　it　as　my　vote　and
opinion；　my　dear；　that　you　put　on　your　Limerick　gloves　and　go　to
this　ball；　and　I'll　go　and　speak　to　your　father；　and　bring　him
round　to　our　opinion；　and　then　I'll　pay　the　morning　visit　I　owe　to
the　widow　O'Neill　and　make　up　your　quarrel　with　Brian。　　Love
quarrels　are　easy　to　make　up；　you　know；　and　then　we　shall　have
things　all　upon　velvet　again；　and　Jenny　Brown　need　not　come　with
her　hypocritical　condoling　face　to　us　any　more。〃

After　running　this　speech　glibly　off；　Mrs。　Hill；　without　waiting　to
hear　a　syllable　from　poor　Phoebe；　trotted　off　in　search　of　her
consort。　　It　was　not；　however；　quite　so　easy　a　task　as　his　wife
expected；　to　bring　Mr。　Hill　round　to　her　opinion。　　He　was　slow　in
declaring　himself　of　any　opinion；　but　when　once　he　had　said　a
thing；　there　was　but　little　chance　of　altering　his　notions。　　On
this　occasion　Mr。　Hill　was　doubly　bound　to　his　prejudice　against
our　unlucky　Irishman；　for　he　had　mentioned　with　great　solemnity　at
the　club　which　he　frequented　the　grand　affair　of　the　hole　under　the
foundation　of　the　cathedral；　and　his　suspicions　that　there　was　a
design　to　blow　it　up。　　Several　of　the　club　had　laughed　at　this
idea；　others；　who　supposed　that　Mr。　O'Neill　was　a　Roman　Catholic；
and　who　had　a　confused　notion　that　a　Roman　Catholic　must　be　a　very
wicked；　dangerous　being；　thought　that　there　might　be　a　great　deal
in　the　verger's　suggestions；　and　observed　that　a　very　watchful　eye
ought　to　be　kept　upon　this　Irish　glover；　who　had　come　to　settle　at
Hereford　nobody　knew　why；　and　who　seemed　to　have　money　at　command
nobody　knew　how。

The　news　of　this　ball　sounded　to　Mr。　Hill's　prejudiced　imagination
like　the　news　of　a　conspiracy。　　〃Ay！　ay！〃　thought　he；　〃the　Irishman
is　cunning　enough！　　But　we　shall　be　too　many　for　him：　　he　wants　to
throw　all　the　good　sober　folks　of　Hereford　off　their　guard　by
feasting；　and　dancing；　and　carousing；　I　take　it；　and　so　to
perpetrate　his　evil　design　when　it　is　least　suspected；　but　we　shall
be　prepared　for　him；　fools　as　he　takes　us　plain　Englishmen　to　be；　I
warrant。〃

In　consequence　of　these　most　shrewd　cogitations；　our　verger
silenced　his　wife　with　a　peremptory　nod　when　she　came　to　persuade
him　to　let　Phoebe　put　on　the　Limerick　gloves　and　go　to　the　ball。
〃To　this　ball　she　shall　not　go；　and　I　charge　her　not　to　put　on
those　Limerick　gloves　as　she　values　my　blessing；〃　said　Mr。　Hill。
〃Please　to　tell　her　so；　Mrs。　Hill；　and　trust　to　my　judgment　and
discretion　in　all　things；　Mrs。　Hill。　　Strange　work　may　be　in
Hereford　yet：　　but　I'll　say　no　more；　I　must　go　and　consult　with
knowing　men　who　are　of　my　opinion。〃

He　sallied　forth；　and　Mrs。　Hill　was　left　in　a　state　which　only
those　who　are　troubled　with　the　disease　of　excessive　curiosity　can
rightly　comprehend　or　compassionate。　　She　hied　her　back　to　Phoebe；
to　whom　she　announced　her　father's　answer；　and　then　went　gossiping
to　all　her　female　acquaintance　in　Hereford；　to　tell　them　all　that
she　knew；　and　all　that　she　did　not　know；　and　to　endeavour　to　find
out　a　secret　where　there　was　none　to　be　found。

There　are　trials　of　temper　in　all　conditions；　and　no　lady；　in　high
or　low　life；　could　endure　them　with　a　better　grace　than　Phoebe。
Whilst　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Hill　were　busied　abroad；　there　came　to　see
Phoebe　one　of　the　widow　Smith's　children。　　With　artless　expressions
of　gratitude　to　Phoebe　this　little　girl　mixed　the　praises　of
O'Neill；　who；　she　said；　had　been　the　constant　friend　of　her　mother；
and　had　given　her　money　every　week　since　the　fire　happened。　　〃Mammy
loves　him　dearly　for　being　so　good…natured；〃　continued　the　child；
〃and　he　has　been　good　to　other　people　as　well　as　to　us。〃

〃To　whom？〃　said　Phoebe。

〃To　a　poor　man　who　has　lodged　for　these　few　days　past　next　door　to
us；〃　replied　the　child；　〃I　don't　know　his　name　rightly；　but　he　is
an　Irishman；　and　he　goes　out　a…haymaking　in　the　daytime　along　with
a　number　of　others。　　He　knew　Mr。　O'Neill　in　his　own　country；　and　he
told　mammy　a　great　deal　about　his　goodness。〃

As　the　child　finished　these　words；　Phoebe　took　out　of　a　drawer　some
clothes；　which　she　had　made　for　the　poor　woman's　children；　and　gave
them　to　the　little　g