Tales and Novels Volume VIII Part 32

PHIL bows to Mr. and Mrs. CARVER, and to Miss BLOOMSBURY._

_Old McB._ Where are you now, Catty?--and you, Pat, ye unfortinate liar?

_Pat._ (_falling on his knees_) On me knees I am. Oh, I am an unfortinate liar, and I beg your honour's pardon this once.

_Mr. Carv._ A most abandoned liar, I p.r.o.nounce you.

_Pat._ Oh! I hope your honour won't abandon me, for I didn't know Miss Honor was under her ladys.h.i.+p, Mrs. Carver's favour and purtection, or I'd sooner ha' cut my tongue out clane--and I expict your honour won't turn your hack on me quite, for this is the first lies I ever was found out in since my creation; and how could I help, when it was by my master's particular desire?

_Mr. Carv._ Your master! honest Gerald O'Blaney!

_Catty._ O'Blaney!--save us! (_Lifting up her hands and eyes._)

_Mr. Carv._ Take care, Pat c.o.xe.

_Pat._ Mr. O'Blaney, ma'am--plase your honour--all truth now--the couns.h.i.+llor, that same and no other, as I've breath in my body--for why should I tell a lie now, when I've no place in my eye, and not a ha'porth to get by it? I'll confess all. It was by my master's orders that I should set you, Mrs. Rooney, and your pride up, ma'am, again'

making up with them McBrides. I'll tell the truth now, plase your honour--that was the cause of the lies I mentioned about the ring and chapel--I'll tell more, if you'll bind Mr. Randal to keep the pace.

_Randal._ I?--ye dirty dog!--Didn't I tell ye already, I'd not dirty my fingers with the likes of you?

_Pat._ All Mr. Gerald O'Blaney's aim was to ruin Mr. Randal Rooney, and set him by the ears with that gentleman, Mr. Philip McBride, the brother, and they to come to blows and outrage, and then be in disgrace committed by his honour.

_Randal._ (_turning to_ HONOR McBRIDE) Honor, you saved all--your brother and I never lifted our hands against one another, thanks be to Heaven and you, dearest!

_Catty._ And was there no truth in the story of the chapel and the ring?

_Pat._ Not a word of truth, but lies, Mrs. Rooney, dear ma'am, of the master's putting into my mouth out of his own head.

[_CATTY ROONEY walks firmly and deliberately across the room to HONOR McBRIDE._

_Catty._ Honor McBride, I was wrong; and here, publicly, as I traduced you, I ax your pardon before his honour, and your father, and your brother, and before Randal, and before my faction and his.

[_Both ROONIES and McBRIDES all, excepting Old McBRIDE, clap their hands, and huzza._

_Mr. Carv._ I ought to reprove this acclamation--but this once I let it pa.s.s.

_Phil._ Father, you said nothing--what do you say, sir?

_Old McB._ (_never moving_) I say nothing at all. I never doubted Honor, and knew the truth must appear--that's all I say.

_Honor._ Oh! father dear--more you will say (_shaking his stick gently_). Look up at me, and remember the promise you gave me, when Catty should be rasonable--and is not she rasonable now?

_Old McB._ I did not hear a word from her about the bog of Ballynascraw.

_Catty._ Is it the pitiful bit?--No more about it! Make crame cheeses of it--what care I? 'Twas only for pride I stood out--not _that_ I'm thinking of now!

_Old McB._ Well, then, miracles will never cease! here's one in your favour, Honor; so take her, Randal, fortune and all--a wife of five hundred.

_Randal._ (_kneeling_) Oh! happiest of men I am this minute.

_Catty._ I the same, if she had not a pinny in the world.

_Mr. Carv._ _Happiest of men!_--Don't kneel or go in to ecstasies now, I beg, till I know the _rationale_ of this. Was not I consulted?--did not I give my opinion and advice in favour of another?

_Old McB._ You was--you did, plase your honour, and I beg your honour's pardon, and Mr. Counsellor O'Blaney's.

_Mr. Carv._ And did not you give your consent?--I must think him a very ill-used person.

_Old McB._ I gave my consint only in case he could win hers, plase your honour, and he could _not_--and I could not break my own daughter's heart, and I beg your honour's pardon.

_Mr. Carv._ I don't know how that may be, sir, but I gave my approbation to the match; and I really am not accustomed to have my advice or opinion neglected or controverted. Yet, on the other hand--

_Enter a Footman with a note, which he gives to Mr. CARVER._

_Old McB._ (_aside to PHIL_) Say something for me, Phil, can't ye?--I hav'n't a word.

_Mr. Carv._ (_rising with a quicker motion than usual_) Bless me! bless me!--here is a revolution! and a counter revolution!--Here's news will make you all in as great astonishment as I own I am.

_Old McB._ What is it?

_Randal._ I'm made for life--I don't care what comes.

_Honor._ Nor I: so it is not to touch you, I'm happy.

_Catty._ Oh! your honour, spake quick, _this time_--I beg pardon!

_Mr. Carv._ Then I have to confess that _for once_ I have been deceived and mistaken in my judgment of a man; and what is more, of a man's _circ.u.mstances_ completely--O'Blaney.

_Old McB._ What of his _circ.u.mstances_, oh! sir, in the name of mercy?

_Mr. Carv._ Bankrupt, at this instant all under seizure to the supervisor. Mr. Gerald O'Blaney has fled the country.

_Old McB._ Then, Honor, you are without a penny; for all her fortune, 500_l._, was in his hands.

_Randal._ Then I'm as happy to have her without a penny--happier I am to prove my love pure.

_Catty._ G.o.d bless you for my own son! That's our way of thinking, Mr.

McBride--you see it was not for the fortune.

_Honor._ Oh! Phil, didn't I tell you her heart was right?

_Catty._ We will work hard--cheer up, McBrides. Now the Roonies and McBrides has joined, you'll see we'll defy the world and O'Blaney, the _chate_ of _chates_.

_Honor._ Randal's own mother!

_Catty._ Ay, now, we are all one family--now pull together. Don't be cast down, Phil dear. I'll never call you _flouris.h.i.+ng Phil_ again, so don't be standing on pride. Suppose your s.h.i.+ster has not a pinny, she's better than the best, and I'll love her and fold her to my ould warm heart, and the daughter of my heart she is now.

_Honor._ Oh, mother!--for you are my mother now--and happy I am to have a mother in you.