Againhetookherhand，andtwiceheattemptedtospeakinvain；atlengthhesaid：
　　’Ellen，whenIamgone——whenIamaway——willyousometimesremember，sometimesthinkofme？’
　　EllenHeathcotehadasmuch，perhapsmore，ofwhatisnobleinpridethanthehaughtiestbeautythatevertrodacourt；
　　buttheeffortwasuseless；thehoneststrugglewasinvain；andsheburstintofloodsoftears，bittererthanshehadevershedbefore。
　　Icannottellhowpassionsriseandfall；
　　Icannotdescribetheimpetuouswordsoftheyounglover，aspressingagainandagaintohislipsthecold，passivehand，whichhadbeenresignedtohim，prudence，caution，doubts，resolutions，allvanishedfromhisview，andmeltedintonothing。
　　’Tisformetotellthesimplefact，thatfromthatbriefinterviewtheybothdepartedpromisedandpledgedtoeachotherforever。
　　Throughtherestofthisstoryeventsfollowoneanotherrapidly。
　　AfewnightsafterthatwhichIhavejustmentioned，EllenHeathcotedisappeared；
　　butherfatherwasnotleftlonginsuspenseastoherfate，forDwyer，accompaniedbyoneofthosemendicantfriarswhotraversedthecountrythenevenmorecommonlythantheynowdo，calleduponHeathcotebeforehehadhadtimetotakeanyactivemeasuresfortherecoveryofhischild，andputhiminpossessionofadocumentwhichappearedtocontainsatisfactoryevidenceofthemarriageofEllenHeathcotewithRichardO’Mara，executedupontheeveningprevious，asthedatewenttoshow；andsignedbybothparties，aswellasbyDwyerandaservantofyoungO’Mara’s，boththesehavingactedaswitnesses；andfurthersupportedbythesignatureofPeterNicholls，abrotheroftheorderofSt。Francis，bywhomtheceremonyhadbeenperformed，andwhomHeathcotehadnodifficultyinrecognisinginthepersonofhisvisitant。
　　Thisdocument，andthepromptpersonalvisitofthetwomen，andaboveall，theknownidentityoftheFranciscan，satisfiedHeathcoteasfullyasanythingshortofcompletepublicitycouldhavedone。
　　Andhisconvictionwasnotamistakenone。
　　Dwyer，beforehetookhisleave，impresseduponHeathcotethenecessityofkeepingtheaffairsosecretastorenderitimpossiblethatitshouldreachColonelO’Mara’sears，aneventwhichwouldhavebeenattendedwithruinousconsequencestoallparties。Herefused，also，topermitHeathcotetoseehisdaughter，andeventotellhimwhereshewas，untilcircumstancesrendereditsafeforhimtovisither。
　　Heathcotewasaharshandsullenman；
　　andthoughhistemperwasanythingbuttractable，therewassomuchtoplease，almosttodazzlehim，intheevent，thatheacceptedthetermswhichDwyerimposeduponhimwithoutanyfurthertokenofdisapprobationthanashakeofthehead，andagruffwishthat’itmightproveallforthebest。’
　　Nearlytwomonthshadpassed，andyoungO’MarahadnotyetdepartedforEngland。Hislettershadbeenstrangelyfewandfarbetween；andinshort，hisconductwassuchastoinduceColonelO’MaratohastenhisreturntoIreland，andatthesametimetopressanengagement，whichLord——，hissonCaptainN——，andLadyEmilyhadmadetospendsomeweekswithhimathisresidenceinDublin。
　　AletterarrivedforyoungO’Mara，statingthearrangement，andrequiringhisattendanceinDublin，whichwasaccordinglyimmediatelyafforded。
　　Hearrived，withDwyer，intimetowelcomehisfatherandhisdistinguishedguests。HeresolvedtobreakoffhisembarrassingconnectionwithLadyEmily，without，however，statingtherealmotive，whichhefeltwouldexasperatetheresentmentwhichhisfatherandLord——
　　wouldnodoubtfeelathisconduct。
　　Hestronglyfelthowdishonourablyhewouldactif，inobediencetoDwyer’sadvice，heseemedtacitlytoacquiesceinanengagementwhichitwasimpossibleforhimtofulfil。HeknewthatLadyEmilywasnotcapableofanythinglikestrongattachment；andthatevenifshewere，hehadnoreasonwhatevertosupposethatshecaredatallforhim。
　　Hehadnotatanytimedesiredthealliance；norhadheanyreasontosupposetheyoungladyinanydegreelessindifferent。Heregardeditnow，andnotwithoutsomeappearanceofjustice，asnothingmorethanakindofunderstoodstipulation，enteredintobytheirparents，andtobeconsideredratherasamatterofbusinessandcalculationthanasinvolvinganythingofmutualinclinationonthepartofthepartiesmostnearlyinterestedinthematter。
　　Heanxiously，therefore，watchedforanopportunityofmakingknownhisfeelingstoLord——，ashecouldnotwithproprietydosotoLadyEmily；butwhatatadistanceappearedtobeamatterofeasyaccomplishment，now，uponanearerapproach，andwhentheimmediateimpulsewhichhadpromptedtheacthadsubsided，appearedsofullofdifficultyandalmostinextricableembarrassments，thatheinvoluntarilyshrunkfromthetaskdayafterday。
　　Thoughitwasasourceofindescribableanxietytohim，hedidnotventuretowritetoEllen，forhecouldnotdisguisefromhimselfthedangerwhichthesecrecyofhisconnectionwithhermustincurbyhiscommunicatingwithher，eventhroughapublicoffice，wheretheirlettersmightbepermittedtolielongerthanthegossipinginquisitivenessofacountrytownwouldwarranthiminsupposingsafe。
　　ItwasaboutafortnightafteryoungO’MarahadarrivedinDublin，whereallthings，andplaces，andamusements；andpersonsseemedthoroughlystale，flat，andunprofitable，whenoneday，temptedbytheunusualfinenessoftheweather，LadyEmilyproposedawalkintheCollegePark，afavouritepromenadeatthattime。
　　ShethereforewithyoungO’Mara，accompaniedbyDwyerwho，by-the-by，whenhepleased，couldactthegentlemansufficientlywell，proceededtotheplaceproposed，wheretheycontinuedtowalkforsometime。
　　’Why，Richard，’saidLadyEmily，afteratediousandunbrokenpauseofsomeminutes，’youarebecomingworseandworseeveryday。Youaregrowingabsolutelyintolerable；perfectlystupid!notonegoodthinghaveIheardsinceIleftthehouse。’
　　O’Marasmiled，andwasseekingforasuitablereply，whenhisdesignwasinterrupted，andhisattentionsuddenlyandpainfullyarrested，bytheappearanceoftwofigures，whowereslowlypassingthebroadwalkonwhichheandhispartymoved；theonewasthatofCaptainN——，theotherwastheformof——MartinHeathcote!
　　O’Marafeltconfounded，almoststunned；
　　theanticipationofsomeimpendingmischief——ofanimmediateandviolentcollisionwithayoungmanwhomhehadeverregardedashisfriend，wereapprehensionswhichsuchajuxtapositioncouldnotfailtoproduce。
　　’IsHeathcotemad？’thoughthe。
　　’Whatdevilcanhavebroughthimhere？’
　　DwyerhavingexchangedasignificantglancewithO’Mara，saidslightlytoLadyEmily：
　　’Willyourladyshipexcusemeforamoment？IhaveawordtosaytoCaptainN——，andwill，withyourpermission，immediatelyrejoinyou。’
　　Hebowed，andwalkingrapidlyon，wasinafewmomentsbesidetheobjectofhisandhispatron’suneasiness。
　　WhateverHeathcote’sobjectmightbe，hecertainlyhadnotyetdeclaredthesecret，whosesafetyO’Marahadsonaturallydesired，forCaptainN——appearedingoodspirits；andoncominguptohissisterandhercompanion，hejoinedthemforamoment，tellingO’Mara，laughingly，thatanoldquizhadcomefromthecountryfortheexpresspurposeoftellingtales，asitwastobesupposed，ofhimyoungO’Mara，inwhoseneighbourhoodhelived。
　　DuringthisspeechitrequiredalltheeffortwhichitwaspossibletoexerttopreventO’Mara’sbetrayingtheextremeagitationtowhichhissituationgaverise。
　　CaptainN——，however，suspectedno-
　　thing，andpassedonwithoutfurtherdelay。
　　Dinnerwasanearlymealinthosedays，andLadyEmilywasobligedtoleavetheParkinlessthanhalfanhouraftertheunpleasantmeetingwhichwehavejustmentioned。
　　YoungO’Maraand，atasignfromhim，DwyerhavingescortedtheladytothedoorofColonelO’Mara’shouse，pretendedanengagement，anddepartedtogether。
　　RichardO’Marainstantlyquestionedhiscomradeuponthesubjectofhisanxiety；butDwyerhadnothingtocommunicateofasatisfactorynature。Hehadonlytime，whilethecaptainhadbeenengagedwithLadyEmilyandhercompanion，tosaytoHeathcote：
　　’Besecret，asyouvalueyourexistence：
　　everythingwillberight，ifyoubebutsecret。’
　　TothisHeathcotehadreplied：’Neverfearme；IunderstandwhatIamabout。’
　　ThiswassaidinsuchanambiguousmannerthatitwasimpossibletoconjecturewhetherheintendedornottoactuponDwyer’sexhortation。Theconclusionwhichappearedmostnatural，wasbynomeansanagreeableone。
　　ItwasmuchtobefearedthatHeathcotehavingheardsomevaguereportofO’Mara’sengagementwithLadyEmily，perhapsexaggerated，bytherepetition，intoaspeedilyapproachingmarriage，hadbecomealarmedforhisdaughter’sinterest，andhadtakenthisdecisivestepinordertoprevent，byadisclosureofthecircumstancesofhisclandestineunionwithEllen，thepossibilityofhiscompletingaguiltyalliancewithCaptainN——’ssister。Ifheentertainedthesuspicionswhichtheyattributedtohim，hehadcertainlytakenthemosteffectualmeanstopreventtheirbeingrealised。Whateverhisobjectmightbe，hispresenceinDublin，incompanywithCaptainN——，bodednothinggoodtoO’Mara。
　　Theyentered——’stavern，inDameStreet，together；andthere，overahastyandbynomeansacomfortablemeal，theytalkedovertheirplansandconjectures。
　　Eveningclosedin，andfoundthemstillclosetedtogether，withnothingtointerrupt，andalargetankardofclarettosustaintheirdesultoryconversation。
　　Nothinghadbeendeterminedupon，exceptthatDwyerandO’MarashouldproceedundercoverofthedarknesstosearchthetownforHeathcote，andbyminuteinquiriesatthemostfrequentedhousesofentertainment，toascertainhisplaceofresidence，inordertoprocuringafullandexplanatoryinterviewwithhim。
　　Theyhadeachfilledtheirlastglass，andweresippingitslowly，seatedwiththeirfeetstretchedtowardsabrightcheerfulfire；thesmalltablewhichsustainedtheflagonofwhichwehavespoken，togetherwithtwopairofwaxcandles，placedbetweenthem，soastoaffordaconvenientresting-placeforthelongglassesoutofwhichtheydrank。
　　’Onegoodresult，atallevents，willbeeffectedbyHeathcote’svisit，’saidO’Mara。
　　’Beforetwenty-fourhoursIshalldothatwhichIshouldhavedonelongago。I
　　shall，withoutreserve，stateeverything。
　　Icannolongerendurethissuspense——thisdishonourablesecrecy——thisapparentdissimulation。EverymomentIhavepassedsincemydeparturefromthecountryhasbeenoneofembarrassment，ofpain，ofhumiliation。To-morrowIwillbravethestorm，whethersuccessfullyornotisdoubtful；butIhadratherwalkthehighroadsabeggar，thansubmitadaylongertobemadethedegradedsportofeveryaccident——themiserabledependentuponasuccessfulsystemofdeception。ThoughPASSIVEdeception，itisstillunmanly，unworthy，unjustifiabledeception。I
　　cannotbeartothinkofit。Idespisemyself，butIwillceasetobethedespicablethingIhavebecome。To-morrowseesmefree，andthisharassingsubjectforeveratrest。’
　　Hewasinterruptedherebythesoundoffootstepsheavilybutrapidlyascendingthetavernstaircase。Theroomdooropened，andCaptainN——，accompaniedbyafashionably-attiredyoungman，enteredtheroom。
　　YoungO’Marahadrisenfromhisseatontheentranceoftheirunexpectedvisitants；andthemomentCaptainN——
　　recognisedhisperson，anevidentandominouschangepassedoverhiscountenance。
　　Heturnedhastilytowithdraw，but，asitseemed，almostinstantlychangedhismind，forheturnedagainabruptly。
　　’Thischamberisengaged，sir，’saidthewaiter。
　　’Leavetheroom，sir，’washisonlyreply。
　　’Theroomisengaged，sir，’repeatedthewaiter，probablybelievingthathisfirstsuggestionhadbeenunheard。