’Leavetheroom，orgotohell!’shoutedCaptainN——；atthesametimeseizingtheastoundedwaiterbytheshoulder，hehurledhimheadlongintothepassage，andflungthedoortowithacrashthatshookthewalls。’Sir，’continuedhe，addressinghimselftoO’Mara，’Ididnothopetohavemetyouuntilto-morrow。
　　Fortunehasbeenkindtome——draw，anddefendyourself。’
　　Atthesametimehedrewhissword，andplacedhimselfinanattitudeofattack。
　　’IwillnotdrawuponYOU，’saidO’Mara。
　　’Ihave，indeed，wrongedyou。Ihavegivenyoujustcauseforresentment；butagainstyourlifeIwillneverliftmyhand。’
　　’Youareacoward，sir，’repliedCaptainN——，withalmostfrightfulvehemence，’aseverytricksterandswindlerIS。Youareacontemptibledastard——adespicable，damnedvillain!Drawyoursword，sir，anddefendyourlife，oreverypostandpillarinthistownshalltellyourinfamy。’
　　’Perhaps，’saidhisfriend，withasneer，’thegentlemancandobetterwithouthishonourthanwithouthiswife。’
　　’Yes，’shoutedthecaptain，’hiswife——
　　atrull——acommon——’
　　’Silence，sir!’criedO’Mara，allthefiercenessofhisnaturerousedbythislastinsult——’yourobjectisgained；yourbloodbeuponyourownhead。’Atthesametimehesprangacrossabenchwhichstoodinhisway，andpushingasidethetablewhichsupportedthelights，inaninstanttheirswordscrossed，andtheywereengagedincloseanddeadlystrife。
　　CaptainN——wasfarthestrongerofthetwo；but，ontheotherhand，O’Marapossessedfarmoreskillintheuseofthefatalweaponwhichtheyemployed。Butthenarrownessoftheroomrenderedthisadvantagehardlyavailable。
　　AlmostinstantlyO’Marareceivedaslightwoundupontheforehead，which，thoughlittlemorethanascratch，bledsofastastoobstructhissightconsiderably。
　　Thosewhohaveusedthefoilcantellhowslightaderangementofeyeorofhandissufficienttodetermineacontestofthiskind；andthisknowledgewillpreventtheirbeingsurprisedwhenIsay，that，spiteofO’Mara’ssuperiorskillandpractice，hisadversary’sswordpassedtwicethroughandthroughhisbody，andhefellheavilyandhelplesslyuponthefloorofthechamber。
　　Withoutsayingaword，thesuccessfulcombatantquittedtheroomalongwithhiscompanion，leavingDwyertoshiftasbesthemightforhisfallencomrade。
　　Withtheassistanceofsomeofthewonderingmenialsoftheplace，Dwyersucceededinconveyingthewoundedmanintoanadjoiningroom，wherehewaslaiduponabed，inastateborderinguponinsensibility——thebloodflowing，ImightsayWELLING，fromthewoundssofastastoshowthatunlessthebleedingwerespeedilyandeffectuallystopped，hecouldnotliveforhalfanhour。
　　Medicalaidwas，ofcourse，instantlyprocured，andColonelO’Mara，thoughatthetimeseriouslyindisposed，wasurgentlyrequestedtoattendwithoutlossoftime。
　　Hedidso；buthumansuccourandsupportwerealltoolate。Thewoundhadbeentrulydealt——thetideoflifehadebbed；
　　andhisfatherhadnotarrivedfiveminuteswhenyoungO’Marawasacorpse。HisbodyrestsinthevaultsofChristChurch，inDublin，withoutastonetomarkthespot。
　　Thecounselsofthewickedarealwaysdark，andtheirmotivesoftenbeyondfathoming；andstrange，unaccountable，incredibleasitmayseem，Idobelieve，andthatuponevidencesoclearastoamountalmosttodemonstration，thatHeathcote’svisittoDublin——hisbetrayalofthesecret——andthefinalandterriblecatastrophewhichlaidO’Marainthegrave，werebroughtaboutbynootheragentthanDwyerhimself。
　　Ihavemyselfseentheletterwhichinducedthatvisit。ThehandwritingisexactlywhatIhaveseeninotherallegedspecimensofDwyer’spenmanship。ItiswrittenwithanaffectationofhonestalarmatO’Mara’sconduct，andexpressesaconvictionthatifsomeofLadyEmily’sfamilybenotinformedofO’Mara’srealsituation，nothingcouldpreventhisconcludingwithheranadvantageousalliance，thenuponthetapis，andaltogetherthrowingoffhisallegiancetoEllen——astepwhich，asthewritercandidlyasserted，wouldfinallyconduceasinevitablytohisowndisgraceasitimmediatelywouldtoherruinandmisery。
　　TheproductionwasformallysignedwithDwyer’sname，andthepostscriptcontainedastrictinjunctionofsecrecy，assertingthatifitwereascertainedthatsuchanepistlehadbeendespatchedfromsuchaquarter，itwouldbeattendedwiththetotalruinofthewriter。
　　ItistruethatDwyer，manyyearsafter，whenthislettercametolight，allegedittobeaforgery，anassertionwhosetruth，eventohisdyinghour，andlongafterhehadapparentlyceasedtofeelthelashofpublicscorn，hecontinuedobstinatelytomaintain。Indeedthismatterisfullofmystery，for，revengealoneexcepted，whichIbelieve，insuchmindsasDwyer’s，seldomovercomesthesenseofinterest，theonlyintelligiblemotivewhichcouldhavepromptedhimtosuchanactwasthehopethatsincehehad，throughyoungO’Mara’sinterest，procuredfromthecolonelaleaseofasmallfarmuponthetermswhichhehadoriginallystipulated，hemightprosecutehisplantouchingthepropertyofMartinHeathcote，renderinghisdaughter’shandfreebytheremovalofyoungO’Mara。ThisappearstometoocomplicatedaplanofvillanytohaveenteredthemindevenofsuchamanasDwyer。Imust，therefore，supposehismotivestohaveoriginatedoutofcircumstancesconnectedwiththisstorywhichmaynothavecometomyear，andperhapsneverwill。
　　ColonelO’MarafeltthedeathofhissonmoredeeplythanIshouldhavethoughtpossible；butthatsonhadbeenthelastbeingwhohadcontinuedtointeresthiscoldheart。Perhapsthepridewhichhefeltinhischildhadinitmoreofselfishnessthanofanygenerousfeeling。
　　But，bethisasitmay，themelancholycircumstancesconnectedwithEllenHeathcotehadreachedhim，andhisconducttowardsherproved，morestronglythananythingelsecouldhavedone，thathefeltkeenlyandjustly，and，toacertaindegree，withasoftenedheart，thefataleventofwhichshehadbeen，insomemanner，alikethecauseandthevictim。
　　Heevincednottowardsher，asmighthavebeenexpected，anyunreasonableresentment。Onthecontrary，heexhibitedgreatconsideration，eventenderness，forhersituation；andhavingascertainedwherehissonhadplacedher，heissuedstrictordersthatsheshouldnotbedisturbed，andthatthefataltidings，whichhadnotyetreachedher，shouldbewithhelduntiltheymightbecommunicatedinsuchawayastosoftenasmuchaspossibletheinevitableshock。
　　Theselastdirectionswereactedupontooscrupulouslyandtoolong；and，indeed，Iamsatisfiedthathadtheeventbeencommunicatedatonce，howeverterribleandoverwhelmingtheshockmighthavebeen，muchofthebitterestanguish，ofsickeningdoubts，ofharassingsuspense，wouldhavebeensparedher，andthefirsttempestuousburstofsorrowhavingpassedover，herchastenedspiritmighthaverecovereditstone，andherlifehavebeenspared。Butthemistakenkindnesswhichconcealedfromherthedreadfultruth，insteadofrelievinghermindofaburdenwhichitcouldnotsupport，laiduponitaweightofhorriblefearsanddoubtsastotheaffectionofO’Mara，comparedwithwhicheventhecertaintyofhisdeathwouldhavebeentolerable。
　　OneeveningIhadjustseatedmyselfbesideacheerfulturffire，withthattruerelishwhichalongcoldridethroughableakandshelterlesscountryaffords，stretchingmychilledlimbstomeetthegenialinfluence，andimbibingthewarmthateverypore，whenmycomfortablemeditationswereinterruptedbyalongandsonorousringingatthedoor-bellevidentlyeffectedbynotimidhand。
　　AmessengerhadarrivedtorequestmyattendanceattheLodge——suchwasthenamewhichdistinguishedasmallandsomewhatantiquatedbuilding，occupyingapeculiarlysecludedpositionamongthebleakandheathyhillswhichvariedthesurfaceofthatnotaltogetheruninterestingdistrict，andwhichhad，Ibelieve，beenemployedbythekeenandhardyancestorsoftheO’Marafamilyasaconvenienttemporaryresidenceduringthesportingseason。
　　Thithermyattendancewasrequired，inordertoadministertoadeeplydistressedladysuchcomfortsasanafflictedmindcangatherfromthesublimehopesandconsolationsofChristianity。
　　Ihadlongsuspectedthattheoccupantofthissequestered，Imightsaydesolate，dwelling-housewasthepoorgirlwhosebriefstorywearefollowing；andfeelingakeeninterestinherfate——aswhothathadeverseenherDIDNOT？——Istartedfrommycomfortableseatwithmoreeageralacritythan，Iwillconfessit，Imighthaveevincedhadmydutycalledmeinanotherdirection。
　　InafewminutesIwastrottingrapidlyonward，precededbymyguide，whourgedhishorsewiththeremorselessrapidityofonewhoseeksbythespeedofhisprogresstoescapeobservation。Overroadsandthroughbogswesplashedandclattered，untilatlengthtraversingthebrowofawildandrockyhill，whoseaspectseemedsobarrenandforbiddingthatitmighthavebeenalastingbarrieraliketomortalsightandstep，thelonelybuildingbecamevisible，lyinginakindofswampyflat，withabroadreedypondorlakestretchingawaytoitsside，andbackedbyafartherrangeofmonotonoussweepinghills，markedwithirregularlinesofgreyrock，which，inthedistance，borearudeandcolossalresemblancetothewallsofafortification。
　　Ridingwithundiminishedspeedalongakindofwildhorse-track，weturnedthecornerofahighandsomewhatruinouswallofloosestones，andmakingasuddenwheelwefoundourselvesinasmallquadrangle，surmountedontwosidesbydilapidatedstablesandkennels，onanotherbyabrokenstonewall，anduponthefourthbythefrontofthelodgeitself。
　　Thewholecharacteroftheplacewasthatofdrearydesertionanddecay，whichwouldofitselfhavepredisposedthemindformelancholyimpressions。Myguidedismounted，andwithrespectfulattentionheldmyhorse’sbridlewhileIgotdown；
　　andknockingatthedoorwiththehandleofhiswhip，itwasspeedilyopenedbyaneatly-dressedfemaledomestic，andIwasadmittedtotheinteriorofthehouse，andconductedintoasmallroom，whereafireinsomedegreedispelledthecheerlessair，whichwouldotherwisehaveprevailedtoapainfuldegreethroughouttheplace。
　　Ihadbeenwaitingbutforaveryfewminuteswhenanotherfemaleservant，somewhatolderthanthefirst，enteredtheroom。ShemadesomeapologyonthepartofthepersonwhomIhadcometovisit，fortheslightdelaywhichhadalreadyoccurred，andrequestedmefurthertowaitforafewminuteslonger，intimatingthatthelady’sgriefwassoviolent，thatwithoutgreateffortshecouldnotbringherselftospeakcalmlyatall。Asiftobeguilethetime，thegooddamewentoninahighlycommunicativestraintotellme，amongstmuchthatcouldnotinterestme，alittleofwhatIhaddesiredtohear。I
　　discoveredthatthegriefofherwhomI
　　hadcometovisitwasexcitedbythesuddendeathofalittleboy，heronlychild，whowasthenlyingdeadinhismother’schamber。
　　’Andthemother’sname？’saidI，inquiringly。
　　Thewomanlookedatmeforamoment，smiled，andshookherheadwiththeairofmingledmysteryandimportancewhichseemstosay，’Iamunfathomable。’I
　　didnotcaretopressthequestion，thoughIsuspectedthatmuchofherapparentreluctancewasaffected，knowingthatmydoubtsrespectingtheidentityofthepersonwhomIhadcometovisitmustsoonbesetatrest，andafteralittlepausetheworthyAbigailwentonasfluentlyasever。Shetoldmethatheryoungmistresshadbeen，forthetimeshehadbeenwithher——thatwas，foraboutayearandahalf——indeclininghealthandspirits，andthatshehadlovedherlittlechildtoadegreebeyondexpression——sodevotedlythatshecouldnot，inallprobability，surviveitlong。
　　Whileshewasrunningoninthiswaythebellrang，andsigningmetofollow，sheopenedtheroomdoor，butstoppedinthehall，andtakingmealittleaside，andspeakinginawhisper，shetoldme，asI
　　valuedthelifeofthepoorlady，nottosayonewordofthedeathofyoungO’Mara。
　　Inoddedacquiescence，andascendinganarrowandill-constructedstaircase，shestoppedatachamberdoorandknocked。
　　’Comein，’saidagentlevoicefromwithin，and，precededbymyconductress，Ienteredamoderately-sized，butrathergloomychamber。
　　Therewasbutonelivingformwithinit——itwasthelightandgracefulfigureofayoungwoman。ShehadrisenasI
　　enteredtheroom；butowingtotheobscurityoftheapartment，andtothecircumstancethatherface，asshelookedtowardsthedoor，wasturnedawayfromthelight，whichfounditswayindimlythroughthenarrowwindows，Icouldnotinstantlyrecognisethefeatures。
　　’Youdonotrememberme，sir？’saidthesamelow，mournfulvoice。’Iam——IWAS——
　　EllenHeathcote。’
　　’Idorememberyou，mypoorchild，’
　　saidI，takingherhand；’Idorememberyouverywell。Speaktomefrankly——
　　speaktomeasafriend。WhateverIcandoorsayforyou，isyoursalready；onlyspeak。