CHAPTER XXVIII.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VII, Issue 341, 31 October 1879, Page 7

CHAPTER XXVIII.

It is a fortunate circumstance for story-tellers and story-readers, an eminent writer of fiction somewhere remarks, that their progress is not restricted by the laws that govern that of ordinary mortals. For instead of following our heroes and heroines through the monotonous path of everyday life, we may pick out any salient points in their history that take our fancy, and leap from one to the other at will, ignoring the chasms between. Nor is this all, for at our request even Time himself wiil " reverse his flight," and bear us back again to periods through which we have already travelled, to spend them afresh with other forms and faces. Availing ourselves therefore of the old man's kind condescension in. our regard, we sballjleave Maude Neville amid the shadows of chill October to return to Eichard O'Meara, whom we last saw pacing his room amid the heat and oppressiveness of a summer tempest. One Sunday morning, about a fortnight after this, the doctor might have been seen standing in the sacristy of the little church with a somewhat disconceited countenance. He had. been for some few days very anxious to see Father Donovan ; but shortly after his visit to O'Meara, the priest had left home to assist in a mission that was being given in a town at some few miles' distance, and had not been to Ballycross since. On inquiry, however, at the Presbytery, the day before he had been told that Father Donovan would certainly be back in time to say Mass on Sunday, and he had been therefore awaiting his arrival with no little impatience, wlien the outer door suddenly opened and the good-natured face of Father Tom, the curate, presented itself. From him he learned that the txu'ssioners had found themselves so well satisfied with the result of the Mission that they had arranged to stay another week, and that as a necessary consequence of this arrangement Father Donovan, much as he was wanted at home, had been obliged to promise to remain another week also. " Well, well,'" said O'Meara to himself, as, after thanking Father Tom for his information, he walked up stairs to bis seat in the little gallery, "so that's the state of the case, is it ? Well, if the mountain wont come to Mahomet, Mahomet must go to tbe mountain ; that's all. Unfortunately for the doctor and his mare, theirs was a case of half-a-dozen mountains instead of one, and both were consequently pretty well tired when they arrived that afternoon at Father Dunovan's temporary lodgings in the town of -. He was very pleased to see O'Meara, and many a. subject of great interest to both was discussed with the dinner ; hut it was not till that was cleared away, and every other topic of conversation exhausted, that the doctor introduced the subject of his visit. You wene talking of miracles a few months since, Father Donovan. You little imagined when you turned in to visit me, a few nights since, that you were about to work one yourself. And yet, if to open the eyes of the blind be a miracle, you have worked one to all intents and purposes." He paused, but except by a look of astonishment the priest made no reply, and C'Meara continued : " I retired to my room that night a few minutes after you, but your words hauDted me to such a degree that I found it utterly impossible to sleep, and I passed hour after hour in retracing calmly and quietly the events of the last few months. As I did so, I not only

saw the truth of all you had said, but a very great deal more ; so much, indeed, that I am no longer surprised that the world should have talked of me. I saw clearly that not only had appearances been against me, but felt that I had unwittingly suffered myself to succumb to the influence of Maude Neville, though, God knows, my own conscience acquits me, as you did the other evening, of any design whatever concerning her. I cannot express to you what an effect this discovery has had upon me ; all through our intercourse I have fancied myself so purely influenced by duty. But if I have been blind to the end, I now see that Miss Neville, latterly at least, has read my unconscious secret ; and this thought is galling indeed. Now I can perfectly understand the cause of a sudden coldness in her manner that mystified me very much at the time. What a perplexing situation hers has been, considering herself indebted to me on the one hand for the trifling services I have rendered her, yet despising me on the other for a weakness for which I now hate and despise myself. What must she have thought of me— so false to the principles of religion and honour, so beneath her in position, so unworthy of her in every way I But I will peiplex her no longer. The one reparation I can make, I will. Thank God, she is nearly now of age, and fully prepared to do her duty to her people ; and so, as you yourself say, my mission here is over. I can leave the place at once ; and thus, I trust, very soon — perhaps in a few weeks — Maude Neville will almost have forgotten my existence." _ " You must do nothing hastily, my dear boy," said the priest, laying his hand kindly on the doctor's. I promise that ; but, after all I have said, I am sure you yourself will admit that Ballycross is no place for me. Listen, father. Out of this very bitterness has come forth a sweetness my folly has little deserved. My future is decided. I have seen a great deal more than I have told you even yet, in the long hours of silence that have passed since our last conversation. From my very childhood, second only to my love for the actual presence of our Lord upon the Altar, has been the devotion for God's presence in the night. In those sweet, solemn, holy hours of silence He seems to come so near that the all-pervading darkness appears to me like the folds of His garments. At times I fancy lav almost hear them rustle, as he stoops to listen to my whispered words. It was so that night ; for after a while the agitation of my first discovery subsided, and little by little peace stole over my soul, Then it was that the first part of our conversation came back into my mind, and with it a thought that filled me with delight. Frther, my resolution is taken — I am going to Borne ! '" "To Rome, Richard ! " exclaimed the priest, who began to wonder whether he was really up and awake. '_' I knew you would be astonished : and yet, after all, this is no new idea. If it had not been for my charge here, I should have joined the Papal army long ago. If the will of God had not detained me, do you think I would have remained in comfort here while rebels were stealing the patrimony of the Church inch by inch ? Heaven forbid 1 Now you, as my paster, speaking to me with the voice of God, tell me that lam free. I believe you ; and I have therefore offered that freedom to God's service, and He has accepted it." " And if it be so, He only knows how heartily I congratulate you," cried Father Donovan, wringing his hand. " I can imagine no vocation on earth more glorious, hardly excepting the priesthood, than that of spending one's life-blood for our Sovereign Pontiff. Truly it must have been a glorious thigng to have fought for the places once sanctified by tbe presence of our Lord on earth ; but to me it seems a privilege far more glorious to fight for Jesus Christ Himself in the person of His Vicar. Tbis is, of course, a very momentous step, and one that requires the very deepest consideration ; still really, as far as I can see at present, there seems to be no paiticular impediment in your way. We must both pray about it. At any rate, your arrangements mnst be, to a certain extent at least, an affair of time. You will have to find some one to succeed you here in your practice, for instance." " I have thought of that ; and a week ago I sounded Fred on the subject, and feel sure I shall be able to make an arrangemeut with him advantageous to us both." " Fred ! My nephew Fred ! My dear fellow, you have no idea how poor he is. He could not pay you what you ought to ask for such an old-established practice as yours." " He will pay me quite as much as I shall care to receive ; for I have property besides that I inherit from my mother. Besides, lam sure you will admit that He who has put the thought into my mind will be sure to provide the ways and means. I have faith enough to believe that. You will see that I shall start almost immediately ; for, to tell you the truth, I came to the point with Fred last night, and I have half arranged matters with him already." " God's will be done !" ejaculated the priest, rising as he spoke and walking to the window, " God's will be done I" Long he stood silently looking out into the bright evening sunshine ; and as he stood, a smile, quite as bright, played on his rugged features. Yet from time to time it was chased away by an expression almost sad. And was this strange ? Could it be otherwise ? Sincerely as Father Donovan rejoiced in Richaid O'Meara's intention of fighting for the Holy See. he was only human after all, and to a human heart there is no trial more bitter than severance from a dear and long-tried friend. {To be continued.)