The Storyteller

New Zealand Tablet, 4 September 1919, Page 3

The Storyteller

By William Carleton.

WILLY RE ILLY and his dear coleen bawn. ♦ '—'— (.A Tale Founded wpon Fact)

CHAPTER I.—(Continued.) The hour was now a little past twilight, and the western sky presented an unusual, if not an ominous appearance. A sharp and melancholy breeze was abroad, and the sun, which had set among a mass of red clouds, half placid and half angry in appearance, had for some brief space gone down. Over from the north, however, glided by imperceptible degrees a long black bar, right across the place of his disappearance, and nothing could be more striking than the wild and unnatural contrast between the dying crimson of the west and this fearful mass of impenetrable darkness that came over it. As yet there was no moon, and the portion of light, or rather, "darkness visible," that feebly appeared on the sky and the landscape, was singularly sombre and impressive, if not actually appalling. 'The scene about them was wild and desolate in the extreme ; and as the faint outlines of the bleak and barren moors appeared in the dim and melancholy distance, the feelings they inspired were those of discomfort and depression,. On each side of them were a variety of lonely lakes, abrupt precipices, and extensive mai-shes ; and as our travellers went along, the hum of the snipe, the feeble but mournful cry of the plover, and the wilder and more piercing whistle of the curlew still deepened the melancholy dreariness of their situation, and added to their anxiety to press on towards the place of their destination. "This is a very lonely spot, your honor," said his servant, whose name was Andrew, or, as he was more familiarly called, Andy Cummiskey. "Yes, but it's the safer, Andy," replied his master. .'-'There is not a human habitation within miles of us." "It doesn't follow, sir, that this place, above all others in the neighborhood, is not, especially at this hour, without some persons about, it. You know I'm no coward, sir." "What, you scoundrel, and do you mean to hint that I'm one?" "Not at all, sir; but you see the truth is, that this being the very hour for duck and wildfowl shootin', it's hard to say where or when a fellow might start up, and mistake me for a wild duck, and your honor for a curlew or a bittern."

He had no sooner spoken than the breeze started, as it were, into more vigorous life, and ere the space of many minutes a dark, impenetrable mist or fog was borne over from the solitary hills, across the dreary level of country through which they passed, and they felt themselves suddenly chilled, whilst a darkness almost palpable nearly concealed them from each other. Now, the roads which we have described, being almost without exception in remote and unfrequented parts of the country," are for the most. part covered over with a thick sole of close grass, unless where a narrow strip in the centre shows that a pathway is kept worn and distinctly marked by the tread of foot passengers. Under all these circumstances, then, bur readers need not feel surprised that, owing at once to the impenetrable obscurity around them, and the noiseless nature of the antique and grass-covered pavement over which they went, scarcely a distance of two hundred yards had been gained when they found, to their dismay, that, they had lost their path, and were in one of the wild and heathy stretches of unbounded moor by which they were surrounded. "We have lost our way, Andrew," observed his master. "We've got off that damned old path; what's

to be done? Where are you?" "„ _ -. . - ' "I'm here, sir," replied his man;'. "but as. for what's to be done, it would take Mave Mullin, that sees the fairies and tells fortunes, to tell us that. For -heaven's sake, stay where you are, sir, till I get up to you, for if we part from one another we're both lost. Where are you, sir?" ;• "D n you, sirrah," replied his master, angrily, "is this either a time or place to jest in? A man that would make a jest in such a situation as this would dance on his father's tombstone."

"By my soul, sir, and I'd give a five-pound note, if I had it, that you and I were dancing 'Jig Polthogue' on it this minute. But in the manetime, the divil a one o' me sees the joke your honor spakes of." "Why, then, do you ask me where I am, when you know I'm astray, that we're both astray, you snivelling old whelp? By the great and good King William, I'll be lost, Andrew "Well, and if you are, sir," replied Andrew, who, guided by Ins voice, had now approached and joined him—"even if you are, sir, I trust you'll bear it like a Christian and a Trojan." "Get out, you old sniveller—what do you mean by a Trojan?" "A Trojan, sir, I was tould, is a man that lives by sellin' wild fowl. They take an oath, sir, before they begin the trade, never to die until they can't help it." "You mean to say, or to hint, at least, that in addition to our other dangers,' we run the risk of coming in contact with poachers?" "Well, then, sir, if I don't mistake, they're out to-night. However, don't let us alarm one another. God forbid that I'd say a single word to frighten you ; but still, you-know yourself that there's many a man not a hundred miles from us that 'ud be glad to mistake you for a target, a mallard, or any other wild fowl of that description." "In the meantime, we are both well armed," replied his master; "but what I fear most is the risk we run of falling down precipices, or walking into lakes or quagmires" What is to be done? The fog is so cursedly cold that it has chilled my very blood into ice." "Our best plan, sir-, is to dismount., and keep ourselves warm by taking a pleasant stroll across the coun-. try. The horses will take care of themselves. In the manetime, keeping up your spirits—we'll both want something to console us; but this I can tell you, that devil a bit of tombstone ever will go over either of us, barrin' the sky in heaven : and for our coffins, let us pray to the coffinmaker, because you see it's the maddhu ruah (the foxes), and ravens, and other civilised animals that will coffin us both by instalments in their hungry guts, until our bones will be beautiful to look —afther about six months' bleaching, and a sharp eye 'twould be that 'ud know the difference between . masther and man then, I think." We omitted to say that a piercing aiTd most severe hoar-frost had set in with the fog, and that Cummis- . key's master felt the immediate necessity of dismounting \ and walking about, in order to preserve some degree of animal heat in his body. "I cannot bear this, Andrew," said he, "and these two gallant animals will never recover it after the severe day's hunting they've had. Poor Fiddler and Piper," he exclaimed, "this has proved.a melancholy I day to you both. What is to be done, Andrew? I | am scarcely able to stand, and feel as if my. strength \ had utterly left me." '•'..-. "What, sir," replied his servant, who certainly "loved his master, "is it so bad with you as all that ■ comes to? Sure I only thought to amuse' you, sir. i. Come, take courage: I'll whistle, and maybe somebody will come to our relief." • He accordingly put his two fingers into his mouth, .Siand uttered a loud and piercing whistle, after which I both stood still for a time, but no reply was given. "Stop, sir," proceeded Andrew; "I'll give them 1 another touch that'll make them spake, if there's anyone near enough to hear us." : ; Y' IJjrLJ*

- He once more repeated the ..whistle, but with two or three peculiar shakes or : variations, when almost instantly one of a similar character was given in reply. Thank God," he "exclaimed,;- they friends or foes, we have -human creatures not far from us. Take courage, sir. How do you feel?" V „

.."Frozen and -almost ; chilled to death," replied his master; "I'll give fifty pounds to any man or party of men that will conduct us safely home." - -"I hope in the Almighty," said Andrew to himself, in an anxious and apprehensive tone of voice, "that it's not Parra Buafa (Red Patrick), the Red Rapparee, that's in it, and I'm afeerd it is, for I think I know his whistle. There's not a man in the three baronies could give such a whistle as that, barring himself. If it is, the masther's a gone man, and I'll not be left behind to tell his story. God protect us!" - "What are you saying, Andrew?" asked his master. "What were you muttering just now?" "Nothing, sir, nothing, but there can be no harm, at all events, to look to our pistols. If there should be danger, let us sell our lives like men." "And so we will, Andrew. The country, I know, is in a disturbed and lawless state, and ever since that unfortunate affair of the priest, I know I am not popular with a great many. I hope we won't come across his Ra}}paree nephew." "Whether we do or not, sir, let us look to our firearms. Show me yours till I settle the powdher in them. Why, God bless me, how you are tremblin' !"

"It is not from fear, sir," replied the intrepid old man, but from cold. If anything should happen me, Andrew, let my daughter know that my will is in the oaken cabinet; that is to say, the last I made. She is my heiress—but that she is by the laws of the land. However, as I disposed of some personal property to other persons, which disposition I have revoked in the will I. speak of—my last, as I saidl wish you to let her know where, she may find it. Her mother's jewels are also in the same —but they, too, are hers by right of law—her mother bequeathed them to her." "Ah, sir, you are right to remember and think well of that daughter. She has been a guardian angel to you these five years. But why, sir, do you give me this message? Do you think I won't sell my life in defence of-yours? If you do, you're mistaken." "I believe it, Andrew, I believe it, Andy," said he, familiarising the word ; "but if this Red Rapparee should murder me, I don't wish you to sacrifice your life on my account. Make your escape, if he should be the person who is approaching us, and convey to my daughter the message I have given you." At this moment another whistle proceeded from a quarter of the moor much nearer them, and Andy having handed back the pistols to his master, asked him should he return it. "Certainly," replied the other, who during all this time was pacing to and fro to keep himself from sinking; "certainly, let us see whether these persons are friends or enemies." His servant then replied to the whistle, and in a few minutes it was answered again, whilst at the same time a strong but bitter wind arose, which cleared away the mist, and showed them with considerable distinctness the position which they occupied. Within about ten yards of them, to the left, the very direction in which they had been proceeding, was a small, deep lake, or tarn, utterly shoreless, and into which they unquestionably would have walked and perished, as neither of them knew how to swim. The clearing away of the mist, and the light of the stars (for the moon had not yet risen), enabled the ,parties to see each other, and in a few minutes Andrew and his master were joined, by four men, the principal person among them being the identical individual whom, they both had dreadedthe Red Rapparee. "Master," said Cummiskey, in a whisper, on seeing them approach, "we must fight for it, I'm afeered, but let us not be rash; there may be a friend or two among - them, and it is better to come off peaceably if we can."

?■;'-'I agree : with you,"f*replied his master. "There is no use in , shedding unnecessary blood; but in any event,; let .us, not permit j„ them to disarm us, should, they -insist oh doing so. They know I never go three yards from my hall door without arms, ; and it is not improbable 1 they may make ; a point * of taking them from us. I, however, for one; will not trust to their promises, for I know their treachery, as I .»do their, cowardice, when their numbers are but few,- and an armed opponent or two before them, determined to give battle. Stand, therefore, by -me, Andrew, and, by King William, should they have recourse to violence, we shall let them see -and feel too that we are not unprepared . "I have but one life, sir," replied his faithful follower; "it was spentat least, its best days were your service, and sooner than any danger should come to you it Will be lost in your defence. If it was only for the sake of her that is not here, the Coleen Bawn, I would do it." "Who goes there?" asked a deep and powerful voice, when the parties had come within about twenty yards of each other. "By the powers!" exclaimed Andrew, in a whisper, "it's himselfthe Red Rapparee!" ;«'- ■-. "We are friends," he replied, "and have lost our way."

The other party approached, and on joining our travellers the Rapparee started, exclaiming: "What! noble squire, is it possible that this is you ? Hut! it can't be—let me look at you closer, till I make sure of you." ..'... "Keep your distance, sir," replied the old man, with courage and dignity; "keep your distance; you see that I and my servant are both well armed, and determined to defend ourselves against violence." An ominous and ferocious glance passed from the Rapparee to his comrades, who, however, said nothing, but seemed to be resolved to guide themselves altogether by his conduct. The Red Rapparee was a huge man of about 40, and the epithet "Red" had been given to him in consequence of the color of his hair. In expression his countenance was by no means unhandsome, being florid and symmetrical, but hard, and with scarcely any trace of feeling. His brows were far asunder, arguing ingenuity and invention, but his eyes, which were small and treacherous, glared—whenever he became excitedwith the ferocity of an enraged tiger. His shoulders were broad, his chest deep and square, his arms long and powerful, but his lower limbs were somewhat light, in proportion to the great size of his upper figure. This, however, is generally the case when a man combines in his own person the united qualities of activity and strength. Even at this period we are describing, when this once celebrated character was 40 years of age, it was well known that in fleetness of foot there was no man in the province able to compete with him. In athletic exercises that required strength and skill, he never had a rival, but onewith whom ' the reader will soon be made ac-

quainted. .He was wrapped closely in a grey frieze big-coat or coth-amore, as it is called in Irish, wore a hat of two colors, and so pliant in texture that he could at any time turn it inside out. His coat was as, indeed, were all his clothes—made upon the same principle, so that when hard pressed by the authorities, he could in a minute or two transmute himself into the appearance of a man very different from the individual described to them. Indeed, he was such a perfect Proteus, that no vigilance of the Executive was ever a match for his versatility of appearance, swiftness of foot, .and caution. These frequent defeats of the authorities of that day made him extremely popular with the people, who were always ready to afford him shelter and means of concealment, in return for which he assisted them with food, money,, and the spoils of his predatory life. .This, indeed, was the sagacious principle of the Irish Robbers and Rapparees from the beginning to rob from the rich and give to the 'poor being their motto. -' .: \ : -~ v ;: ;V;; r ''(To; be continued.) • Ti ■ r 7 /'~~ *'