The Greatest Works of Bram Stoker - 45+ Titles in One Edition. Брэм Стокер
also Dick, who now stood beside us.
Murdock looked from one to another of us for a moment in amazement, and then with a savage scowl, as though he were looking who and where to strike with venom, he fixed on Norah—God forgive him!
"An' so ye have him at home already, have ye! An' yer father prisent too, an' a witness. It's the sharp girrul ye are, Norah Joyce, but I suppose this wan is not the first!" I restrained myself simply because Norah's hand was laid on my mouth; Murdock went on:—
"An' so ye thought I wanted ye for yerself! Oh no! It's no bankrup's daughther for me; but I may as well tell ye why I wanted ye. It was because I've had in me hands, wan time or another, ivery inch iv this mountain, bit be bit, all except the Cliff Fields; and thim I wanted for purposes iv me own—thim as knows why, has swore not to tell"—this with a scowl at Dick and me—" But I'll have thim yit; an' have thim too widout thinkin' that me wife likes sthrollin' there wid sthrange min!"
Here I could restrain myself no longer; and to my joy on the instant—and since then whenever I have thought of it—Norah withdrew her hand as if to set me free. I stepped forward, and with one blow fair in the lips knocked the foul-mouthed ruffian head over heels. He rose in an instant, his face covered with blood, and rushed at me. This time I stepped out, and with an old football trick, taking him on the breast-bone with my open hand, again tumbled him over. He arose livid —but this time his passion was cold—and standing some yards off, said, whilst he wiped the blood from his face:—
"Wait! Ye'll be sorry yit ye shtruck that blow! Aye! ye'll both be sorry—sad an' sorry—an' for shame that ye don't reckon on! Wait!"—I spoke out:—
"Wait! yes, I shall wait, but only till the time conies to punish you. And let me warn you to be careful how you speak of this lady! I have shown you already how I can deal with you personally; next time—if there be a next time " Here Murdock interrupted sotto voce —
"There 'll be a next time; don't fear! Be G-od but there will!" I went on:—
"I shall not dirty my hands with you but I shall have you in gaol for slander."
"Gaol me, is it?" he sneered. "We'll see. An' so ye think ye're going to marry a lady, whin ye make an honest woman iv Norah Joyce, do ye? Luk at her! an' it's a lady ye're goin' to make iv her, is it? An' thim hands iv hers, wid the marks iv the milkin' an' the shpade on to them. My! but they'll luk well among the quality! won't they?" I was going to strike him again, but Norah laid her hand on my arm; so smothering my anger as well as I could, I said:—
"Don't dare to speak ill of people whose shoes you are not worthy to black; and be quick about your finishing your work at Shleenanaher, for you've got to go when the time is up. I won't have the place polluted by your presence a day longer than I can help."
Norah looked wonderingly at me and at him, for he had given a manifest start. I went on:—
"And as for these hands "—I took rTorah's hands in mine—" perhaps the time may come when you will pray for the help of their honest strength—pray with all the energy of your dastard soul! But whether this may be or not, take you care how you cross her path or mine again, or you shall rue it to the last hour of your life. Come, Norah, it is not fit that you should contaminate your eyes or your ears with the presence of this wretch!" and I led her in. As we went I heard Joyce say:—
"An' listen to me! Niver you dare to put one foot across me mearin' again; or I'll take the law into me own hands!"
Then Dick spoke:—
"An' hark ye, Mr. Murdock! remember that you have to deal with me also in any evil that you attempt!" Murdock turned on him savagely:—
"As for you, I dismiss ye from me imploymint. Ye'll niver set foot on me land agin! Away wid ye!"
"Hurrah!" shouted Dick. " Mr. Joyce, you're my witness that he has discharged me, and I am free." Then he stepped down from the porch, and said to Murdock, in as exasperating a way as he could:—
"And, dear Mr. Murdock, wouldn't it be a pleasure to you to have it out with me here, now? Just a simple round or two—to see which is the best man? I am sure it would do you good—and me too! I can see you are simply spoiling for a fight. I promise you that there will be no legal consequences if you beat me, and if I beat you I shall take my chance. Do let me persuade you! Just one round;" and he began to take off his coat. Joyce, however, stopped him, king gravely:—
" No! Mr. Sutherland, not here! and let me warn ye, for ye're a younger man nor me, agin such anger. I sthruck that man wance, an' it's sorry I am for that same! No! not that I'm afeered of him"—answering the query in Dick's face —" but because, for a full-grown man to sthrike in anger is a sarious thing. Arthur there sthruck not for himself, but for an affront to his wife that's promised, an' he's not to be blamed." Norah here took my arm and held it tight; " but I say, wid that one blow that I've sthruck since I was a lad on me mind,' Never sthrike a blow in anger all yer life long, unless it be to purtect one ye love!' " Dick turned to him, and said heartily:—
"You're quite right, Mr. Joyce, and I'm afraid I acted like a cad. Here! you clear off! Your very presence seems to infect better men than yourself, and brings them something nearer to your level. Mr. Joyce, forgive me! I promise I'll take your good lesson to heart."
They both came into the room; and Norah and I looking out of the window—my arm being around her— saw Murdock pass down the path and out at the gate. We all took our places once again around the fire. When we sat down Norah instinctively put her hands behind her, as if to hide them—that ruffian's words had stung her a little; and as I looked, without, however, pretending to take any notice, I ground my teeth. But with Norah such an ignoble thought could be but a passing one; with a quick blush she laid her hand open on my knee, so that, as the fire-light fell on it, it was shown in all its sterling beauty. I thought the opportunity was a fair one, and I lifted it to my lips and said:—
"Norah! I think I may say a word before your father and my friend. This hand—this beautiful hand," and I kissed it again, "is dearer to me a thousand times, because it can do, and has done, honest work; and I only hope that in all my life I may be worthy of it." I was about to kiss it yet again, but Norah drew it gently away. Then she shifted her stool a little, and came closer to me. Her father saw the movement, and said simply:—
"Go to him, daughter. He is worth it!—he sthruck a good blow for ye this night." And so we changed places, and she leaned her head against my knee; her other hand—the one not held in mine—rested on her father's knee.
There we sat and smoked and talked for an hour or more. Then Dick looked at me and I at him, and we rose. Norah looked at me lovingly as we got our hats. Her father saw the look, and said:—
"Come, daughter! if you're not tired, suppose we see them down the boreen."
A bright smile and a blush came in her face; she threw a shawl over her head, and we went all together. She held her father's arm and mine; but by-and-by the lane narrowed, and her father went in front with Dick, and we two followed.
Was it to be wondered at, if we did lag a little behind them?—and if we spoke in whispers?—or, if now and again, when the lane curved and kindly bushes projecting threw dark shadows, our lips met?
When we came to the open space before the gate, we found Andy. He pretended to see only Dick and Joyce, and saluted them:—
"Begor! but it's the fine night, it is, Misther Dick, though more betoken the rain is comin' on agin soon. A fine night, Misther Joyce! and how's Miss Norah?— God bless her! Musha! but it's sorry I am that she didn't walk down wid ye this fine night! An' poor Masther Art—I suppose the fairies has got him agin?" Here he pretended to just catch sight of me. " Yer 'an'r, but it's the sorraful man I was—shure, an' I thought ye was tuk aff be the fairies—or, mayhap, it was houldin' a leprachaun that ye wor. An' my! but there's Miss Norah, too, comin' to take care iv her father! God bless ye, Miss Norah, Acushla!—but it's glad I am to see ye!"
"And I'm always glad to see you, Andy," she said, and shook hands with him.
Andy took her aside, and said,