THE BAWN VONE. 245 



" Indeed, Mr. Flannery, I fear so. Let us pass on. 1 ' 



They could not avoid passing the market-house ; and, although she 

 should return and then again pass back alone, she saw that her own 

 sustaining spirit was necessary to her male companions. As they 

 approached the place, instead of pausing, they hurried by rapidly and 

 in silence ; the teeth were clenched, the breath retained. While, as 

 the wind swept through the building, empty and open at all sides, 

 voices might be heard as of the converse of troubled spirits. The 

 scene of horror passed, the male portion of the company drew up 

 and made the sign of the cross ; while, despite of entreaty, the old 

 lady returned back to the house above noticed, leaving her com- 

 panions in anxious expectation of her soon rejoining them. 



If there were any danger to her from the invisible inhabitants of 

 another world, the hearty and fervent prayers which accompanied 

 her footsteps would have shielded her from their malevolence. 



She entered what was once the house of the ill-fated James Lacy. 

 As might have been forseen by the discerning reader, he paid the 

 penalty of his crime upon the gallows, unfelt for, unsympathised with. 

 His crime was regarded as something devilish. To his body was 

 denied the rites of Christian burial he was hung in chains upon a 

 gibbet; and lest humanity, or fear, or any other motive might prompt 

 his removal, a heavy penalty was affixed upon whoever should be 

 the means of honouring the murderer of the idiot with the last sad 

 rites of humanity. 



And there the black object, swathed in its pitchy dress, mummy- 

 like, creaked, and creaked, and creaked. As the wind turned it upon 

 the pivot to which it was suspended, one might fancy a demon of 

 the air turning it and looking at it with a feeling of grinning curiosity. 

 The country people crossed the distant fields to avoid the sight, and 

 females who were obliged to take the high road left home at early 

 morning, lest the night might surprise them on their return home in 

 the neighbourhood of the object that spoke from its very bones. 



To the neglected widow of this unfortunate man was the visit now 

 paid. The poor creature lay undressed in bed, while Ailleen, the 

 good-natured feeling girl, rocking an infant to sleep, listened to her 

 as she read from the Bible. How truly did she seek the waters of 

 consolation. And, deep as was her sorrow, it was not marked by 

 that wild abandonment as of one in despair, and sorrowing without 

 hope. 



" This is so good, Mrs. H , at such an hour too/' and the poor 



woman burst into tears. 



" I come to make a request, which you must grant me, that is, 

 that you will rouse yourself you and Ailleen. She can wrap the 

 child up warmly, and step up to the house. I have to make a call 

 to a neighbour, and shall not return for an hour after you. I shall 

 then have something particular to say to you. Now don't deny me." 



" I could not deny you any thing you who visited rne in my 

 affliction, who alone visited my husband in his cell and softened his 

 last moments, who would have saved from insult '' 



Here she was getting into a paroxysm of grief. 



" Well, well, we shall speak some other time of that." 



" Oh, dear Mrs. H , 'tis Ailleen alone prevents me keeping 



