CONTENTS
| CHAP. | |
| I. | [BALLYCLORAN HOUSE AS FIRST SEEN BY THE AUTHOR] |
| II. | [THE MACDERMOT FAMILY] |
| III. | [THE TENANTRY OF BALLYCLORAN] |
| IV. | [MYLES USSHER] |
| V. | [FATHER JOHN] |
| VI. | [THE BROTHER AND SISTER] |
| VII. | [THE PRIEST'S DINNER PARTY] |
| VIII. | [MISS MACDERMOT AT HOME] |
| IX. | [MOHILL] |
| X. | [MR. KEEGAN] |
| XI. | [PAT BRADY] |
| XII. | [THE WEDDING] |
| XIII. | [HOW THE WEDDING PARTY WAS CONCLUDED] |
| XIV. | [DENIS McGOVERY'S TIDINGS] |
| XV. | [THE McKEONS] |
| XVI. | [PROMOTION] |
| XVII. | [SPORT IN THE WEST] |
| XVIII. | [HOW PAT BRADY AND JOE REYNOLDS WERE ELOQUENT IN VAIN] |
| XIX. | [THE RACES] |
| XX. | [HOW CAPTAIN USSHER SUCCEEDED] |
| XXI. | [THE CORONER'S INQUEST] |
| XXII. | [THE ESCAPE] |
| XXIII. | [AUGHACASHEL] |
| XXIV. | [THE SECOND ESCAPE] |
| XXV. | [RETROSPECTIVE] |
| XXVI. | [THE DUEL] |
| XXVII. | [FEEMY RETURNS TO BALLYCLORAN] |
| XXVIII. | [ASSIZES AT CARRICK-ON-SHANNON] |
| XXIX. | [THADY'S TRIAL IS COMMENCED] |
| XXX. | [THE PRISONER'S DEFENCE] |
| XXXI. | [THE LAST WITNESS] |
| XXXII. | [THE VERDICT] |
| XXXIII. | [THE END] |
THE
MACDERMOTS OF BALLYCLORAN.
CHAPTER I.
BALLYCLORAN HOUSE AS FIRST SEEN BY THE AUTHOR.
In the autumn, 184—, business took me into the West of Ireland, and, amongst other places, to the quiet little village of Drumsna, which is in the province of Connaught, County Leitrim, about 72 miles w.n.w. of Dublin, on the mail-coach road to Sligo. I reached the little inn there in the morning by the said mail, my purpose being to leave it late in the evening by the day coach; and as my business was but of short duration, I was left, after an early dinner, to amuse myself. Now, in such a situation, to take a walk is all the brightest man can do, and the dullest always does the same. There is a kind of gratification in seeing what one has never seen before, be it ever so little worth seeing; and the gratification is the greater if the chances be that one will never see it again. Now Drumsna stands on a bend in the Shannon; the street leads down to a bridge, passing over which one finds oneself in the County Roscommon; and the road runs by the well-wooded demesne of Sir G—— K——; moreover there is a beautiful little hill, from which the demesne, river, bridge, and village can all be seen; and what farther agremens than these could be wanted to make a pretty walk? But, alas! I knew not of their existence then. One cannot ask the maid at an inn to show one where to find the beauties of nature. So, trusting to myself, I went directly away from river, woods, and all,—along as dusty, ugly, and disagreeable a road as is to be found in any county in Ireland.