He then thought with bitterness of his mother and Una, and wondered at the mystery of the trial to which he was exposed.
The old man's slumber, however, was not dreamless, nor so refreshing as the exhaustion of a frame shattered by the havoc of contending principles required. On the contrary, it was disturbed by heavy groans, quick startings, and those twitchings of the limbs which betoken a restless mood of mind, and a nervous system highly excited. In the course of half an hour, the symptoms of his inward commotion became more apparent. From being, as at first, merely physical, they assumed a mental character, anil passed from ejaculations and single words, to short sentences, and ultimately to those of considerable length.
“Gone!” he exclaimed, “gone! Oh God my curse—starved—dog—wid my tongue out!”
This dread of starvation, which haunted him through life, appeared in his dream still to follow him like a demon.
“I'm dyin',” he said, “I'm dyin' wid hunger—will no one give me a morsel? I was robbed an' have no money—don't you see me starvin'? I'm cuttin' wid hunger—five days without mate—bring me mate, for God's sake—mate, mate, mate!—I'm gaspin—my tongue's out; look at me, like a dog, behind this ditch, an' my tongue out!”
The son at this period would have awoke him, but he became more composed, for a time, and enjoyed apparently a refreshing sleep. Still, it soon was evident that he dreamt, and as clear that a change had come o'er the spirit of his dream.
“Who'll prevent me!” he exclaimed. “Isn't he my son—our only child? Let me alone—I must, I must—what's my life?—take it, an' let him live.”
The tears started in Connor's eyes, and he pressed his father to his heart.
“Don't hould me,” he proceeded. “O God! here, I'll give all I'm worth, an' save him! O, let me, thin—let me but kiss him once before he dies; it was I, it was myself that murdhered him—all might 'a been well; ay, it was I that murdhered you, Connor, my brave hoy, an' have I you in my arms? O, aviek agus asthore machree, it was I that murdhered you, by my—but they're takin' him—they're bearin' him away to—”
He started, and awoke; but so terrific had been his dream, that on opening his eyes he clasped Connor in his arms, and exclaimed,—