However, there was no doubt that, as far as I had seen
of Lord Glenfallen, he was, though perhaps not so young as might have
been desired in a lover, a singularly pleasing man; and whatever feeling
unfavourable to him had found its way into my mind, arose altogether
from the dread, not an unreasonable one, that constraint might be
practised upon my inclinations. I reflected, however, that Lord
Glenfallen was a wealthy man, and one highly thought of; and although I
could never expect to love him in the romantic sense of the term, yet I
had no doubt but that, all things considered, I might be more happy with
him than I could hope to be at home. When next I met him it was with no small embarrassment; his tact and
good breeding, however, soon reassured me, and effectually prevented
my awkwardness being remarked upon. And I had the satisfaction of
leaving Dublin for the country with the full conviction that nobody,
not even those most intimate with me, even suspected the fact of Lord
Glenfallen's having made me a formal proposal. This was to me a very serious subject of self-gratulation, for, besides
my instinctive dread of becoming the topic of the speculations of
gossip, I felt that if the situation which I occupied in relation to
him were made publicly known, I should stand committed in a manner which
would scarcely leave me the power of retraction. The period at which Lord Glenfallen had arranged to visit Ashtown House
was now fast approaching, and it became my mother's wish to form me
thoroughly to her will, and to obtain my consent to the proposed
marriage before his arrival, so that all things might proceed smoothly,
without apparent opposition or objection upon my part. Whatever
objections, therefore, I had entertained were to be subdued; whatever
disposition to resistance I had exhibited or had been supposed to feel,
were to be completely eradicated before he made his appearance; and my
mother addressed herself to the task with a decision and energy against
which even the barriers her imagination had created could hardly have
stood. If she had, however, expected any determined opposition from me, she was
agreeably disappointed. My heart was perfectly free, and all my feelings
of liking and preference were in favour of Lord Glenfallen; and I well
knew that in case I refused to dispose of myself as I was desired, my
mother had alike the power and the will to render my existence as
utterly miserable as even the most ill-assorted marriage could possibly
have made it. You will remember, my good friend, that I was very young and very
completely under the control of my parents, both of whom, my mother
particularly, were unscrupulously determined in matters of this kind,
and willing, when voluntary obedience on the part of those within their
power was withheld, to compel a forced acquiescence by an unsparing use
of all the engines of the most stern and rigorous domestic discipline. All these combined, not unnaturally induced me to resolve upon yielding
at once, and without useless opposition, to what appeared almost to be
my fate. The appointed time was come, and my now accepted suitor arrived; he was
in high spirits, and, if possible, more entertaining than ever. I was not, however, quite in the mood to enjoy his sprightliness; but
whatever I wanted in gaiety was amply made up in the triumphant and
gracious good-humour of my mother, whose smiles of benevolence and
exultation were showered around as bountifully as the summer sunshine. I will not weary you with unnecessary details. Let it suffice to say,
that I was married to Lord Glenfallen with all the attendant pomp and
circumstance of wealth, rank, and grandeur. According to the usage of
the times, now humanely reformed, the ceremony was made, until long past
midnight, the season of wild, uproarious, and promiscuous feasting and
revelry. Of all this I have a painfully vivid recollection, and particularly of
the little annoyances inflicted upon me by the dull and coarse jokes of
the wits and wags who abound in all such places, and upon all such
occasions. I was not sorry when, after a few days, Lord Glenfallen's carriage
appeared at the door to convey us both from Ashtown; for any change
would have been a relief from the irksomeness of ceremonial and
formality which the visits received in honour of my newly-acquired
titles hourly entailed upon me. [Illustration: THE SEASON OF WILD, UPROARIOUS, AND PROMISCUOUS FEASTING
AND REVELRY.] It was arranged that we were to proceed to Cahergillagh, one of the
Glenfallen estates, lying, however, in a southern county; so that, owing
to the difficulty of the roads at the time, a tedious journey of three
days intervened. I set forth with my noble companion, followed by the regrets of some,
and by the envy of many; though God knows I little deserved the latter. The three days of travel were now almost spent, when passing the brow of
a wild heathy hill, the domain of Cahergillagh opened suddenly upon our
view. It formed a striking and a beautiful scene. A lake of considerable
extent stretching away towards the west, and reflecting from its broad,
smooth waters the rich glow of the setting sun, was overhung by steep
hills, covered by a rich mantle of velvet sward, broken here and there
by the grey front of some old rock, and exhibiting on their shelving
sides and on their slopes and hollows every variety of light and shade. A thick wood of dwarf oak, birch, and hazel skirted these hills, and
clothed the shores of the lake, running out in rich luxuriance upon
every promontory, and spreading upward considerably upon the side of the
hills. "There lies the enchanted castle," said Lord Glenfallen, pointing
towards a considerable level space intervening between two of the
picturesque hills which rose dimly around the lake. This little plain was chiefly occupied by the same low, wild wood which
covered the other parts of the domain; but towards the centre, a mass of
taller and statelier forest trees stood darkly grouped together, and
among them stood an ancient square tower, with many buildings of a
humbler character, forming together the manor-house, or, as it was more
usually called, the Court of Cahergillagh. As we approached the level upon which the mansion stood, the winding
road gave us many glimpses of the time-worn castle and its surrounding
buildings; and seen as it was through the long vistas of the fine old
trees, and with the rich glow of evening upon it, I have seldom beheld
an object more picturesquely striking. I was glad to perceive, too, that here and there the blue curling smoke
ascended from stacks of chimneys now hidden by the rich, dark ivy which,
in a great measure, covered the building. Other indications of comfort
made themselves manifest as we approached; and indeed, though the place
was evidently one of considerable antiquity, it had nothing whatever of
the gloom of decay about it. "You must not, my love," said Lord Glenfallen, "imagine this place
worse than it is.