Good-bye, now,' says she; 'give my love to
Hanna, and tell her 'she's worth a ship-load of her stately sister.'"
"Poor Dora!" exclaimed Hanna, whilst the tears came to her eyes, "who
can blame her for defending so good and affectionate a brother? Plague
on it for an election! I wish there was no sich thing in the country."
"As for me," said Kathleen, "I wouldn't condemn him without a hearing,
if I had any doubt about his conduct, but I have not. He voted for
Vanston--that can't be denied; and proved himself to have less honesty
and scruple than even that profligate Hycy Burke; and if he made a
bargain with Vanston, as is clear he did, an' voted for him because the
other got his fine reduced, why that is worse, because then he did it
knowingly an' with his eyes open, an' contrary to his conscience--ay,
an' to his solemn promise to myself; for I'll tell you now what I never
mentioned before, that I put him on his guard against doing so; and he
knew that if he did, all would and must be over between him and me."
"Is that true, Kathleen?" said Hanna with surprise; "but why need I ask
you such a question--it's enough that you say it--in that case then I
give him up at last; but who, oh, who could a' believed it?"
"But that is not all," continued Kathleen, in the same mournful and
resigned tone of voice--"there's the bribe--didn't hundreds hear him
acknowledge publicly in the chapel that he got it? What more is wanting?
How could I ever respect a man that has proved himself to be without
either honesty or principle? and why should it happen, that the man who
has so openly and so knowingly disgraced his religion and his name fall
to my lot? Oh, no--it matters little how I love him, and I grant that in
spite of all that has happened I have a lingering affection for him
even yet; still I don't think that affection will live long--I can now
neither respect or esteem him, an' when that is the case I can't surely
continue long to love him.
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