s own bed, he appeared much revived--so much so,
that I could not help admitting a strong hope that all might yet be
well.

'After all, Purcell,' said he, with a melancholy smile, and speaking
with evident difficulty, 'I believe I have got off with a trifling
wound. I am sure it cannot be fatal I feel so little pain--almost none.'

I cautioned him against fatiguing himself by endeavouring to speak; and
he remained quiet for a little time. At length he said:

'Purcell, I trust this lesson shall not have been given in vain. God has
been very merciful to me; I feel--I have an internal confidence that I
am not wounded mortally. Had I been fatally wounded--had I been killed
upon the spot, only think on it'--and he closed his eyes as if the very
thought made him dizzy--'struck down into the grave, unprepared as I
am, in the very blossom of my sins, without a moment of repentance or of
reflection; I must have been lost--lost for ever and ever.'

I prevailed upon him, with some difficulty, to abstain from such
agitating reflections, and at length induced him to court such repose as
his condition admitted of, by remaining perfectly silent, and as much as
possible without motion.

O'Connor and I only were in the room; he had lain for some time in
tolerable quiet, when I thought I distinguished the bustle attendant
upon the arrival of some one at the castle, and went eagerly to the
window, believing, or at least hoping, that the sounds might announce
the approach of the medical man, whom we all longed most impatiently to
see.

My conjecture was right; I had the satisfaction of seeing him dismount
and prepare to enter the castle, when my observations were interrupted,
and my attention was attracted by a smothered, gurgling sound proceeding
from the bed in which lay the wounded man. I instantly turned round, and
in doing so the spectacle which met my eyes was sufficiently shocking.

I had left O'Connor lying in the bed, supported by pillows, perfectly
calm, and with his eyes closed: he was now lying nearly in the same
position, his eyes open and almost starting from their sockets, with
every feature pale and distorted as death, and vomiting blood in
quantities that were frightful. I rushed to the door and called for
assistance; the paroxysm, though violent, was brief, and O'Connor sank
into a swoon so deep and death-like, that I feared he should waken no
more.

The surgeon, a little, fussy man, but I believe with some skill