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Le Fanu, Joseph Sheridan, 1814-1873

"The House by the Church-Yard"


Black Dillon's failure was a blow to the progress of his plans. It
incensed him. 'That d----d outcast! That _he_ should presume so to treat
a man who could master him so easily at any game, and buy and sell him
body and soul, and had actually bargained to give him five hundred
guineas--the needy, swinish miscreant! and paid him earnest beside--the
stupid cheat! Drink--dice--women! Why, five hundred guineas made him
free of his filthy paradise for a twelvemonth, and the leprous oaf could
not quit his impurities for an hour, and keep the appointment that was
to have made him master of his heart's desires.'
At his hall-door he paused, listening intently, with his spectacles
glimmering toward Chapelizod, for the sound of a distant step; but there
was no messenger afoot. He heard only the chill sigh of the air through
the leafless branches.
Mr. Dangerfield had not his key with him; and he beat an unnecessarily
loud and long tattoo upon his door, and before it could possibly have
been answered, he thundered a second through the passages.
Mrs. Jukes knew the meaning of that harsh and rabid summons.


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