[The Black Baronet; or, The Chronicles Of Ballytrain by William Carleton]@TWC D-Link book
The Black Baronet; or, The Chronicles Of Ballytrain

CHAPTER VII
10/13

She was foolish, madam, and indiscreet, and has made you wicked--trained you up to hypocrisy, falsehood, and disobedience.

Yes, madam, and in every instance where you go contrary to my will, you act upon her principles.
Why do you not respect truth, Miss Gourlay ?" "Alas, sir!" she replied, stung and shocked by his unmanly reflections upon the memory of her mother, whilst her tears burst out afresh, "I am this moment weeping for my father's disregard of it." "How, madam! I am a liar, am I?
Oh, dutiful daughter!" "Mamma, sir, was all truth, all goodness, all affection.

She was at once an angel and a martyr, and I will not hear her blessed memory insulted by the very man who, above all others, ought to protect and revere it.
I am not, papa, to be intimidated by looks.

If it be our duty to defend the absent, is it not ten thousand times more so to defend the dead?
Shall a daughter hear with acquiescence the memory of a mother, who would have died for her, loaded with obloquy and falsehood?
No, sir! Menace and abuse myself as much as you wish, but I tell you, that while I have life and the power of speech, I will fling back, even into a father's face, the falsehoods--the gross and unmanly falsehoods--with which he insults her tomb, and calumniates her memory and her virtues.
Do not blame me, sir, for this language; I would be glad to honor you if I could; I beseech you, my father, enable me to do so." "I see you take a peculiar--a wanton pleasure in calling me a liar." "No, sir, I do not call you a liar; but I know you regard truth no farther than it serves your own purposes.

Have you not told me just now, that the gentleman in the Mitre Inn has made certain disclosures to you concerning himself and me?
And now, father, I ask you, is there one word of truth in this assertion?
You know there is not.


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