Others denied that the
devil had anything to do with the shower of blood, or the storm which
extinguished the fires, and stoutly maintained that it was God himself
who had sent them to warn the country against having any intercourse
that could possibly be avoided, with them. Then there was the Black
Spectre that was said to follow her family; and did not every one know
that when it appeared three times to any person, it was a certain proof
that that person's coffin might be purchased? We all know how rapidly
such opinions and colloquies spread, and we need scarcely say that in
the course of a fortnight after the night of the bonfires all these
matters had been discussed over half the barony. Some, in fact, were
for loading him with the heavy burden of his mother's unpopularity;
but others, more generous, were for waiting until the people had an
opportunity of seeing how he might turn out--whether he would follow in
his mother's footsteps, or be guided by the benevolent principles of his
step-father and the rest of the family. Owing to these circumstances,
need we say, that there was an unusual interest, almost an excitement,
felt about him, which nothing could repress.
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