THE DISINHERITED SON.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 80, 7 November 1874, Page 13

THE DISINHERITED SON.

A LEGEND OF FURNESS ABBEY. Chapxee I. AN OCIOBEB NIGHT. Goa<JßOtr9 tints of an October sunset melted among the deep woods that sheltered Furness Abbey, tinting with saffron the varied foliage of the oak and beech, and casting a dull red glow on the more sombre boughs of the mighty planes that still grace the vale of the " Deadly Nightshade," or Bekansgill, as the spot is called, where the broken shafts, and mouldering arches of the "once famous Abbey of Furness, still attest the piety and munificence of its Norman founder, King Stephen. The day had been unusually fine — one of those days which in the varied climate of England sometimes recall the heat and brilliancy of July in the waning autumn months. The air had been so heavy and still that scarce a leaf had rustled down throughout the day, save when brushed by the wing of tile swallow at she plumed her wings to exercise for her autumn flight to a more southern shore.

The broad sands of Morecambe Bay had lain scorching and glib* tering like gold dust while the tide was out, and the moss that clothes the outlying rocks that surround the little isle of Walney was bright

as an emerald ia the fervid rays of noon. With the gorgeous sunset, ' however, the benuty of the clay died out. , The clouds in the west deepened from their topaz hue tul they glared like the red heart of the ruby. Then they mellowed into darkness, and while the light that still touched the ocean grew lurid, a sombre shadow fell upon the dense woods and wild fella of that celebrated district in Lancashire called' High and Low Furness. The air, which had been so still, suddenly strengthened; a white foam begins to crest the waves which had weltered so sluggishly all day; and in the Abbey woods showers of leaves were torn from the oak and beech, and even the massive downward drooping fan-like boughs of the plane trees were ruffled in the blast that uplifted them. Darker grew the shadows on the earth, the blue-green ot the planes became purple, while the half-stripped boughs of the tall elms waved like the arms of threatening spectres in the last lurid ray that glinted athwart them. The shepherd, whose flock was browsing on the fells, drove homeward his charge ; the wild deer and the roe sought their haunts in the deep woods. The sea-mew scudded athwart the blackening wave, beast and bird alike recognised the signs of the coming tempest. The long reach of sand betwixt Walney isle and the main land is dangerous to travel now. The tide is rising, the moss-covered rocks are all subLashed by the wind, the heavy billows rolling in are defined against the black surges by the gleam of the white feathery foam that crests them. Unheeding the signs which warned the curlew and the roe, unheeding the fury of the gale, the roars of the vexed ocean, a youth, whose rich attire glistened in the fitful light, pased with disordered steps and frantic gestures the sands of Morecambe Bay. His head was bare, and as a gleam of blue lightning flashed athwart the sky, it shed a ghastly radiance on his upturned face. Convulsed with rage though they were, his features had something almost fearful in their beauty. The dilated nostril, the black eye blazing with fury, the curved lips speckled with foam, the thick locks streaming wide upon the wind, the knitted brow, would have told without a tongue the tale of fierce and malignant passion. But, alas ! words did not fail that -wrathful youth. Terrible imprecations, dire vows of vengeance, broke from those quivering lips. < . Suddenly tlxe young mau paused in his frantic hurrying to and fro upon the sands, a wave of the incoming tide dashed so rudely against him as almost to take him off his feet. He looked round, and was suddenly awakened to the dangers of his position. Roaring, raging, raving j the sea, like a hungry monster, advanced with giant strides. A boulder of rock that at low tide stood up like a pyramid betwixt Walney and the mainland, had the waves now breast high. They were sheeted in foam, and bare and thick stood up one pinnacle of the rock, and as the ruddy glow of the evening sunset; died upon it, it took a. blue sulphuric tinge from the flashing lightning. < The grand tumult of nature, the whistling winds, the roaring waves, the sable masses of clouds, that opened but to pour out the scathing fires from their rifts, had an awe and a majesty that rebuked the fiery tempest of one rebellious human heart. "Oh heaven!" said the miserable youth, " unhappy wretch that I am, what boots it for me to vow revenge. All the fiends that rage and blaspheme in the region of the outer darkness, are not more helpless and hapless than I ! Oh I could have borne it all, his triumph, and her scorn, and my father's wratb, if I could but have revenge, that sweet, that best of morsels !" Then the youth cast around him a wild despairing glance. " But I ; what am I?" he moaned. "Whilom, indeed, my father's favorite son. Aye, while I did not cross the path of his heir — while I foiled not his scheme for uniting the rich lands of Evelina of Egremont to the revenue of Thurston. "Ah! if she had loved me — as, false woman, she beguiled me to believe she did — their fine scheme had fallen to the ground. I talk of revenge. Ah ! in their happiness anal their high place they can mock at my anguish, laugh at my wrath." Again the bitter meditations of the wild youth were interrupted by the foaming waves, one of which almost washed over him. With that instinct of self-preservation which rarely abandons even the most -wretched, he staggered towards the perpendicular rock before named, and climbing to its summit, stood for a brief space safe from the encroaching waters. He cast his eyes around him. The low-lying isle of Walney scarce appeared, — a dark undulating line above the western horizon, where still lingered a few streaks of ruddy cloud. Landward were dimly seen the towers of the great monastery of Furness, and bounding the far distance, the mountains of High Furness and Conisfcon, that overlook the verdant and romantic shores of the lake of Thurston. In the fast-gathering gloom of that stormy night, the keen eye of the youth sought in vain for the towers of a castle which in those times stood on the brow o£ a hill that immediately overlooked the lake. But he shook his clenched hand in impotent rage, and turning his eyeß from the land to the sea, he exclaimed — " Since vengeance is denied me, may I not have rest ? Oh thou wild and bounding sea, whose green waters I have so often buffeted in sport, fold me in thy embrace. Give peace to me, and remorse to them. Let mourning mingle with their joy, and Death show his grim face at the bridal feast. "The hypocrites whose pity was the worsfof all my wrongs, they must needs feign a sorrow if they do not feel it, and change bridal songs for the lyre-wake dirge when I am dead !" With grim exultation the youth now stood watching the tide as

it rose higher and higher, and surged and roared at the base of the a c rock ' the summi t of which it would shortly submerge. Ana ttoere stood the unfortunate, watching the rising waters. ' Hib mmd torn and distracted as it was by evil passions could not forget the pious teachings of his boyhood. „* *w 8 cxci * ed fancy brought strange voices to his ears on the wines ?L5 e nST i y° cku ig or threatening faces seemed to gleam out of wSotb Blia dowy hands seemed to beckon him to the foaming "mo talked of self-murder !" he exclaimed wildly. « I do not rush on death. I wait. Ido but wait, to be swept away in tho vortex ot these waters, from which I cannot if I would escape !" rhen as he folded his arms, and stolidly awaited his coming doom sm^hta^^ 1 * ° f WLiCh ™ r * nOt iramed - h y &s heated fancy) •l. "9 BWaM » ord Oswald!" cried that voice, "in heaven's name what takes you here on such a night as this ?" i™ »w y^ J^ed his head, and tossing upon the foaming waters he pemeved a boat, the occupants of which, at great danger to themselves, were endeavoring to urge atliwait the waves by their oars, for iiaatne sad been spread the boat must have immediately capsized. A J3°^rT. red l fc fc^ p - row of tbe Tessel dotted th e darkness with a X™ I a 8 thoUgll lfc were a radd y Btar : and afc intervals, as the showers of spray were scattered, showed the persons of those who were mkmg their lives to sa?e him who did not care to save himself «,* -"ese persons were thi-ee in number. A weather-beaten man in T.aLft • a fi shermaQ » a young man wearing the white habit of the neighboring Cjstercian monastery, and a boy of about f oiirteen years