Willy Burke, or, The Irish orphan in America - Digital Repository ...

THE IKISH OKPHAN IN AMERICA. 129
his conversation with Willy, " after all, it really does appear
to me, that Burke is the party aggrieved, not you.
By your own acknowledgment, it was you who attacked
him, and you might have known before to-night that he
is exceeding sensitive in all that regards his religion.
Now, as for me, I 'm willing to acknowledge merit even in
a Catholic ; and I do confess that I admire the lad's
steadiness of principle, and his immoveable attachment to
the faith he professes. Another thing that strikes me
just now, is his not having told Mrs. Malcolm of what
passed between you ; for you know as well as I do,
that, rigid Catholic as she is, nothing could have
palliated your offence in her eyes, had she known anything
of it. I must say, that this same Willy Burke
makes me think better than I did of Papists. And then
Mr. Talbot, I am sure
fault with him".
no one amongst us can find any
" Why, you had better turn Papist yourself, Dawson",
said Wilson, with a sneer, " since you seem to have such
a leaning towards them. I suppose we '11 have you going
to confession some of these days !"
" And if I did", replied Dawson, with a heavy sigh,
4i
I might lead a far different life !" So saying he took
his candle, and bade the others " good night", leaving
them to interpret his words as they best could.
Leaving Willy Burke to enjoy the calm repose of an
untroubled conscience, let us turn for a little while to
his brother, whom we have, perchance, too long neglected.
Mrs. Watkins, as well as her husband, had quickly
discovered the natural weakness of Peter's understanding,
together with that pliancy of mind which made him peculij^ly
open to persuasion, particularly if it addressed
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