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

THE IRISH ORPHAN IN AMERICA. 195
permit you to speak to any one on any topic whatsoever,
until I see how matters will go".
" Yes but, doctor, dis is all de matter of my soul ;
you know very well dat I may die very soon, and what
will become of my poor soul if I not try to settle my account
wit de great Master of us all ? De greater danger
I 'm in, dere 's de more need dat I tink of my soul— 'cause
I 've neglected it too long, and I 've no more time ta
lose".
11 Well, I warn you", said the doctor, " that any excit-
ing conversation may cause your death, and that very suddenly
; so, if yon will see the clergyman now, and enter
upon a long discourse with him, I will not answer for the
consequences".
" Ah, doctor", said the patient, with a faint smile,
" you speak so 'cause you Protestant : a Cat'lic would say,
mind de soul first, 'cause you may soon have to go before
de Judge. De poor body is not much to tink of, doctor ;
so, wheder I die or not, I '11 have de priest come, and get
inside de ' one fold ' before the great Shepherd calls. If
dat makes me die, no matter ; it will be only my body, for
I hope God will spare my soul, when he gave me de grace
to see de right road to heaven".
The doctor drew back in sullen silence, muttering,
" Obstinate old fool !" and Mr. Talbot, obeying a sign from
Weimar, approached his bed.
" Now, Talbot", said the old man, " you just tell me
how dis happened. I only remember dat I got a great
blow on the back dat made me feel as if my heart was
broke in two, and den I felt— dat 's all I know".
" And none of us know any more of the matter", said
Talbot, in reply, " not even Dawson or Burke, who both