“The tumbler, Lanty—­Lanty, my lad, ’let us eat, drink, and be mer—­ry, for to-mor—­row we die;’ here’s the glor—­, pio—­, and immor—­I, memo—­, hi-p, hi-p-p!  And now I swore th—­at I wo—­uld die whistling it, and by that oath I will.”  He then looked around, and seemed to recover himself a little.  “Ay,” he continued, “I’ll do it, if I don’t I’ll be d——­d! lay me down, you imp of hell; there, that will do.”

He then gathered his mouth and lips, as those do who whistle, and at the moment a long rattle of death was heard in his throat, then a shrill, feeble sound, like that of the wind through reeds, melancholy and wailing; issued from his white and gathered lips, and then was a silence.

For some minutes it was not broken, at length M’Clutchy went over, and on looking into his face, and feeling his pulse and heart he announced the fact of his death.

“Well,” said Lanty, “he kept his word, at all events; he swore many a fearful oath, that he would die whistling the Boyne Wather, and he did:  but, be my soul, he didn’t die drinldn’ it, as he thought.  I must go and let them know in the house that he’s gone.

“And bring my car to the door,” said Solomon, “as quickly as you can.  Well,” he proceeded, “the man is now gone, and, indeed, my friends, I fear that Satan is not at this moment without a companion, if he is on his way to his own dominions.”

Deaker’s features at that moment presented the most extraordinary appearance.  As he lay, there appeared evident upon them the somewhat comic set, which was occasioned by his attempt to whistle the Boyne Water.  He had but one tooth in front, which now projected a little; and as he always whistled with his mouth twisted somewhat to the one side it would be difficult to witness such a striking sight.  But, when to this we add the recollection of his life and habits, and mention the fact that the very act of whistling the Boyne Water brought forward in his face all the gross characteristics of his licentious passions, we may fairly admit that the face and features very faithfully represented the life and principles of the man who owned them.

Lanty, who had gone to acquaint the servants with his death, and to get round Solomon’s car, now came in with a pale face:—­

“Gentlemen,” said he, “as sure as life’s in me, the two black thievish ravens that sot on the black beech-tree these two days past, is off; hell resave the feather o’ them’s there—­it’s truth!—­The moment the breath was out of his body they made back to where they came from; they got what they wanted, you see and it stands to reason, or what ’ud keep them watchin’ there these three days.  As for myself, be me sowl the first thing I’ll do will be to make a severe station to St. Patrick’s Well to get the grain o’ the sin off o’ me that has been committed in this house.”