Duinnín i Lios Dúin Bhearna (tuilleadh)

Dineen in Lisdoonvarna (continued)

• Thit tost uirthi agus chuardaigh a súile corp Burr. Bhí sé clúdaithe anois ag ceann de sheolta canbháis stainnín Ghobnait.

  ‘Bhi a fhios agam riamh nach raibh grá buan daingean aige dom. Níor bhain sin lena nádúr. Thuigeas go mbeadh airgead de dhíth air, airgead mór nárbh fhéidir a thuilleamh le scileanna dochtúra, fiú dá mbeidís aige. Thit othar saibhir dá chuid i ngrá leis. Bhí sí cheana féin ar bhruinnibh [dative] an bháis. Mholas do Hildebrandt í a phósadh.’

  ‘Nach mbeifeá féin ag fáil bháis den éad,’ a d’fhiafraigh Gobnait.

  She fell silent and her eyes searched Burr’s body. It was now covered by one of Gobnait’s tin/waxed canvas sails.

  ‘I have always known that he did not have a strong enduring love for me. That was not his nature. You understand he would be in want of money, a lot of money that could not be earned with the skills of a doctor, even if he had them. A wealthy patient of his fell in love with him. She was already on the brink of death. Hildebrandt proposed to marry her.’

  ‘Wouldn’t you yourself be dying from jealousy,’ asked Gobnait.

  buan	Enduring, permanent
  daingean	Fortified, solid; strong, secure

• ‘Ar son Hildebrandt … dhéanfainn aon ní ar son Hildebrandt. Ach faraor, ní raibh an bhean san, Louisa, chomh saibhir agus a shíleamar. Mholas dó filleadh ar an tobar. Chaitheas féin saoire, uair amháin, i Lios Dain Bhearna lem chéile George, a bhí i bhfad níos sine ná mé agus tugtha don easláinte. Thuigeas go mbeadh rogha de mhná saibhre, breoite an domhain ann.

  ‘D’aimsigh Hildebrandt, Philomena.’

  Thost sí arís agus dhorchaigh a haghaidh le cuimhne.

  ‘For the sake of Hildebrandt … I would do anything for the sake of Hildebrandt. But alas, that woman, Louisa, was not as rich as we thought. I advised him to return to the well. I myself spent a holiday, once, in Lisdainbarna with my husband George, who was much older than me and prone to ill-health. I understood that there would be a choice of rich, sick women of the world there.’

  ‘Hildebrandt targeted Philomena.’

  She was silent again and her face darkened with memory.

  breoite	Sick, ailing

• ‘An uair seo, níor dheineamar botún. Bhí sí saibhir thar na beartaibh. Fuair sí bás ábhairín níos luaithe ná mar a d’oirr ach sin mar a bhíonn sna cúrsaí seo. Briseann an grá ar an bhfoighne. Tháinig na póilíní ag smúrthaíl thart. An Dr. Bhatson, a spreag iad, táim deimhin de. Shíl Hildebrandt gur chara leis é! Ach, ar ndóigh, ní bhfuair na póilíní tada.”

  D’fhill sí a lámha ar a hucht agus bhí an chuma air go raibh déanta aici.

  ‘This time, we didn’t make a mistake. She was rich beyond measure. She died a little earlier than expected but that is how these things are. Love runs out of patience. The police came sniffing around. Dr. Watson, urged them, I’m sure. Hildebrandt thought he was his friend! But, of course, the police found nothing’

  She returned her hands to her lap and it looked like she was done.

  ábhairín	somewhat
  oirnigh	ordain; Inaugurate, enthrone; Order, arrange; bedeck, adorn.
  foighne	Patience
  smúrthacht	(Act of) nosing, sniffing; (act of) feeling about, groping, prowling	f
  spreag	Urge, incite; arouse, inspire; prompt, encourage
  ucht	Chest; breast, bosom	m

• ‘Ansin tháinig tú féin agus Burr anseo go Lios Duin Bhearna,’ arsa an Duinníneach go cneasta, ‘ar mhaithe leis an ngréasán a choinneáil rialta. Eisean mar dhochtúir. Tusa id bhaintreach shaibhir. Chasfadh sibh le chéile anseo, don chéad uair, mar
  [d.l. 242] dhea, phósfadh sibh agus mhairfeadh sibh go sona, sásta, saibhir uaidh sin amach agus bheifeá ag magadh faoi na daoine a bheadh imníoch go marófaí tusa, ar do sheal.’
  

  ‘Then you and Burr came here to Lisdoonvarna,’ said Dineen sincerely, ‘for the sake of keeping the web regular. He as a doctor. You as a rich widow. You would meet here, for the first time, indeed, you would marry and live happily, happily, richly from then on and you would laugh at the people who would be worried that you would be killed, in turn.’

  cneasta	Honest, sincere. 2. Decent, seemly; mild-mannered
  eisean	he, him	emphatic
  mar dhea	indeed, well

• ‘Laetetia Haddock a bhí orm sular deineadh Mrs. George Tavistock díom,’ arsa Laetetia. D’fhilleas ar m’óige. Bhíos chun románs mór mo shaoil a chomhlíonadh os comhair an tsaoil.”

  Bhí a haghaidh geal le cuimhní ach dhubhaigh go tapaidh. Chas sí thart agus dhírigh sí méar ar Ellie Cuttle.

  “Bheadh gach aon ní i gceart, murach ise. Thit Hildebrandt i ngrá, don chéad uair ina shaol. Le gligín! Áilleagán mná gan splanc céille, gan pingin airgid!

  ‘I was Laetetia Haddock before Mrs. George Tavistock was made of me,’ said Laetitia. ‘I returned to my youth. The great romance of my life was to be fulfilled in front of the world. ‘

  Her face was bright with memories but quickly darkened. She turned around and pointed a finger at Ellie Cuttle.

  ‘Everything would be right, if not for her. Hildebrandt fell in love, for the first time in his life. With a rattle-brained person. A useless pretty woman without a spark of sense, without a penny.’

  comhlíonadh	Fulfilment; Performance, observance; Completion; Satisfaction, requital	m
  dubhaigh	blacken, darken
  gligín	Little bell, tinkler, rattle(r); Tinkle; Rattle-brained person
  áilleagán mná	useless pretty woman
  splanc	flash, spark	f
  ciall	sense, sanity	f gs céille

• ‘D’inis sé duit, inniu, go raibh sé chun í a phósadh.’

  ‘Bhí a fhios agam cheana. ní fhéadfadh Hildebrandt aon rún a a choinneáil uaimse.’

  ‘Mar sin, mharaigh tú é. Shaigh tú é le biorán hata. Mharófá Ellie Cuttle leis an dara biorán murach Gobnait ní Bhruadair agus a beirt rascal.’

  Dhruid Laetetia a béal.

  ‘He told you, today, that he was going to marry her.’

  ‘I already knew. Hildebrandt could keep no secret from me.’

  ‘So you killed him. You stabbed him with a hat pin. You would have killed Ellie Cuttle with the second pin were it not for Gobnait Brudair and her two rascals’

  Laetetia closed her mouth.

• ‘Madam,’ arsa an chéad phóilín, ‘ní mór dom a iarraidh ort an hata sin a bhaint agus é a thabhairt dom.’

  D’ardaigh Laetetia a dhá láimh go maorga agus bhain sí biorán fada, rófhada, as an hata nua, Bhagair sí é ar a raibh i láthair agus rinne sí meangadh nuair a chonaic sí an t-uafás ar a n-aghaidhthe[var pl]. Ansin chaith sí siar a ceann agus sháigh sí an biorán go feirc ina cliabh.

  ‘Madam,’ said the first policeman, ‘I must ask you to take off that hat and give it to me.’

  Laetetia raised both her hands in a stately manner and removed a long, too long, pin from the new hat. She brandished it presently and she smiled when she saw the horror on their faces. Then she threw back her head and thrust the pin to the hilt into her chest.

  maorga	Stately, dignified, imposing; Sedate, quiet
  Bagair	brandish; beckon; threaten
  meangadh	smile	m
  uafás	horror, terror	m
  go feirc	to the hilt
  cliabh	Ribbed frame; Body; chest, bosom	m

• Chruinnigh gach éinne thart uirthi.

  ‘’Bhfuil dochtúir ar an láthair?’ arsa duine de na póilíní.

  Thug a chomhghleacai sonc dó.

  Tharraing Gobnait an biorán ón gcréacht ach níor dhein sin aon mhaith, Nior labhair Laetetia aris. Shíothlaigh sí gan mhoill. [d.l. 243]

  Everyone gathered around her.

  ‘Is there a doctor present?’ said one of the police.

  His colleague gave him a nudge.

  Gobnait pulled the pin from the wound but it did no good. Laetetia did not speak again. She died without delay.

  comhghleacaí	Equal, peer; Fellow, companion
  sonc	Thrust, poke, nudge, push
  créacht	gash, wound	f
  Síothlaigh	Strain, filter; Drain away; subside, settle; Expire, die

• ‘Cén fath go rabhas-sa anseo chun Laetetia Haddock a chosaint ar an Dr. Burr,’ arsa Gobnait ní Bhruadair, agus drochshúil á caitheamh aici ar an Athair Padraig. Bhí uirthi fanacht go raibh an dá chorpán curtha san otharchairt agus tugtha chun siúil sula bhfuair sí freagra ar bith …

  ‘Why was I here to protect Laetetia Haddock from Dr. Burr,’ said Gobnait ní Bruadair, casting an evil eye on Father Padraig. She had to wait until the two bodies were placed in the ambulance and taken away before she got any answer…

  cosaint	Defence, protection	f

• Chuir an tÓstán seomra, tae agus ceapairí ar fáil agus gealladh nach gcuirfí isteach ar an gcomhluadar. Faoin am seo bhí a chóta faighte ar ais ag an Duinníneach mar gur tháinig an buachaill caol rua ar an láthair agus d’éiligh sé go gcaithfeadh Ellie a chóta siúd.

  The Hotel provided a room, tea and sandwiches and promised not to disturb the company. By this time Dineen had got his coat back because the slender red-headed boy came on the scene and demanded that Ellie wear his coat.

  gealladh	promise	m
  éiligh	Claim, demand	v

• ‘Cathain a thuig tú gurbh í Laetetia Haddock, Mrs. George Tavistock?” a d’fhiafraigh Gobnait ní Bhruadair. ‘An raibh a fhios agat ó thús? Ar shíl tú, i ndáirire, gurbh óinseach bhocht eile í a d’íosfadh Burr, nó an scéal é sin a chum tú domsa?”

  Bhí rian feirge ar a glór agus chúb an tAthair Padraig.

  “Bhuel, ar ndóigh, ní raibh cruthúnas ar bith agam ach…’

  “Ach?”

  ‘When did you realize that Laetetia Haddock was Mrs. George Tavistock?’ asked Gobnait ní Bhruadair. ‘Did you know from the beginning? Did you really think she was just another poor foolish girl that Burr would eat, or is that a story you invented for me?

  There was a trace of anger in her voice and Father Padraig nodded.

  ‘Well, of course, I had no proof but…”

  cum	form, shape	v

• “Mathair chéile Laetetia a chuir ar an eolas mé. Chuaigh Bhatson agus mé féin chuig teach cónaithe Tavistock, a bhí le ligint amach ar cíos, ón uair go mbeadh Mrs. Burr a trí ag bogadh isteach i Sráid Bennett. Sheasas i seomra staidéir George Tavistock agus d’fhéachas ar phortráid dá thuistí. Níor phortráid rómhaith é. Déarfainn gur bhog a mháthair agus an grianghraf á ghlacadh. Ach bhí a súile glan glé agus bhí siad ag stánadh amach as an bpictiúr. Bhí an muince faoina bráid breá soiléir freisin, muince óir agus greanta go sainiúil.

  Laetetia’s mother-in-law let me know. Watson and I went to Tavistock’s dwelling-house, which was being let out for rent, since Mrs. Burr three was moving into Bennett Street. I stood in George Tavistock’s study and looked at a portrait of his parents. It is not a very good portrait. I would say that his mother moved while the photo was being taken. But her eyes were clean/very clear and they were staring out of the picture. The necklace around her neck was also perfectly clear, a gold necklace and distinctively engraved.

  staidéar	studying; study	m
  dá	of his
  tuiste	parent	m
  glé	Clear, bright, pellucid
  stánadh	stare, staring	m
  bráid	neck; throat	f
  soiléir	clear; obvious; apparent
  muince	necklace	f
  greanta	graven; Ground, polished; shapely, beautiful; Clear-cut, distinct; engraved
  sainiúil	Specific; characteristic, distinctive; specially good, special

• Nuair a chonaiceas Laetetia Haddock sa salon ag seilbhéireacht ar Hildebrandt Burr, bhí an muince sin á chaitheamh aici.”

  “Mo ghreidhin do shúile,’ arsa Gobnait, ‘ach bhí sé de cheart agat a rá liom. Féach gur dhein mé óinseach diom féin mé ag [d.l. 244]
  iarraidh Laetetia a chosaint ar Burr.’

  When I saw Laetetia Haddock in the salon watching Hildebrandt Burr, she was wearing that necklace.

  ‘Bravo to your eyes,’ said Gobnait, ‘but you had the right to tell me. Look, I made a fool of myself trying to protect Laetitia from Burr.’

  seilbhéireacht = suirbhéireacht	surveying; survey	f

• “Mise a rinne bobarún diom féin,’ arsa an Duinníneach agus ceann faoi air. ‘Nuair a d’iarras ar na póilíní Ellie Cuttle a chur abhaile dom, nior chuimhnios go mbeadh moill bheag ann agus go rachadh sí chun cainte le Burr, go ndíreodh sí ar theach an dochtúra mar gur ann a bheadh sé ag am áirithe. Sheolas caol díreach ar chosán an bháis í. Murach gur rug tú féin agus do bheirt rascal ar Laetetia, ag an bpointe sin, bheadh Ellie marbh aici.’

  ‘I made myself a booby,’ said Dineen ashamed. ‘When I asked the police to send Ellie Cuttle home to me, I did not remember that there would be a little delay and that she would go to talk to Burr, that she would go directly to the doctor’s house because he would be there at a particular time. I sent her direct on a narrow path to death. If you and your two rascals hadn’t caught Laetetia, at that point, Ellie would have been dead.’

  bobarún	booby	m
  seol	sail, send
  cosán	path	m

• Chas an Duinníneach i dtreo Ellie.

  ‘Caithfidh tú an díobháil seo ar fad a scaoileadh tharat. Is beag an pháirt a bhí agat féin, mar dhuine, sa scéal. Bhí Burr bréan de Laetetia ach bhí sé faiteach roimpi. B’fhéidir nach raibh a fhios aige go cruinn cad é a bhí déanta aici, ach ní móide nó go raibh amhras air. Bhí sé saibhir agus faoi réir titim i ngrá leis an gcéad chailín óg álainn a tháinig i ngar dó. Bhí sé de mhí-ádh ortsa a bheith ar an duine sin.”

  Dineen turned towards Ellie.

  ‘You have to let go of all this hurt to you. You, as a person, had a small part in the story. Burr was sick of Laetetia but was afraid of her. Perhaps he didn’t know exactly what she had done, or he probably did. He was rich and subject to falling in love with the first beautiful young girl who came near him. You had the bad luck to be that person.’

  díobháil	Loss, deprivation, want; Injury, harm, damage	f
  cruinn	round; gathered; Exact, accurate
  ní móide go	probably not, hardly
  réir	Will, wish; command	f

• Réitigh an fear óg rua a chóta thart ar Ellie agus theann sé chuige féin í.

  “A Ghobnait,’ arsa an Duinníneach, agus bhí leithscéal agus mealladh agus dáirireacht agus uile ina ghlór, ‘tá madra beag gan úinéir i ngairdin theach Tavistock, i Putney. Déanaim amach gurb é ‘Taffy’ Philomena é. Gheobhadh Laetetia deacair é madra a mharú. Ní bheadh san sa chultúir aici. B’fhéidir go bhfaighfeá áit dó ar an bhfeirm shamplach sin agat?”

  The young red-headed man put his coat around Ellie and pulled her close to himself.

  ‘Gobnait,’ said Dineen, with apology and disappointment and seriousness and everything in his voice , ‘there is a small dog without an owner in the garden of Tavistock house, in Putney. I have found out it’s Philomena’s ‘Taffy’. Laetetia would find it difficult to kill a dog. That would not be in her culture. Maybe you could find a place for him on that hobby farm you have?

  teann	Tighten, tauten
  leithscéal	Excuse; apology	m
  mealladh	Beguilement, allurement, enticement; Deception; disappointment	m
  dáiríreach	Earnestness, seriousness
  uile	every, all
  úinéir	Owner, proprietor	m

• ‘Beidh fáilte roimhe. Béarfaidh sé ar na francaigh.’

  Thit tost ar an gcombluadar.

  ‘Ón uair go bhfuil an bheirt, a bheadh le cúisiú, marbh, ní dócha go ndéanfar móran tochailte, go hoifigiúil, ar na huafáis a raibh an bhean seo, Laetetia Haddock, freagrach astu,’ arsa Cobnait [d.l. 245]

  ‘He will be welcome. He will catch the rats.’

  Silence fell on the company.

  ‘Since the two, who would be accused, are dead, it is unlikely that much digging will be done, officially, into the horrors for which this woman, Laetetia Haddock, was answerable for,’

  cúisigh	Accuse; charge, prosecute	vn cúiseamh var vn here?
  tochailt	Digging, excavation; uprooting	f
  freagrach	Answerable, accountable
  uafás	horror, terror	m

• ‘Is maith sin,’ arsa an tAthair Ó Duinnín. ‘Téann an peaca agus an bás ar gclár in éineacht.

  Bhí an Duinníneach an tuirseach nuair a shroich sé a theach i bPort Mearnóg an lá ina dhiadh sin. Ar éigean go raibh a chóta bainte de aige nuair a buaileadh cnag ar an doras.

  ‘Sreangscéal,’ arsa an teachaire. ´Deineadh réamhíocaíocht ar fhreagra uait.’
  

  ‘That is good,’ said Father Dineen, ‘Sin and death go on the table together.’

  Dineen was very tired when he arrived at his house in Portmarnock the following day. He had hardly taken off his coat when there was a knock on the door.

  ‘Telegram,’ said the messenger. ‘A prepayment has been made for your reply.’

  in éineacht	at the same time, at once; together, altogether
  buail	hit, strike, beat	v
  cnag	Knock, crack; blow	m
  Sreangscéal	telegram	m
  réamhíocaíocht	Prepayment	f

• Léigh an Duinníneach an sreangscéal os ard:

  BEIR BUA STOP COMHGHAIRDEACHAS STOP
  
  ÉILÍONN MRS HUDSON SCÉAL AN MHADRA
  
  STOP GAN MOILL STOP DE HOILM STOP.
  

  Dineen read the telegram out loud:

  WIN A VICTORY STOP CONGRATULATIONS STOP
  
  MRS HUDSON DEMANDS THE STORY OF THE DOG
  STOP WITHOUT DELAY HOLMES STOP

  comhghairdeas	congratulations	m

• Chuimhnigh an Duinníneach soicind agus scríobh sé ar an bhfoirm a shín an teachtaire chuige.

  TUAIRIMÍGÍ STOP GAN GRUAIM ORAIBH STOP Ó DUINNÍN STOP

  Dineen thought for a second and wrote on the form the messenger held out for him.

  CONJECTURE STOP WITHOUT GLOOM ON ALL OF YOU STOP DINEEN STOP

  tuairimigh	Opine, conjecture
  gruaim	Gloom, despondency; dejection	f

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