Part 50 (1/2)
Tozer found the priest's p.r.o.nunciation a little difficult, but managed to understand him.
”Domine,” said he, ”sumus viatores infelices et innocentes, in quos fures nuper impetum fecerunt. Omnia bona nostra arripuerunt--”
”Fieri non potest!” said the priest.
”Et omnes amicos nostros in captivitatem lachrymabilem tractaverunt--”
”Cor dolet,” said the priest; ”miseret me vestrum.”
”Cujusmodi terra est haec in qua sustenendum est tot labores?”
The priest sighed.
”Tonitruendum est malum!” exclaimed Tozer, excited by the recollection of his wrongs.
The priest stared.
”In hostium manibus fuimus, et, bonum tonitru! omnia impedimenta amissimus. Est nimis omnipotens malum!”
”Quid vis dicere?” said the priest, looking puzzled. ”Quid tibi vis?”
”Est nimis sempiternum durum!”
”In nomine omnium sanctorum apostolorumque,” cried the priest, ”quid vis dicere?”
”Potes ne juvare nos,” continued Tozer, ”in hoc lachrymabile tempore?
Volo unum verum vivum virum qui possit--”
”Diabolus arripiat me si possim unum solum verb.u.m intelligere!” cried the priest. ”Be jabers if I ondherstan' yez at all at all; an' there ye have it.”
And with this the priest raised his head, with its puzzled look, and scratched that organ with such a natural air, and with such a full Irish flavor in his brogue and in his face, that both of his visitors were perfectly astounded.
”Good gracious!” cried Tozer; and seizing the priest's hand in both of his, he nearly wrung it off. ”Why, what a providence! Why, really, now! And you were an Irishman all the time! And why didn't you speak English?”
”Sure and what made you spake Latin?” cried the priest. ”And what was it you were thryin' to say wid yer 'sempiternum durum,' and yer 'tonitruendum malum?' Sure an' ye made me fairly profeen wid yer talk, so ye did.”
”Well, I dare say,” said Tozer, candidly--”I dare say 'tain't onlikely that I _did_ introduce one or two Americanisms in the Latin; but then, you know, I ain't been in practice.”
The priest now brought chairs for his visitors, and, sitting thus in the church, they told him about their adventures, and entreated him to do something for them. To all this the priest listened with thoughtful attention, and when they were done he at once promised to find horses for them which would draw the carriages to this hamlet or to the next town. Ethel did not think Lady Dalrymple could go further than this place, and the priest offered to find some accommodations.
He then left them, and in about half an hour he returned with two or three peasants, each of whom had a horse.
”They'll be able to bring the leedies,” said the priest, ”and haul the impty wagons afther thim.”
”I think, miss,” said Tozer, ”that you'd better stay here. It's too far for you to walk.”
”Sure an' there's no use in the wide wurruld for _you_ to be goin'