Part 27 (2/2)

”So Mrs O'Rourke poured out the real stuff, which I drank to her health; and then says I, putting down the bit of a gla.s.s, 'So you've a stranger come, I find, in your parts, Mrs O'Rourke.'

”'I've heard the same,' replied she. So you observe, Terence, I came to the fact all at once by a guess.

”'I'm tould,' says I, 'that he's a Scotchman, and spakes what n.o.body can understand.'

”'Devil a bit,' says she; 'he's an Englishman, and speaks plain enough.'

”'But what can a man mane, to come here and sit down all alone?' says I.

”'All alone, Father McGrath!' replied she: 'is a man all alone when he's got his wife and childer, and more coming, with the blessing of G.o.d?'

”'But those boys are not his own childer, I believe,' says I.

”'There again you're all in a mistake, Father McGrath,' rejoins she.

'The childer are all his own, and all girls to boot. It appears that it's just as well that you come down, now and then, for information, to our town of Ballycleuch.'

”'Very true, Mrs O'Rourke,' says I; 'and who is it that knows everything so well as yourself?' You observe, Terence, that I just said everything contrary and _vice versa_, as they call it, to the contents of your letter; for always recollect, my son, that if you would worm a secret out of a woman, you'll do more by contradiction than you ever will by coaxing--so I went on: 'Anyhow, I think it's a burning shame, Mrs O'Rourke, for a gentleman to bring over with him here from England a parcel of lazy English servants, when there's so many nice boys and girls here to attind upon them.'

”'Now there you're all wrong again, Father McGrath,' says she. 'Devil a soul has he brought from the other country, but has hired them all here.

Ain't there Ella Flanagan for one maid, and Terence Driscol for a footman? and it's well that he looks in his new uniform, when he comes down for the newspapers; and ar'n't Moggy Cala there to cook the dinner, and pretty Mary Sullivan for a nurse for the babby as soon as it comes into the world.'

”'Is it Mary Sullivan, you mane?' says I; 'she that was married about three months back, and is so quick in child-getting, that she's all but ready to fall to pieces in this same time?'

”'It's exactly she,' says Mrs O'Rourke; 'and do you know the reason?'

”'Devil a bit,' says I; 'how should _I_?'

”'Then it's just that she may send her own child away, and give her milk to the English babby that's coming; because the lady is too much of a lady to have a child hanging to her breast.'

”'But suppose Mary Sullivan's child ar'n't born till afterwards, how then?' says I. 'Speak, Mrs O'Rourke, for you're a sensible woman.'

”'How then?' says she. 'Och! that's all arranged; for Mary says that she'll be in bed a week before the lady, so that's all right, you'll perceive, Father McGrath.'

”'But don't you perceive, sensible woman as you are, that a young woman, who is so much out of her reckoning as to have a child three months after her marriage, may make a little mistake in her lying-in arithmetic, Mrs O'Rourke?'

”'Never fear, Father McGrath, Mary Sullivan will keep her word; and sooner than disappoint the lady, and lose her place, she'll just tumble downstairs, and won't that put her to bed fast enough?'

”'Well, that's what I call a faithful good servant that earns her wages,' says I; 'so now I'll just take another gla.s.s, Mrs O'Rourke, and thank you too. Sure you're the woman that knows everything, and a mighty pretty woman into the bargain.'

”'Let me alone now, Father McGrath, and don't be pinching me that way anyhow.'

”'It was only a big flea that I perceived hopping on your gown, my darling, devil anything else.'

”'Many thanks to you, father, for that same; but the next time you'd kill my fleas, just wait until they're in a _more dacent_ situation.'

”'Fleas are fleas, Mrs O'Rourke, and we must catch 'em when we can, and how we can, and as we can, so no offence. A good night's rest to you, Mrs O'Rourke--when do you mean to confess?'

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