Part 7 (2/2)
”All well,” replied M'Carthy, laughing as loud as any of the rest, every one of whom actually in convulsions--for they knew, with the exception of Julia, who was deceived at first by the pedlar's apparent gravity, that he was only bantering her lover.
The proctor, who, although a man that loved money as his G.o.d--with his whole heart, soul, and strength--was yet exceedingly anxious to stand well with the world, and on this account never suffered a mere trifle to stand between him and the means of acquiring a good name, and having himself been considered a man of even of a benevolent spirit.
He consequently made some purchase from the pedlar, with whom he held a very amusing and comic discussion, as touching the prices of many articles in that worthy's; pack. Nay, he went so far as to give them a good-humored exhibition of the secrets and peculiarities known only to the initiated, and bought some small matters in the slang terms with which none but the trade are acquainted.
”Come, boys,” said he, ”I have set you a good example; won't you buy something from the jolly pedlar?”
John and Alick bought some trifling things, and M'Carthy purchased a pair of bracelets for the girls, which closed the sales for that morning.
”Well, now,” said the pedlar, whilst folding up again the goods which he had displayed for sale, ”upon my profits, Misther Purcel, it's a perfect delight to me to call here, an' that whether I dale or not--although I'm sure to do so always when I come. Well, you have all dealt wid me now for payment, and here goes to give you something for nothing--an, in truth, it's a commodity that, although always chape, is seldom taken.
'Tis called good advice. The ladies--G.o.d bless them, don't stand in need of it, for sure the darlins' never did anything from Eve downwards, that 'ud require it. Here it is then, Misther Purcel, let you and your sons do what the ould song says--'be good boys and _take care of yourselves.
Thighin thu?_ (*Do you understand.) An' this gintleman, if I knew his name, maybe I'd say something to him too.”
”This is Mr. M'Carthy, Cannie.”
”Ay, M'Carthy--troth 'tis a good ould name. Well, Mr. M'Carthy, all I have to say to you! is, that _if you happen to meet a man that gives you good advice, TAKE IT_. An' now G.o.d be Wid you all, an' spare you to one another!”
So saying, he slung his huge pack over his shoulders almost without an effort, and commencing a merry old Irish song he proceeded lightly and cheerfully on his journey.
”Well, boys,” said the proctor, ”now that we've had a good hearty laugh with the _Cannie Soogah_, let us proceed to business. I see by your red coats and top-boots, that you're for the hounds to-day, but as I'm in a hurry, I wish before you go, that you'd see those sneaking devils that are hanging about the place. Hourigan is there again with fresh falsehoods--don't be misled by him--the ill-looking scoundrel is right well able to pay--and dix me if I'll spare him. Tell him he needn't expect any further forbearance--a rascal that's putting money in the saving's bank to be pleadin' poverty! It's too bad. But the truth is, boys, there's no one behind in their t.i.thes now ent.i.tled to forbearance, and for the same reason they must pay or take the consequences; we'll see whether they or the law will prove the strongest, and that very soon. Good-bye, boys; good-bye, M'Carthy--and I say, Jack and Alick, be on your sharps and don't let them lads do you--d'ye mind now?--keen's the word.”
He then got on his comfortable jaunting-car, and drove off to wait, according to appointment, upon the Rev. Jeremiah Turbot, D.D.
”Mogue Moylan,” said John, ”will you go out and tell them fellows that I and Alick will be in the office presently--and do you hear? tell them to look like men, and not so much like murderers that came to take our lives. Say we'll be in the office presently, and that we hope it's not excuses they're fetching us.”
”I will, Misther John; but, troth, it's the worst word in their cheek they'd give me, if I deliver the last part of your message. 'Tis my head in my fist I'd get, maybe; however, Misther John, between you an' me, they're an ill-looking set, one an' all o' them, an' could pay their tides, every tail o' them, if they wished.”
”I know that very well,” replied the young fellow, ”but my father's not the man to be trifled with. We'll soon see whether they or the law's the strongest; that's all.”
Moylan went over to where the defaulters were standing, and putting up his hand, he stroked down his cheek with great gravity. ”Are yez in a hurry, good people?” said he.
”Some of us is,” replied a voice.
”Ay, all of us,” replied others; ”and we're here now for an hour and a half, and no sign of seein' us.”
”Yez are in a hurry, then?”
”To be sure we are.”
”Well, to them that's in a hurry I've a word to say.”
”What is it, Mogue?”
”Why, it is this, take your time--ever an' always, when you happen to be in a hurry--take your time.”
”Maybe, Mogue,” they replied, ”if you were widout your breakfast, as we are, you wouldn't say so.”
”Why, did'nt yez get your breakfasts yet?”
<script>