Part 101 (1/2)
”They say! who minds what they say? Havn't we the word of the blessed Pope that we are right?”
”And they say that they have the word of the blessed Gospel that you are wrong.”
”The Gospel! who cares for the Gospel? Surely you are not going to compare the Gospel with the Pope?”
”Well, they certainly are not to be named in the same day.”
”They are not? Then good luck to you! We are both of the same opinion.
Ah, I thought your honour was a rale Catholic. Now, tell me from what kingdom of Ireland does your honour hail?”
”Why, I was partly educated in Munster.”
”In Munster! Hoorah! Here's the hand of a countryman to your honour.
Ah, it was asy to be seen from the learning which your honour shows, that your honour is from Munster. There's no spot in Ireland like Munster for learning. What says the old song?
”'Ulster for a soldier Connaught for a thief, Munster for learning, And Leinster for beef.'”
”Hoorah for learned Munster! and down with beggarly, thievish Connaught!
I would that a Connaught man would come athwart me now, that I might break his thief's head with my Alpeen.”
”You don't seem to like the Connaught men,” said I.
”Like them! who can like them? a parcel of beggarly thievish blackguards.
So your honour was edicated in Munster, I mane partly edicated. I suppose by your saying that you were partly edicated, that your honour was intended for the clerical profession, but being over fond of the drop was forced to lave college before your edication was quite completed, and so for want of a better profession took up with that of merchandise. Ah, the love of the drop at college has prevented many a clever young fellow from taking holy orders. Well, it's a pity, but it can't be helped. I am fond of a drop myself, and when we get to - shall be happy to offer your honour a gla.s.s of whiskey. I hope your honour and I shall splice the mainbrace together before we part.”
”I suppose,” said I, ”by your talking of splicing the mainbrace that you are a sailor.”
”I am, your honour, and hail from the Cove of Cork in the kingdom of Munster.”
”I know it well,” said I. ”It is the best sea-basin in the world. Well, how came you into these parts?”
”I'll tell your honour; my s.h.i.+p is at Swansea, and having a relation working at the foundry behind us, I came to see him.”
”Are you in the royal service?”
”I am not, your honour; I was once in the royal service, but having a dispute with the boatswain at Spithead, I gave him a wipe, jumped overboard and swam ash.o.r.e. After that I sailed for Cuba, got into the merchants' service there and made several voyages to the Black Coast. At present I am in the service of the merchants of Cork.”
”I wonder that you are not now in the royal service,” said I, ”since you are so fond of fighting. There is hot work going on at present up the Black Sea, and brave men, especially Irishmen, are in great request.”
”Yes, brave Irishmen are always in great request with England when she has a battle to fight. At other times they are left to lie in the mud with the chain round their necks. It has been so ever since the time of De Courcy, and I suppose always will be so, unless Irishmen all become of my mind, which is not likely. Were the Irish all of my mind, the English would find no Irish champion to fight their battles when the French or the Russians come to beard them.”
”By De Courcy,” said I, ”you mean the man whom the King of England confined in the Tower of London after taking him from his barony in the county of Cork.”
”Of course, your honour, and whom he kept in the Tower till the King of France sent over a champion to insult and beard him, when the king was glad to take De Courcy out of the dungeon to fight the French champion, for divil a one of his own English fighting men dared take the Frenchman in hand.”
”A fine fellow that De Courcy,” said I.
”Rather too fond of the drop though, like your honour and myself, for after he had caused the French champion to flee back into France he lost the greater part of the reward which the King of England promised him solely by making too free with the strong drink. Does your honour remember that part of the story?”