Part 48 (1/2)

”And who was Affy Hynes?”

”It was before your time, of course, and before Father Henaghan was parish priest; but the colonel would know who I mean.” Michael sank his voice to an impressive whisper. ”Affy Hynes was the boy that the police was out after in the bad times, wanting to have him hanged on account of the way that the bailiff was shot. But he made off, and none of us ever knew where he went to, though they did say that it might be to an uncle of his that was in America.”

”Did he murder the bailiff?”

”He did not; nor I don't believe he knew who did, though he might.”

”Then what did he run away for?”

”For fear they'd hang him,” said Michael Geraghty. ”Amn't I just after telling you?”

”Go on,” said the doctor.

”Well, when Affy came to himself after all the hards.h.i.+p he had it wasn't long before he found out the place he was in. 'It's Ballintra,' says he to himself, 'or it's mighty like it.' There did be a great dread on him then that the police would be out after him again, and have him took; and, says he, into himself like, so as no one would hear him, 'I'll let on I can't understand a word they say to me, so as they won't know my voice, anyway.' And so he did; but he went very near laughing one time when you had the priest and the minister, one on each side of him, and 'Pastor,' says you----”

”Never mind that part,” said the doctor.

”If it's displeasing to you to hear about it, I'll not say another word.

Only, I'd be thankful if you'd tell me why you called the both of them Manders. It's what Affy was saying to me this minute: 'Michael,' says he, 'is Manders the name that's on the priest that's in the parish presently?' 'It is not,' says I, 'but Henaghan.' 'That's queer,' said he. 'Is it Manders they call the minister?' 'It is not,' I says; 'it's Jackson. There never was one in the place of the name of Manders, priest or minister.' 'That's queer,' says he 'for the doctor called both the two of them Manders.'”

”So he understood every word we said to him all the time?” said the doctor.

”Not the whole of it, nor near the whole,” said Michael Geraghty. ”He's been about the world a deal, being a sailor and he said he could make out what Miss Glynn was saying pretty well, and knew the minister's lady was talking Dutch, though he couldn't tell what she was saying, for it wasn't just the same Dutch as he'd been accustomed to hearing. The colonel made a middling good offer at the Russian. Affy was a year one time in them parts, and he knows; but he said he'd be d.a.m.ned if he could make any kind of a guess at what either the priest or the minister was at, and he told me to be sure and ask you what they were talking because he'd like to know.”

”I'll go up and see him myself,” said the doctor.

”If you speak the Irish to him he'll answer you,” said Michael.

”I will, if he likes,” said the doctor. ”But why won't he speak English?”

”There's a sort of dread on him,” said Michael Geraghty. ”I think he'd be more willing to trust you if you'd speak to him in the Irish, it being all one to you. He bid me say to you, and it's a good job I didn't forget it, that if so be he's dying, you might tell Father Henaghan he's a Catholic, the way he'd attend on him; but if he's to live, he'd as soon no one but yourself and me knew he was in the place.”

Dr. Whitty went up to the workhouse, turned the nurse out of the ward, and sat down beside Affy Hynes.

”Tell me this now,” he said, ”why didn't you let me know who you were? I wouldn't have told on you.”

”I was sorry after that I didn't,” said Affy, ”when I seen all the trouble that I put you to. It was too much altogether fetching the ladies and gentlemen up here to be speaking to the like of me. It's what never happened to me before, and I'm sorry you were bothered.”

”Why didn't you tell me then?”

”Sure, I did my best. Did you not see me winking at you once, when you had the priest and the minister in with me, as much as to say: 'Doctor, if I thought I could trust you I'd tell you the truth this minute.' I made full sure you'd understand what it was I was meaning the second time, even if you didn't at the first go-off.”

”That's not what I gathered from your wink at all,” said the doctor. ”I thought you'd got some kind of a nervous affection of the eye.”

”It's a queer thing, now,” said Affy, ”that the two of them reverend gentlemen should have the same name, and that Manders.”

”We'll drop that subject,” said the Doctor.

”We will, of course, if it's pleasing to you. But it is queer all the same, and I'd be glad if I knew the reason of it, for it must be mighty confusing for the people of this place, both Catholic and Protestant.