two long naked feet appeared; and there was a shirt, but it was
torn, the wind thrilled in a naked breast, and the priest thought his
housekeeper was right, that James must go back to the poor-house. There
was a wild look in his eyes, and he seemed to the priest like some
lonely animal just come out of its burrow. His mud cabin was full of
peat smoke, there were pools of green water about it, but it had been
dry, he said, all the summer; and he had intended to make a drain.

"It's hard luck, your reverence, and after building this house for her.
There's a bit of smoke in the house now, but if I got Catherine I
wouldn't be long making a chimney. I told Mike he should give Catherine
a pig for her fortune, but he said he would give her a calf when I
bought the pig, and I said, 'Haven't I built a fine house and wouldn't
it be a fine one to rear him in.'"

And they walked through the bog, James talking to the priest all the
way, for it was seldom he had anyone to talk to.

"Now I must not take you any further from your digging."

"Sure there's time enough," said James, "amn't I there all day."

"I'll go and see Mike Mulhare myself," said the priest.

"Long life to your reverence."

"And I will try to get you the price of the pig."

"Ah,'tis your reverence that's good to us."

The priest stood looking after him, wondering if he would give up life
as a bad job and go back to the poor-house. But while thinking of James
Murdoch, he was conscious of an idea; it was still dim and distant, but
every moment it emerged, it was taking shape.

Ireland was passing away. In five-and-twenty years, if some great
change did not take place, Ireland would be a Protestant country.
"There is no one in this parish except myself who has a decent house to
live in," he murmured; and then an idea broke suddenly in his mind. The
Greek priests were married. They had been allowed to retain their wives
in order to avoid a schism. Rome had always known how to adapt herself
to circumstances, and there was no doubt that if Rome knew Ireland's
need of children Rome would consider the revocation of the decree--the
clergy must marry.

He walked very slowly, and looking through the peat stacks he saw St.
Peter's rising above a rim of pearl-coloured mountains, and before he
was aware of it he had begun to consider how he might write a letter to
Rome. Was it not a fact that celibacy had only been made obligatory in
Ireland in the twelfth century?