nd after Mass I went round to see him in the sacristy.

The sacristy was a narrow passage, and there were two acolytes in it,
and the priest was taking off his vestments, and people were knocking
constantly at the door, and the priest had to tell the acolyte what
answer to give. I had only proposed to myself to sketch the objects of
our organisation in a general outline to the priest, but it was
impossible even to do this, so numerous were the interruptions. When I
came to unfold our system of payments, the priest said:--

"It is impossible for me to listen to you here. You had better come
round with me to my house."

The invitation was not quite in accordance with the idea I had formed
of the man, and while walking across the fields he asked me if I would
have a cup of tea with him, and we spoke of the new church at Rathowen.
It seemed legitimate to deplore the building of new churches, and I
mentioned that while the churches were increasing the people were
decreasing, and I ventured to regret that only two ideas seemed to
obtain in Ireland, the idea of the religious vocation and the idea of
emigration.

"I see," said Father Madden, "you are imbued with all the new ideas."

"But," I said, "you don't wish the country to disappear."

"I do not wish it to disappear," he said, "but if it intends to
disappear we can do nothing to prevent it from disappearing. Everyone
is opposed to emigration now, but I remember when everyone was
advocating it. Teach them English and emigrate them was the cure. Now,"
he said, "you wish them to learn Irish and to stay at home. And you are
quite certain that this time you have found out the true way. I live
very quiet down here, but I hear all the new doctrines. Besides
teaching Paddy Durkin to feed his pig, I hear you are going to revive
the Gothic. Music and literature are to follow, and among these
resurrections there is a good deal of talk about pagan Ireland."

We entered a comfortable, well-furnished cottage, with a good carpet on
the floor, and the walls lined with books, and on either side of the
fireplace there were easy chairs, and I thought of the people "on the
other side."

He took a pot of tea from the hob, and said:--

"Now let me pour you out a cup of tea, and you shall tell me about the
looms."

"But," I said, "Father Madden, you don't believe much in the future of
Ireland, you don't take very kindly to new ideas."

"New ideas! Every ten years there is a new set.