as one of those simple, kindly natures that
everyone likes and that everyone despises, and she returned home like a
lonely goose, waddling slowly, a little overcome by the thought of the
happiness that awaited her son. There would be no more lonely evenings
in the cabin; Kate would be with him now, and later on there would be
some children, and she waddled home thinking of the cradle and the joy
it would be to her to take her grandchildren upon her knee. When she
returned to the cottage she sat down, so that she might dream over her
happiness a little longer. But she had not been sitting long when she
remembered there was a great deal of work to be done. The cabin would
have to be cleaned from end to end, there was the supper to be cooked,
and she did not pause in her work until everything was ready. At five
the pig's head was on the table, and the sheep's tongues; the bread was
baked; the barrel of porter had come, and she was expecting the piper
every minute. As she stood with her arms akimbo looking at the table,
thinking of the great evening it would be, she thought how her old
friend, Annie Connex, had refused to come to Peter's wedding. Wasn't
all the village saying that Kate would not have married Peter if she
had not been driven to it by the priest and by her mother.

"Poor boy," she thought, "his heart is so set upon her that he has no
ears for any word against her."

She could not understand why people should talk ill of a girl on her
wedding day. "Why shouldn't a girl be given a chance?" she asked
herself. "Why should Annie Connex prevent her son from coming to the
dance? If she were to go to her now and ask her if she would come? and
if she would not come herself, if she would let Pat come round for an
hour? If Annie would do this all the gossips would have their tongues
tied. Anyhow she could try to persuade her." And she locked her door
and walked up the road and knocked at Mrs. Connex's.

Prosperity in the shapes of pig styes and stables had collected round
Annie's door, and Mrs. M'Shane was proud to be a visitor in such a
house.

"I came round, Annie, to tell you they're married."

"Well, come in, Mary," she said, "if you have the time."

The first part of the sentence was prompted by the news that Kate was
safely married and out of Pat's way; and the second half of the
sentence, "if you have the time," was prompted by a wish that Mary
should see that she need not come again for some time at least.