"Ha, ha, ha! like raipin' hooks, father--an' so the little red rogue
couldn't bear that? well, at all events, the comparison's a good
one--sorra better; ha, ha, ha--reapin' hooks!"

"Is that the answer you have for me?"

"Answer!" said Margaret, feigning surprise, "what about?"

"About Mark Hanmity."

"Well, but sure if he's fond of me, hell have no objection to wait."

"Ay, but if he does wait, will you have him?"

"I didn't promise that, and, at any rate, I'd not like to be a
shopkeeper's wife."

"Why not?"

"Why, he'd be puttin' me behind the counter, and you know I'd be too
handsome for that; sure, there's Thogue Nugent that got the handsome
wife from Dublin, and of a fair, or market-day, for one that goes in to
buy anything, there goes ten in to look at her. Throth, I think he ought
to put her in the windy at once, just to save trouble, and give the
people room."

"Ha, ha, ha! well, you're the dickens of a girl, sure enough; but come,
avourneen, don't be makin' me laugh now, but tell me what answer I'm to
give Mark."

"Tell him to go to Dublin, like Thogue; he lives in the upper part of
the town, and Thogue in the lower, and then there will be a beauty in
each end of it."

"Suppose I take it into my head to lose my temper, Peggy, maybe I'd make
you spake then?"

"Well, will you give me a peck o' mail for widow Dolan?"

"No, divil a dust."

"Sure I'll pay you--ha, ha, ha!"

"Sure you'll pay me! mavrone, but it's often you've said that afore,
and divil a cross o' Your coin ever we seen yet; faith, it's you that's
heavily in my debt, when I think of all ever you promised to pay me."

"Very well, then; no meal, no answer."

"And will you give me an answer if I give you the meal?"

"Honor bright, didn't I say it."

"Go an' get it yourself then, an' see now, don't do as you always do,
take double what you're allowed."

Margiret, in direct violation of this paternal injunction, did most
unquestionably take near twice the stipulated quantity for the widow,
and, in order that there might be no countermand on the part of her
father, as sometimes happened, she sent it off with one of the servants
by a back way, so that he had no opportunity of seeing how far
her charity had carried her beyond the spirit and letter of her
instructions.

"Well," said he, when she returned, "now for the answer; and before you
give it, think of the comfort you'll have with him--how fine and nicely
furnished his hous