. Some English ladies requested him to play--I believe there was
some very unsuitable joking about it--and he consented. He attended
that service; he played their English hymns," Father Greer paused, and
gathered up the table with a glance before his climax. "That young
man, I regret to say, was an Irish Catholic, one whom you all
know--young Mr. St. Lawrence Coppinger!"

Mrs. Mangan, who had been too much harassed by Hannah's failure to
decode her signals, to attend, heard the name only, and said lovingly:

"The dear boy! How nice for him and you to meet so far away from home,
Father!"

Barty's satisfaction at his mother's unexpected comment took the form
of kicking his sister, heavily. Tishy, who sang in the chapel choir,
and was at this time inclined to regard herself as a pillar of the
Church, returned the kick with a viciousness that indicated a hostile
point of view, and said loftily:

"But to think they'd ask him! The English are very lax. Don't you
think so, Father?"

Dr. Mangan laughed apologetically.

"Well, it's a wonder that a party of sheep would let a poor goat into
their fold at all!" he said, in a voice that asked for forgiveness for
the erring goat. "I suppose the young ladies got him in a corner, and
'twas hard for him to refuse. You'd hardly blame him for that!"

Father Greer looked bleakly down his nose and said nothing.

Barty scowled, considering that his hero stood in no need of apology.
Dr. Mangan continued his endeavour to save the situation.

"But there's no understanding of Protestants!" he resumed,
good-humouredly; "I met an old fellow on the train th' other day, old
William Henderson of Glen Brickeen, and he was telling me of a row he
had with his clergyman, the Reverend Wilson. 'Oh,' says he, 'I gave up
going to church on the head of it!' 'And isn't that a great sin for
you,' says I, 'to give up going to church?' 'Oh,' says he, 'I explain
that to God every Saturday. He understands well what Mr. Wilson done
to me, and why I wouldn't go to church as long as he was in it.'
'Maybe,' said I, funning him, 'some day he might be before you in
Heaven with his story, and what'll you do then?' 'Oh,' said he, I'll
make out a place for myself, never fear! There's places of all sorts
in it!' says he. 'I suppose it's the many mansions you're thinking
of!' said I. 'You think the poor Roman Catholics don't know their
Bibles, but I know that much!'"

"Well, Francis," said Mrs. Mangan, admiringly,