is very words--'Tell Mr. Thady, av he
don't come down to the cottage to his dinner this day, divil a bit
will I ate till he does.'"

"Well, to hear the brat!" continued Biddy, shocked at the indecorous
language which was put into her priest's mouth.

"And who's to be at Father John's else?" said Thady.

"Sorrow a one av me rightly knows thin, for I wasn't hearing; all I
wor told wor, I warn't to come out of this widout yer honer."

"But I can't go to-night, Patsy."

"But Father John says you must, Mr. Thady."

"Tell Father John, Patsy, that I am very much obliged to him, but
that I'm not just well enough to come out to-night. I couldn't go
to-night, do you hear; go down and tell him so, or he'll be waiting
dinner."

"But, Mr. Thady," said the boy, half sobbing, "Father John said as
how I warn't to come at all widout you."

"Do as I tell you, you fool; but mind you tell Father John I'm very
much obliged to him, only I'm ill."

"Well," muttered the boy, at length taking his departure, "I know
Father John 'll be very mad, but any way it ain't my fault."

Thady was gratified with the priest's invitation, for it showed that
he at least had forgiven him; but he did not dare to face him by
accepting it.

He got himself another glass of whiskey, and lighting his pipe,
sat down to smoke by the kitchen fire; after he had been some time
sitting there, Pat Brady came into the kitchen. Thady, however,
took no notice, except muttering something in answer to Pat's usual
salutation. They remained both some time silent, till at last Brady
observed that, "They'd all of them had ilegant divarsion last
night--most of them stayed a power later nor you, Mr. Thady."

This allusion to last night was not at present the subject most
likely to make Thady talk freely, so he still continued silent. At
last Pat said,

"Could I spake to you a moment, Mr. Thady?"

"Spake out--what is it?"

"Oh, it's business, yer honer; it's something about money--wouldn't
you step out to the rint-office?"

"Don't you see I'm just going to dinner; besides, I ain't well--it'll
keep till to-morrow, I suppose?"

"But it won't keep, Mr. Thady."

At this moment, Biddy, who had been taking some smoking viands out
of a big black pot and transferring them to a dish, went out of the
kitchen with them on her road to the dining-room, and Pat took the
opportunity of whispering to his master that, "the boys wor to meet
at Mulready's on the next evening."