old you, Thady, that I thought but little of your having been
drinking yesterday evening; not but that I think it very foolish
for a man to make himself a beast; but what I did think of was the
company you were drinking in. Now I heard--and I know you won't
contradict me unless it's untrue--that the party consisted of you,
and Brady, and Joe Reynolds, and Byrne, and Corney Dolan, and one or
two others from Drumleesh, your own or your father's tenants, and the
very lowest of them--all of them infamous characters--men never, or
seldom, seen at mass--makers of potheen--fellows who are known to
be meeting nightly at that house of Mrs. Mulready, at Mohill, and
who are strongly suspected to be Ribbonmen, or Terryalts, or to call
themselves by some infernal name and sect, by belonging to which they
have all become liable to death or transportation."

The priest paused; but Thady sat quite still, listening, with his
eyes fixed on the fender.

"Now, Thady, if this is so, what could you gain by mixing with them?
You weren't drunk when you went among them, or I should think nothing
about it--for a drunken man doesn't know what he does; and it wasn't
from chance--for a man never seeks society so much beneath himself
from chance; and it wasn't from habit--for I know your habits well
enough, and that's not one of them; but I fear you were there by
agreement. If so, what could you get by a secret meeting with such
men as those? You know their characters and vices; are you fool
enough to think that you will find comfort in their society, or
assistance in their advice?"

"I didn't think so, Father John."

"Then why were you with them? I know the most of your sorrows, Thady,
and the most of your cares; and I also know and appreciate the
courage with which you have tried to bear them; and if you would
make me your friend, your assistant, and your counsellor, though I
mightn't do much for you, I think I could do more, or show you how
to do more, than you are likely to learn from the men you were with
yesterday; and at any rate, I shall not lead you into the danger
which will beset you if you listen to them, and which, you may be
sure, would soon end in your disgrace and destruction. Can you tell
me, Thady, why you were with them, or they were with you?"

"I was only just talking to them about--" Thady began; but he felt
that he was going to tell his friend a falsehood, and again held his
tongue.

"If you'll not tell me why you were