what I mean; that warn't what they meant."

"And how do you know what they meant?"

"Why, they meant to kill the man; you know that as well as I."

"But I don't know it--nor do I think it; nor what is more, do you
think it; for you are sharp enough to know that where there are so
many figurative terms in use to signify murder, it is not probable
that had they, on this occasion, wished to signify murder, they would
have used a phrase which every one knows expresses an intention to
drive a man out of the country. Yes, sir, you know that not one of
the party would have dared to propose to Mr. Macdermot to have a
share in murder. You and they talked of murder at Mrs. Mulready's,
but you know that for your life you would not have dared to mention
it before Mr. Macdermot. Now tell me how long was the prisoner at the
wedding party?"

"Maybe three hours."

"Was he sober when he came in?"

"He war."

"Was he sober when he went out?"

"Sober when he went out?"

"Yes, sir; was he sober when he went out?"

"I don't think he war--not to say sober."

"Wasn't he mad drunk?"

"Mad dhrunk?"

"Don't repeat my words, sir; wasn't he mad drunk?"

"Faix, that's thrue for you, sir--they're not worth repeating; no, he
war not mad dhrunk."

"Was he drunk? and mind, sir, you are on your oath--and there were
many others present there who will prove whether you answer this
question truly or falsely; was he drunk when he left the wedding
party?"

"'Deed then I don't know; you can ask thim as war there besides me."

"But I choose to ask you, and I choose that you should answer me; was
he drunk?"

"Don't I tell you that I don't know?"

"On your oath you don't know whether he was drunk or not?"

"He war screwed; divil a doubt of that; but thin, he could walk--I
wouldn't call him dhrunk."

"Wasn't he nearer being so than you'd seen him for many months?"

"Faix, he war. I didn't see him so bad since Leitrim fair, two years
back."

"And now you say, that at the wedding, the prisoner promised in a
day or two to meet the same boys at Mrs. Mulready's, to settle their
plans of ridding the country of Ussher?"

"Yes; about that and other things."

"And the prisoner never kept that appointment?"

"No, Mr. Thady niver went there."

"Did you ever say anything to him about not going there?"

"Oh, I did; we were discoursing about it."

"And what did you say to him on the subject?"

"Why, I towld him av he guv the boys a pr