d little trouble in perceiving that something
extraordinary had disturbed her. He then glanced at Nelly, who, as
usual, sat gloomily by the fire, knitting her brows and groaning with
suppressed ill-temper as she had been in the habit of doing, ever since
she suspected that Donnel had made a certain disclosure, connecting with
her, to Sarah.

"Well," said he, "has there been another battle? have you been _ding
dust_ at it as usual? What's wrong, Sally? eh? Did it go to blows wid
you, for you looked raised?"

"You're all out of it," replied Nelly; "her blood's up, now, an' I'm not
prepared for a sudden death. She's dangerous this minute, an' I'll take
care of her. Blessed man, look at her eyes."

She repeated these words with that kind of low, dogged ridicule and
scorn which so frequently accompany stupid and wanton brutality; and
which are, besides, provoking, almost beyond endurance, when the mind is
chafed by a consideration of an exciting nature.

Sarah flew like lightning to the old knife, which we have already
mentioned, and, snatching it from the shelf of the dresser, on which it
lay, exclaimed:

"I have now no earthly thought, nor any hope of good in this world,
to keep my hand from evil; an' for all ever you made me suffer, take
this--"

Her father had not yet sat down, and it was, indeed, well that he had
not--for it required all his activity and strength united, to intercept
the meditated blow, by seizing his daughter's arm.'

"Sarah," said he, "what is this? are you mad, you murdhering jade, to
attempt the vagabond's life? for she is a vagabond, and an ill-tongued
vagabond. Why do you provoke the girl by sich language, you
double-distilled ould sthrap? you do nothin' but growl an' snarl, an'
curse, an' pray--ay, pray, from mornin' to night, in sich a way, that
the very devil himself could not bear you, or live wid you. Begone out
o' this, or I'll let her at you, an' I'll engage she'll give you what'll
settle you."

Nelly rose, and putting on her cloak went out.

"I'm goin'," she replied, looking at, and addressing the Prophet; "an'
plaise God, before long I'll have the best wish o' my heart fulfilled,
by seein' you hanged; but, until then, may my curse, an' the curse o'
God light on you and pursue you. I know you have tould her everything,
or she wouldn't act towards me as she has done of late."

Sarah stood like the Pythoness, in a kind of savage beauty, with the
knife firmly grasped in her hand.