ate down,
Fardorougha; but you know it's not our own stringth at any time that
we're to depend upon, but God's. I'm not willing to attempt anything
beyant my power at present. My seeing him now would do neither of us any
good, and might do me a great dale o' harm. I must see him, to be sure,
and I'll strive, plase God, to gather up a little strength for that."

"My heart's breakin', Honor, and I'm beginnin' to see that I've acted a
bad part to both of you all along. I feel it, indeed; and if it was the
will of God, I didn't care if--"

"Whisht, accushla, whisht--sich talk as that's not right. Think,
Fardorougha, whether you acted a bad part towards God or not, and never
heed us; an' think, too, dear, whether you acted a bad or a good part
towards the poor, an' them that was in distress and hardship, an' that
came to you for relief; they were your fellow-crathers, Fardorougha, at
all evints. Think of these things I'm sayin, and never heed us. You know
that Connor and I forgive you, but you arn't so sure whether God and
them will."

These observations of this estimable woman had the desired effect, which
was, as she afterwards said, to divert her husband's mind as much as
possible from the contemplation of Connor's fate, and to fix it upon
the consideration of those duties in which she knew his conscience, now
touched by calamity, would tell him he had been deficient.

Fardorougha was silent for some time after her last observations--but at
length he observed:

"Would it be possible, Honor, that all this was brought upon us in
ordher to punish me for--for--"

"To punish you, Fardorougha? Fareer gaih avourneen, arn't we all
punished? look at my worn face, and think of what ten days' sorrow can
do in a mother's heart--think, too, of the boy. Oh no, no--do you think
I've have nothin' to be punished for? But we have all one comfort,
Fardorougha, and that is, that God's ever and always willin' to re-save
us, when we turn to Him wid a true heart? Nobody, avillish, can forget
and forgive as He does."

"Honor, why didn't you oftener spake to me this a-way than you did?"

"I often did, dear, an' you may remember it; but you were then strong;
you had your wealth; everything flowed wid you, an' the same wealth--the
world's temptation--was strong in your heart; but God has taken it from
you I hope as a blessing--for, indeed, Fardorougha, I'm afeard if you
had it now, that neither he nor--but I won't say it, dear, for God see