Page 145 - The snake's pass

VANISHED. 133
Doesn't lie slipake to the quality like himself, an' no
"
wan thinks any harrum iv ayther iv them ?
Andy's simple, honest argument made me feel ashamed
of the finer sophistries belonging to the more artificial
existence of those of my own station.
" Sure, yer 'an'r, there isn't a bhoy in Connaught that
wouldn't like to be shpoke of wid Miss Norah. She's
that good, that even the nuns in Galway, where she
was at school, loves her and thrates her like wan iv
themselves, for all she's a Protestan'."
" My dear Andy," said I, " don't you think you're
a little hard on me? You're putting me in the dock,
and trying me for a series of offences that I never even
thought of committing with regard to her or any one
else. Miss Norah may be an angel in petticoats, and
I'm quite prepared to take it for granted that she is
so — your word on the subject is quite enough for me.
But just please to remember that I never set eyes on
her in my life. The only time I was ever in her pre-
sence was when you were by yourself, and it was so
dark that I could not see her, to help her when
she fainted. Why, in the name of common sense, you
should keep holding her up to me, I do not under-
stand."
" But yer 'an'r said that it might do her harrum
even to mintion her wid you."
" Oh, well, Andy, I give it up—it's no use trying to
explain. Either you won't understand, or I am unable
to express myself properly."