Page 163 - The snake's pass

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A VISIT TO JOYCE. 151
" Well, why on earth, Andy, do you come so often ?
Surely there is no need to come, unless you like it."
" Faix! I came this time lest yer 'an'r might feel lonely.
I niver see a man yit be himself on top iv a hill that
he didn't want a companion—iv some kind or another."
" Andy," I remarked, as I thought, rather cuttingly,
"you judge life and men too much by your own
experience. There are people and emotions which are
quite out of your scope—far too high, or perhaps too low,
for your psychic or intellectual grasp."
Andy was quite unabashed. He looked at me ad-
miringly.
" It's a pity yer 'an'r isn't a mimber iv Parlyment.
Shure, wid a flow iv language like that, ye could do
anythin' !
As satire was no use I thought I would draw him
out on the subject of the fairies and pixies.
" I suppose you were looking for more fairies ; the
supply you had this morning was hardly enough to suit
"
you, was it ?
"Begor, it's meself is not the only wan that does be
lukin' for the fairies ! " and he grinned.
"Well, I must say, Andy, you seem to have a good
supply on hand. Indeed, it seems to me that if there
were any more fairies to be located on this hill it would
have to be enlarged, for it's pretty solid with them al-
ready, so far as I can gather."
"Augh! there's room for wan more! I'm tould there's
wan missin' since ere yistherday."