he knows, it's chiefly along of them as makes me do it; but – oh laws! Miss, it's a dreadful thing to come over one all at once. But it's a great comfort anyway your letting Biddy come down to ready the mutton and pratees, and things; and so, Miss, as I've so much to do, you'll excuse my waiting any longer; and you and Mr. Thady and the Captain, – for I'm thinking the Masther won't be coming, – 'll not be down later than sivin, for Father John's to be in it at sivin exact."
"And who's to get the kiss, Mary?"
"Oh, Miss!"
"The Captain says he'll have a try for it anyway."
"Oh that'd be too much honor intirely, Miss. But av here isn't Father John coming up the avenue!"
And Mary hurried off into the realms under ground to secure the willing assistance of Biddy, and Father John's ponderous foot up the hall steps gave Feemy anything but a pleasant sensation. She was very fond of Father John too, but somehow, just at present she did not feel quite pleased to see him.
The doors were all open, and Father John walked into Feemy's boudoir. However, he was only Father John, and it wasn't her dress therefore that annoyed her; any dress would do for a priest.
After the common greetings were over, and Father John had asked after the family, and Feemy had surmised that it was either her father or her brother that he wished to see, the priest began his task.
"No, Feemy, my dear, it's not your father or your brother I want to see this turn, but just your own self." And Father John sat himself down by the fire. "I'm come just to have a little chat with you, and you musn't be angry with me for meddling with what, perhaps, you'll say was no business of mine."
This exordium made Feemy's heart palpitate, for she knew it must be about Captain Ussher, but she only said.
"Oh! no, Father John, I won't be angry with you."
"That's my darling, for you know it's only out of love for you and Thady that I'm speaking, and a real friend to you can't do you any harm, if after all you shouldn't take his advice."
"Oh! no, Father John, and I'm sure I'm very much obliged to you."
Father John himself hardly knew how to take the sting from the rebuke, which he was aware his mission could not but convey; and he was no less aware, that unless the dose had a little sugar in it, at any rate to hide its unprepossessing appearance even if it did not render it palatable, his patient would never take it.
"Thady, you know, was dining with me yesterday, and we were talking over Ballycloran and old Flannelly's money matters; and I was, you see, just making a bad tenant's excuses to him, and so on from one thing to another, till we got talking about you, Feemy; – in short, he didn't seem quite happy about you."
"I don't know I ever did anything to make him unhappy."
"No, it wasn't anything you had done to make him unhappy, but he is afraid you ain't happy in yourself; and Feemy, my dear, you should always remember, that though Thady is rough in his manners, and perhaps not at all times so gentle in his words as he should be, his heart is in the right place, – at any rate where you are concerned. Though maybe he doesn't say so as often as others might, he's a very fond brother to you."
"And I'm sure I'm always very fond of him – but then he's so queer; but, Father John, if I've offended Thady, I'll beg his pardon, for I'm sure I don't want to be out with him."
"I'm sure you don't, Feemy; but that's not exactly it either. Thady's not the least in life offended with you; he's not at all easy to take offence, at least not with you; but he doesn't think you are just at ease with yourself; and to come to the truth at once, he was telling me what passed between you yesterday."
Feemy blushed up to her paper curls, but she said nothing.
"Now, I'm thinking Thady didn't go about saying what he wanted to say yesterday, quite the way he should have done, and I am not sure I shall do it any better myself. But I thought it as well to step up, as I was certain you'd hear whatever your priest had to say to you."
"I don't think the better of Thady, though, for going and talking about me. If he'd only let me alone by myself I'd do well enough; it's all that talking does the harm, Father John."
Father John didn't exactly like to tell Feemy that girls in her situation were just the people that ought not to be left alone by themselves, – which probably means being left alone with some one of their own choosing; and that he was of opinion that she would not do very well if left alone in that way. That, however, was what he wished to convey to her.
"Oh, but, my dear, you must think better of Thady for wishing to protect you as well as he can, and you left alone so much yourself here. So you know," – and Father John even blushed a little as he said it, – "it's about this fine lover of yours we are speaking. Now, my dear, I've nothing whatever to say against Captain Ussher, for you know he and I are great cronies; indeed, it's only last night he was taking his punch with your brother and Cullen down at the cottage – "
"You weren't saying anything to Captain Ussher about me, Father John?"
"You may take your oath of that, my dear. I respect a lady's secret a great deal too much for that. No; I was only saying that he was down at the cottage last night, to prove that he and I are friends, and it's not out of any prejudice I'm speaking – about his being a Protestant, and all that; not but that I'd sooner be marrying you to a good Catholic, Feemy – but that's neither here nor there. But you've known him now a long time; it's now four months since we all heard for certain it was to be a match; and, to tell you the truth, my dear, people are saying that Captain Ussher doesn't mean anything serious."
"I think they'll dhrive me mad with their talk! And what good will it do for you and Thady to be coming telling me what they say?"
"This good, Feemy; if what they say is false and unfounded, as I am sure I hope it is, – and if you're so fond of Captain Ussher, – don't you think it would be as well to put an end to the report by telling your father and brother of your being engaged, and settling something about your marriage, and all that?"
"I did tell my brother I was engaged, Father John; what would you have?"
"I'll tell you what I'd have. I'd have Captain Ussher ask your father or brother's consent: there's no doubt, we all know, but he'd get it; but it's customary, and, in my mind, it would only be decent."
"So he will, I dare say; but mayn't there be rasons why he don't wish to have it talked about yet?"
"Then, Feemy, in your situation, do you think a long clandestine engagement is quite the thing for you; is quite prudent?"
"And how can it be clandestine, Father John, when you and Thady, and every one else almost, knows all about it?"
Feemy's sharpness was too much for Father John, so he had to put it on another tack.
"Well, Feemy, now just look at the matter this way, one moment: supposing now – only just for supposition – this lover of yours was not the sort of man we all take him to be, and that he was to turn out false, or inconstant; suppose now it turned out he had another wife somewhere else – "
"Oh, that's nonsense, you know, Father John."
"Yes, but just supposing it, – or that he took some vagary into his head, and changed his mind! You must have heard of men doing such things, and why shouldn't your lover as well as another girl's? We're all likely to be deceived in people, and why mayn't we be as well deceived in Captain Ussher, as others have been in those they loved as well? We'll all hope, and think, and believe it's not so; but isn't it as well to be on the safe side, particularly in so important a thing as your happiness, Feemy? You wouldn't like it to be said through the country that you'd been jilted by the handsome captain, and that you'd been thrown off by your lover as soon as he was tired of you?"
"And that's thrue for you, Father John; but Myles isn't tired of me, else why should he be coming up here to see me oftener than ever?"
"But it's that he never may be tired of you, Feemy; take my word for it, he'll respect you a great deal more if you'll show more respect to yourself."
"Well, Father John, and what is it you'd have me be doing?"
"Why,