on me with them Lynches than iver I knew before. What has
a lone woman like me, Father Pat, to do wid sthrangers like them? jist
to turn their backs on me when I ain't no furder use, and to be gitting
the hights of insolence and abuse, as I did from that blagguard Barry.
He'd betther keep his toe in his pump and go asy, or he'll wake to a
sore morning yet, some day."

Doctor Colligan, also, was in trouble from his connection with the
Lynches: not that he had any dissatisfaction at the recovery of his
patient, for he rejoiced at it, both on her account and his own. He had
strongly that feeling of self-applause, which must always be enjoyed by
a doctor who brings a patient safely through a dangerous illness. But
Barry's iniquitous proposal to him weighed heavy on his conscience. It
was now a week since it had been made, and he had spoken of it to no
one. He had thought much and frequently of what he ought to do; whether
he should publicly charge Lynch with the fact; whether he should tell
it confidentially to some friend whom he could trust; or whether--by
far the easiest alternative, he should keep it in his own bosom, and
avoid the man in future as he would an incarnation of the devil. It
preyed much upon his spirits, for he lived in fear of Barry Lynch--in
fear lest he should determine to have the first word, and, in his
own defence, accuse him (Colligan) of the very iniquity which he had
himself committed. Nothing, the doctor felt, would be too bad or too
false for Barry Lynch; nothing could be more damnable than the proposal
he had made; and yet it would be impossible to convict him, impossible
to punish him. He would, of course, deny the truth of the accusation,
and probably return the charge on his accuser. And yet Colligan felt
that he would be compromising the matter, if he did not mention it to
some one; and that he would outrage his own feelings if he did not
express his horror at the murder which he had been asked to commit.

For one week these feelings quite destroyed poor Colligan's peace
of mind; during the second, he determined to make a clean breast
of it; and, on the first day of the third week, after turning in
his mind twenty different people--Martin Kelly--young Daly--the
widow--the parish priest--the parish parson--the nearest stipendiary
magistrate--and a brother doctor in Tuam, he at last determined on
going to Lord Ballindine, as being both a magistrate and a friend of
the Kellys. Doctor Colliga