d the Bishop, rather sternly, "to the questions we have
asked you."

"The quistions, your Lordship? It's proud an' happy we'd be to do what
you want; but the sarra man among us can do it, barin' we'd say what we
ought not to say. That's the thruth, my Lord; an' surely 'tisn't your
Gracious Reverence that 'ud want us to go beyant that?"

"Certainly not," replied the Bishop. "I warn you both against falsehood
and fraud; two charges which might frequently be brought against you in
your intercourse with the gentry of the country, whom you seldom scruple
to deceive and mislead, by gliding into a character, when speaking to
them, that is often the reverse of your real one; whilst at the same
time you are both honest and sincere to persons of your own class. Put
away this practice, for it is both sinful and discreditable."

"God bless your Lordship! an' many thanks to your Gracious Reverence
for advisin' us! Well we know that it's the blessed thing to folly your
words."

"Bring over that naked, starved-looking man, who is stirring the fire
under that pot," said the Hector. "He looks like Famine itself."

"Paddy Dunn! will you come over here to his honor, Paddy! He's goin'
to give you somethin," said Connor, adding of his own accord the last
clause of his message.

The tattered creature approached him with a gleam of expectation in his
eyes that appeared like insanity.

"God bless your honor for your goodness," exclaimed Paddy. "It's me
that's in it, sir!--Paddy Dunn, sir, sure enough; but, indeed, I'm the
next thing to my own ghost, sir, now God help me!"

"What, and for whom are you cooking?"

"Jist the smallest dhrop in life, sir, o' gruel, to keep the sowl in
that lonely crathur, sir, the poor scholar."

"Pray how long is it since you have eaten anything yourself?"

The tears burst from the eyes of the miserable creature as he replied--

"Before God in glory, your honor, an' in the presence of his Lordship
here, I only got about what 'ud make betther nor half a male widin the
last day, sir. 'Twas a weeshy grain o' male that I got from a friend;
an' as Ned Connor here tauld me that this crathur had nothin' to make
the gruel for him, why I shared it wid him, bekase he couldn't even beg
it, sir, if he wanted it, an' him not able to walk yit."

The worthy pastor's eyes glistened with a moisture that did him honor.
Without a word of observation, he slipped a crown into the hand of Dunn,
who looked at it as if he h