There were some words the effect of which were almost hypnotic on
him--The Isle of the Blest, The Little Dark Rose, The Poor Old Woman
and Caitlin the Daughter of Holohan. The mere repetition of these
phrases lifted him to an ecstasy; they had hidden, magical meanings
which pricked deeply to his heartstrings and thrilled him to a
tempest of pity and love. He yearned to do deeds of valor, violent,
grandiose feats which would redound to her credit and make the name of
Irishmen synonymous with either greatness or singularity: for, as yet,
the distinction between these words was no more clear to him than it
is to any other young man who reads violence as heroism and
eccentricity as genius. Of England he spoke with something like
stupefaction--as a child cowering in a dark wood tells of the ogre who
has slain his father and carried his mother away to a drear captivity
in his castle built of bones--so he spoke of England. He saw an
English-man stalking hideously forward with a princess tucked under
each arm, while their brothers and their knights were netted in
enchantment and slept heedless of the wrongs done to their ladies and
of the defacement of their shields.... "Alas, alas and alas, for the
once-proud people of Banba!"

XXX

Mrs. Makebelieve was astonished when the policeman knocked at her
door. A knock at her door was a rare sound, for many years had gone by
since any one had come to visit her. Of late Mrs. Cafferty often came
to talk to her, but she never knocked: she usually shouted, "Can I
come in?" and then she came in. But this was a ceremonious knock which
startled her, and the spectacle of the great man bending through the
doorway almost stopped her breath. Mary also was so shocked into
terror that she stood still, forgetful of all good manners, and stared
at the visitor open-eyed. She knew and did not know what he had come
for; but that, in some way, his appearance related to her she was
instantly assured, although she could not even dimly guess at a
closer explanation of his visit. His eyes stayed on her for an instant
and then passed to her mother, and, following her rather tremulous
invitation, he came into the room. There was no chair to sit on, so
Mrs. Makebelieve requested him to sit down on the bed, which he did.
She fancied he had come on some errand from Mrs. O'Connor, and was
inclined to be angry at a visit which she construed as an intrusion,
so, when he was seated, she waited to hear wha