* * * * *

A few days later we had a long chat over many things, I and my curate.

When he was going he said:--

"That was a real jolly evening, Father Dan! I never enjoyed anything so
much!"

"Yes," I said, "and you had a splendid audience for that noble song!"

"Yes, indeed; they were very kind."

"Oh, I don't mean _in foro interno_," I said, "but _in foro externo_.
There was a good crowd outside the window!"

"My God!" he cried, quite shocked. "What a scandal!"

"Not a bit of it," I said; "you've gone up a hundred per cent in the
estimation of the villagers. There was a real fight for the window-sill.
But your friend, Jem Deady, captured it."

He looked dreadfully annoyed.

"Jem says that he kept awake all night trying to remember the notes; and
if you'd give him the words of the song and whistle it--"

"What!" said Father Letheby, like a pistol-shot.

"And if you'd give him two or three audiences--I suppose he means
rehearsals on the piano--he is quite sure--"

! !! !!!

Dear me! how some people despise popularity!

CHAPTER XVIII

THE KAMPANER THAL

Events are thickening around me these winter days; and much oftener than
in past years am I compelled to lay aside my pet authors, when my lamp
is lighted, and my fire is sparkling merrily, whilst the earth is waking
up from its winter's sleep, and stretching out its hands in the feeble
lengthening of the evenings towards the approaching spring. This evening
I had an unexpected visitor,--no less a person than Reginald Ormsby, the
betrothed of Bittra. He came in modestly and apologetically, with all
that gentlemanly deference that is so characteristic of the British
officer. He made a nice little speech, explaining his reasons for
visiting me so late, and mildly deprecating the anger of such a
potentate as the parish priest of Kilronan. I had pulled the bell in the
mean time, and Hannah had brought in the "materials"; and in reply to
his pretty eloquence, I merely pushed the decanter towards him, and
said:--

"Go ahead!"

He filled his wine-glass with a firm hand, until the blessed liquor made
an arc of a circle on the summit; then tilted it over into the tumbler,
without spilling a drop, then filled the tumbler to the top with hot
water, and I said in my own mind, "He'll do."

"Of course," I said, after this little ceremony had been proceeded with,
"you smoke?"

"I shouldn't vent