se. Av you like to go out of this during the
day, don't go further than the kiln; an' av you lie there, you could
easily see them miles afore they war nigh you, even av anything
should put it into their heads to think of coming afther you to
Aughacashel."

The two guides then took their leave of him, and Thady laid himself
down on Meg's bed, and, after a time, from sheer fatigue and
exhaustion, he fell asleep.

CHAPTER XXIII.

AUGHACASHEL.

At what hour he woke Thady did not know, but it was broad day,
and the sun was high in the heavens; he would have slept again if
he could, that he might again forget the dreadful deed which had
made the last night so horrible, but he could not; he was obliged
therefore to get up, and when he did so he felt himself weak for want
of food. Meg it appears had gone out. The old man could not speak a
word of English; but Thady could talk Irish, and he had no difficulty
in getting plenty of potatoes from him, and as he was eating them the
old man pulled out the jar of whiskey. Thady took part of another
cup full, and then felt less sad than he had done before. After his
breakfast he sat for a long time over the fire, smoked his pipe till
he had no tobacco left in it, got up and sat down again, walked to
the door and then again returned to his seat. At last he became
dreadfully fatigued; he felt all the misery which a man, usually
active, always feels when condemned for a time to idleness; he sat
watching the turf, as though he could employ his mind, or interest
himself in observing the different forms which the sods took, or
how soon they would reduce themselves to ashes; then he counted the
smutty rafters on which the crazy roof was supported, and then the
different scraughs of which it was composed; he next endeavoured
to think how the old man got through the tedium of his miserable
existence. There he sat on the bed, quite imperturbable; he had not
spoken ten words since Thady had got up, and seemed quite satisfied
in sitting there enjoying the warmth of the fire, and having nothing
to do. How Thady envied his quiescence! Then he began to reflect what
had been this man's life; had he always been content to sit thus
tranquil, and find his comfort in idleness? At last he got almost
alarmed at this old man; why did not he speak to him? why did he
sit there so quiet, doing nothing--saying nothing--looking at
nothing--and apparently thinking of nothing? it was as sitting with a