ally!" murmured Miss Limpenny. The keys of the decorous "Collard"
clashed as they had never clashed before. The guests, at first
shocked and startled, began to be carried away with the reckless
swing of the music. The Vicar stared for a moment, and then began
gradually to nod his head to the measure.

"You must sing the last line in chorus, please," said Mrs.
Goodwyn-Sandys from the piano--

"Wid a wink at the man in the moon!"

It was sung timidly at first. Nothing daunted, the performer plunged
into the next verse--

"Rest his sowl in the arms uv owld Nick!
For he's gone from the land uv the quick:
But he's still makin' luv
To the leddies above,
An' be jabbers! he'll tache 'em the thrick,
Avick,
Niver fear but he'll tache 'em the thrick!"

There was no doubt this time. By the spirit of her mad singing, by
some demon that rode upon her full and liquid voice, the whole
company seemed possessed. Miss Limpenny looked furtively towards the
Vicar. He was actually joining in the chorus! And what a chorus!
She put her mittened palms to her ears, such a shout it was that went
up.

"'Tis by Tim the dear saints'll set sthore,
And 'ull thrate him to whiskey galore;
For they've only to sip
But the tip uv his lip,
An' bedad! they'll be askin' for more,
Asthore,
By the powers! they'll be shoutin' 'Ancore'!"

It was no longer an assembly of dull and decent citizens: it was a
room full of lunatics yelling the burden of this frantic Irish song.
Laughingly, Mrs. Goodwyn-Sandys rested her finger on the keys and
looked around. These stolid Trojans had caught fire. There was the
little Doctor purple all above his stock; there was the Vicar with
inflated cheeks and a hag-ridden stare; there was Mr. Moggridge
snapping his fingers and almost capering; there was Miss Limpenny
with her under-jaw dropped and her eyes agape. They were charmed,
bewitched, crazy.

Mrs. Goodwyn-Sandys saw this, and broke into a silvery laugh.
The infection spread. In an instant the whole room burst into a
peal, a roar. They laughed until the tears ran down their cheeks;
they held their sides and laughed again. She had them at her will.

There was no more wonder after this. At supper the talk was furious
and incessant; Miss Lavinia spoke of a "tipsy-cake," and never
blushed; the Vicar took wine with everybody, a