all on mesilf. 'It's this
to pass the time av day to a panjandhrum of hell-cats,' sez I. 'What
I've said an' what I've not said do not matther. Judy an' her dam will
hould me for a promust man, an' Dinah will give me the go, an' I
desarve ut. I will go an' get dhrunk,' sez I, 'an' forgit about ut,
for 'tis plain I'm not a marryin' man.'

"On me way to canteen I ran against Lascelles, color-sergint that was
av E Comp'ny--a hard, hard man, wid a tormint av a wife. 'You've the
head av a drowned man on your shoulders,' sez he, 'an' you're goin'
where you'll get a worse wan. Come back,' sez he. 'Let me go,' sez I.
'I've thrown me luck over the wall wid me own hand.' 'Then that's not
the way to get ut back,' sez he. 'Have out wid your throuble, ye
fool-bhoy.' An' I tould him how the matther was.

"He sucked his lower lip. 'You've been thrapped,' sez he. 'Ju Sheehy
wud be the betther for a man's name to hers as soon as she can. An' ye
thought ye'd put the comether on her. That's the naturil vanity av the
baste. Terence, you're a big born fool, but you're not bad enough to
marry into that comp'ny. If you said anythin', an' for all your
protestations I'm sure you did--or did not, which is worse--eat ut all.
Lie like the father av all lies, but come out av ut free av Judy. Do I
not know what ut is to marry a woman that was the very spit av Judy
when she was young? I'm gettin' ould, an' I've larnt patience; but
you, Terence, you'd raise hand on Judy an' kill her in a year. Never
mind if Dinah gives you the go; you've desarved ut. Never mind if the
whole reg'mint laughs at you all day. Get shut av Judy an' her mother.
They can't dhrag you to church, but if they do, they'll dhrag you to
hell. Go back to your quarthers an' lie down,' sez he. Thin, over his
shoulder, 'You must ha' done with thim.'

"Nixt day I wint to see Dinah; but there was no tucker in me as I
walked. I knew the throuble wud come soon enough widout any handlin'
av mine, an' I dreaded ut sore.

"I heard Judy callin' me, but I hild straight on to the Shadds'
quarthers, an' Dinah wud ha' kissed me, but I hild her back.

"'Whin all's said, darlin',' sez I, 'you can give ut me if you will,
tho' I misdoubt 'twill be so easy to come by thin.'

"I had scarce begun to put the explanation into shape before Judy an'
her mother came to the door. I think there was a veranda, but I'm
forgettin'.

"'Will ye not step in?' sez Dinah, pretty and poli