g the erection of a new chapel on a site given to Father
Roche by Mr Hartley. The priest, who knew that the other had recently
avoided him, felt considerably surprised at seeing the bailiff approach
him of his own free will.

"Well," said he, in a voice which contained equal parts of irony and
anger, "what do you want with me, Mr. Protestant? Ah, what a blessed
Protestant you are! and what a hawl they made when they caught you! What
do you want, you shuffling scoundrel?"

"Troth, the grace o' God, I fear," replied Darby, humbly.

"And what brings you to me then? I mean, sirra, what's your business
now?"

"Why, sir, devil a one o' me but's come jack to the ould creed. Troth,
your Reverence, the impressions you made on me the day we had the great
argument, was, wondherful. Be my sowl, it's yourself that can send
home the whi--word, your Rev-a-ence, in a way that it won't aisly be
forgotten. How-an-iver, sure hell resave the wie o me, but threwn back
his dirty religion to Lucre--an' left him an' it--although he offered,
if I'd remain wid them, to put Johnny Short out, and make me full
gaoler. My Lord,' says I, 'thruth's best. I've heard both sides o'
the argument from you and Father M'Cabe; an' be me sowl, if you were
a bishop ten times over, you couldn't hould a candle to him at arguin'
Scripture; neither are you the mild and forgiving Christian that he is.
Sure I know your church well,' says I up to him. 'It's a fat church, no
doubt; an' I'll tell you what's in it.'"

"'What's that, you backslidin' vagabone?'" says he.

"'Why, then, plenty of mait,' says I, 'but no salvation;' an' salvation
to me, your Reverence, but he got black over the whole face and shullers
wid rank passion. But sure--would your Reverence come a little more this
way; I think the men's listenin' to us--but sure," continued Darby, in a
low, wheedling, confidential, and friendly voice, "sure, sir, he wanted
me to prosecute you for the religious instruction--for trath it was
nothing else, glory be to God--that you gave me the day of the argument;
an'---now listen, your Reverence--he offered me a bribe if I'd do it."

"What bribe!"

"Why, sir, he put his hand, under his apron--sure he has a black silk
apron on him now, jist for all the world like a big man cook, dressed
out in murnin'--he put his hand undher his apron, and wid a hitch got it
into his breeches pocket--'here's a fifty pound note for you,' says he,
'if you'll prosecute that wild pr