e does, he knows
what's afore him--not sayin' that he ever will, I hope, for it's a woful
case whin it comes to that, ahagur."

"Faix, it's a happy story for half the poor wives of the parish that
you're in it," said Peggy, "sure, only fore----"

"_Be dhe huath Vread, agus glak sho_--hould your tongue, Peggy, and
taste this," said the mother of her mistress, handing her a glass: "If
you intend to go together, in the name o' goodness fear God more than
the midwife, if you want to have luck an' grace."

"Oh, is it all this?" exclaimed the sly girl; "faix, it 'ill make
me hearty if I dhrink so much--bedeed it will. Well, misthress, your
health, an' a speedy uprise to you--an' the same to the masther, not
forgettin' the sthranger--long life an' good health to him."

She then put the glass to her lips, and after several small sips,
appearing to be so many unsuccessful attempts at overcoming her
reluctance to drink it, she at length took courage, and bolting it down,
immediately applied her apron to her mouth, making at the same time two
or three wry faces, gasping, as if to recover the breath which it did
not take from her.

The midwife, in the mean time, felt that the advice just given to Nogher
and Peggy contained a clause somewhat more detrimental to her importance
than was altogether agreeable to her; and to sit calmly under any
imputation that involved a diminution of her authority, was not within
the code of her practice.

"If they go together," she observed, "it's right to fear God, no doubt;
but that's no raison why they shouldn't pay respect to thim that can
sarve thim or otherwise."

"Nobody says aginst that, Mrs. Moan," replied the other; "it's all fair,
an' nothin' else."

"A midwife's nuttin' in your eyes, we suppose," rejoined Mrs. Moan; "but
maybe's there's thim belongin' to you could tell to the contrary."

"Oblaged to you, we suppose, for your sarvices--an' we're not denyin'
that, aither."

"For me sarvices--maybe thim same sarvices wasn't very sweet or
treaclesome to some o' thim," she rejoined, with a mysterious and
somewhat indignant toss of the head.

"Well, well," said the other in a friendly tone, "that makes no maxims
one way or the other, only dhrink this--sure we're not goin' to quarrel
about it, any how."

"God forbid, Honora More! but sure it ud ill become me to hear my own
corree--no, no, avourneen," she exclaimed, putting hack the glass; "I
can't take it this--a--way; it doesn't