more freely. Very soon there was no more need of
questioning, and Father Moran's share in the talk took the form of
comments interrupting a narrative.

Of Captain Albert Quinn he said:

'I've heard of him, and a nice kind of a boy he seems to have been. I
suppose he fought when he got there. He's just the sort that would be
splendid at the fighting. Well, God is good, and I suppose it's to
do the fighting for the rest of us that He makes the likes of Captain
Quinn. Did you hear that they wanted to make him a member of Parliament?
Well, they did. Nothing less would please them. But what good would
that be, when he couldn't set foot in the country for fear of being
arrested?'

Later on he was moved to laughter.

'To think of your going on the road with a bag full of blankets and
shawls! I never heard of such a thing, and all the grand notions your
head was full of! Why didn't you come my way? I'd have made Rafferty
give you an order. I'd have bought the makings of a frieze coat from you
myself--I would, indeed.'

Afterwards he became grave again.

'I won't let you say the hard word about the nuns, Mr. Conneally. Don't
do it, now. There's plenty of good convents up and down through the
country--more than ever you'll know of, being the black Protestant you
are. And the ones that ruined your business--supposing they did ruin
it, and I've only your word for that--what right have you to be blaming
them? They were trying to turn an honest penny by an honest trade, and
that's just what you and your friend Mr. Quinn were doing yourselves.'

Hyacinth, conscious of a failure in good taste, shifted his ground, only
to be interrupted again.

'Oh, you may abuse the Congested Districts Board to your heart's
content. I never could see what the Government made all the Boards for
unless it was to keep the people out of mischief. As long as there is
a Board of any kind about the country every blackguard will be so busy
throwing stones at it that he won't have time nor inclination left
to annoy decent people. And I'll say this for the Congested Districts
Board: they mean well. Indeed they do; not a doubt of it. There's one
good thing they did, anyway, if there isn't another, and that's when
they came to Carrowkeel and bought the big Curragh Farm that never
supported a Christian, but two herds and some bullocks ever since the
famine clearances. They fetched the people down off the mountains and
put them on it. Wasn't that a good th