Page:Shiana - Peadar Ua Laoghaire.djvu/203

Rh Burke says that if you had only one laugh in you, you would give it out if you were to see the two eyes Cormac showed, and the wonder and amazement that came upon him, when he saw Sive on her knees before the King, and that mass of hair and beard in her hands, and her cloak behind her on the ground, and the man who went walking the fair with her, standing there above, a prisoner, and the man with the battle-axe standing behind him ready to split his head with the axe if he stirred.

"'Bailiff," said the King, 'who is that man?'

"'That, my King,' said Cormac, 'is the man who bought the horses at the Well Fair in Munster, and who paid the false money for them. There were four of them, and three of them were caught, but we failed to come up with this one. And I don't think there is a corner in this city, nor perhaps in all Ireland, in which there are not people this moment searching for him. Word must be sent out at once to tell them that he has been caught, and not to have poor men killing themselves any longer running after him where he is not to be found.'

"'One moment, bailiff,' said the King. 'I think you are under a slight mistake.'

"'Oh, no, my King,' said Cormac.

"'Yes,' said the King, 'I believe you are, because it is not on you the duty lies of keeping the sky and the ground asunder.'

"All the nobles laughed. Cormac looked round at them and his mouth opened, and his eyes grew round and sharp. He did not know what had made them laugh.

"Then the King called Sive to him, and he