Page:Shiana - Peadar Ua Laoghaire.djvu/30

 16 No sooner had he thought that, than the poor man turned on his heel and faced them. There were two large tears falling from his eyes. He stretched out his two hands, wide open, so that Shiana could see his two palms, and they were both empty. When Shiana saw that, he gave a side look at the Black Man, but though he did, he took no notice of it. He did not pretend to have seen the poor man. When Shiana looked back again, the poor man was gone.

They went on. Neither of them spoke a word. One of the neighbours met them, and saluted Shiana.

"God and Mary with you, Shiana," said he.

"How early in the day you have come home from the town, and you alone too!"

"I hadn't much to do," said he, and he gave another side-look at the Black Man. The Black Man took no notice of him, and then Shiana understood that the neighbour had not seen him.

They went into the house. The chair was there near the fireplace, and it had not stirred since Shiana had left it in the morning. The malvogue was hanging there, just as he had seen it in the morning when he had taken the last handful of meal out of it. The Black Man looked at the chair and at the malvogue. Then he looked at Shiana.

"Move that," said he.

Shiana went over and put his hand on the back of the chair.

"Oh!" said he. "It has stuck!"

He put both hands on it. He failed to make it bend or turn.

"Good gracious!" said he. "It is as firm as the handle in a mallet!"