Page:Shiana - Peadar Ua Laoghaire.djvu/57

Rh quite idle. There was no fear of his ever refusing any one of them, and there was many a poor shoemaker with a large family, who would have often been without food for his children or a pig at his door, but for Shiana.

When he was going to Mass on a Sunday or holy day, or when he was going to a fair or market to sell shoes, there was many a man that would come to him on the road and call him aside, saying, "Will you excuse me, Shiana—I would have those two pounds for you, but that I failed to sell the pig." Or, "Indeed, Shiana, I am ashamed to come to talk to you, when I haven't a halfpenny of your money yet for you; but my son was taken ill, and he was twenty-one days in bed before the crisis came, and I had to keep two nurses taking care of him all that time."

It was so with them all, each making his own poor mouth, and Shiana had no answer for them but "Never mind," or "It doesn't matter a pin," or "Take your time"—and I promise you that they did take it.

There was just one man to whom Shiana gave a refusal. And indeed the way he came was in a suit of broadcloth, and he was broad and strong and healthy, and fine and rosy and fat, and his hands were beautifully soft and white and supple, without a sign of work or craft upon them. And here is how he spoke:

"Indeed, Shiana," said he, "I feel annoyed and humiliated that such a thing should overtake me alive as that I should have to come to you to ask a loan of money. But a hundred pounds would be a great convenience to me now, and from what I hear, it will be no great trouble to you to give it to me.