Page:Shiana - Peadar Ua Laoghaire.djvu/84

70 house to finish the match. And what shall I do? What in the world shall I do? For all the gold in the universe I wouldn't wish Shiana to be married to that scourge of a woman. Oh, oh, oh! what shall I do at all? I thought my mother had sense, and now I am sure she hasn't an atom, to take such a match as that in hand. There is nothing for me to do but just one thing, to go away down this very minute, and break off this match before it is too late. The bold, barefaced, proud thing! Humph! 'Tis little wonder he has an aged, worn look! I don't know in all the world what hold they have got over him. Surely it isn't possible that he can have put himself under any bond or promise, and that they are now trying to get money out of him? We were all making game of Dermot that day that he went up. Perhaps he knew what he was about. 'There is not a ghost nor a pooka that does not know his own business himself.' And see now, Shiana did not say, 'I won't marry her,' but 'I have no notion of marrying.' Perhaps it may not come so easily to me to break off the match as I thought it would.And see too, here am I weighing and balancing, while, perhaps, the match is being finished by my mother. May she not be rewarded for her trouble! How very neighbourly she is!"

He was a field's length away from the house before he had finished that last reflection, as he ran straight down to Grey Dermot's house, getting over the ground as fast as his lame leg could go. It was not long till he arrived, panting, in front of Dermot's house.

Dermot was not at the door yet. It was too early in the day. Michael stood out opposite the door.