"That Obeah woman's playing on me," he exclaimed; "because my face is
black, she thinks me a fool. Furies! I neither know what she is, nor who
the other is. But I will know."

"Don't be too sure of that," replied Nell, gliding into the
apartment--"You can say little, blackey, or think little, avourneen,
that I'll not know. As to who she is, you needn't ax--she won't be long
troublin' you; an' in regard to myself, I'm what you see me. Arra, _dher
ma chuirp_, man alive, I could lave you in one night that a boy in his
first _breestha_ (small clothes) could bate the marrow out of you."

"Where did you come from now, granny?"

"From her room; she's sick--that was what prevented her from meetin'
Lamh Laudher."

"Granny, do you know who she is? I'm tired of her--sick of her."

"You know enough about her to satisfy you. Wasn't she a beautiful
creature when Lady S------ tuck her into the family, an' reared her till
she was fit to wait upon herself. Warn't you then sarvant to the ould
lord, an' didn't I make her marry you, something against her will, too;
but she did it to plase me. That was before 'buildin' churches' druv you
out of the family, an' made you take to the fightin' trade."

"Granny, you must bring this young fellow across me. Blood! woman, do
you know what he did? He knocked me down, granny--struck me senseless!
Fury of hell! Me! Only for attempting to kiss his sweetheart!"