Pasthorini before he was the bulk o' my fist?" His brothers and sisters
now adopted with enthusiasm the terms of respect which he had prescribed
for them through his father; he was Sirred and Misthered, and all but
Reverenced, with a glow of affectionate triumph which they strove not
to conceal. He was also overwhelmed with compliments of all hues
and complexions: one reminded him of the victory he obtained over a
hedge-schoolmaster who came one Sunday a distance of fifteen miles to
sack him in English Grammar on the chapel-green; but as the man was no
classical scholar, "Sure," observed his neighbor, "I remember well that
he couldn't get a word out of Misther Denis's head there but Latin; so
that the poor crathur, afther travellin' fifteen long miles, had to go
home agin, the show o' the world, widout undherstandin' a sintence
of the larnin' that was put an him; an' so here's wishin' you health,
Misther Dinis, agra, an' no fear in life but you'll be the jewel at the
prachin,' sir, plase Goodness!"

Another reminded him of "how often he proved Phaidrick Murray to be an
ass, and showed him how he couldn't make out the differ atween black an'
white."

"Sure, an' he did," said Phadrick, scratching his head, for he was
one of the first at the house; "an' no wondher, wid his long-headed
screwtations from the books. Throth, his own father was the best match,
barrin' Father Lawdher that was broke of his bread, he ever met wid,
till he got too many for him by the Latin an' Greek."

This allusion to old Denis occasioned his absence to be noticed.

"Can nobody tell where Denis More is?" said the wife; "my gracious, but
it's quare he should be from about the place this day, any way. Brian,