Barry looked at his watch: it was near eight o'clock, but he seemed to
feel that all he had drank had had no effect on him: it had not given
him the usual pluck; it had not given him the feeling of reckless
assurance, which he mistook for courage and capacity.

"If you've a mind to be a tenant of mine, Colligan, I'll keep a look
out for you. The land's crowded now, but there's a lot of them cottier
[42] devils I mean to send to the right about. They do the estate no
good, and I hate the sight of them. But you know how the property's
placed, and while Anty's in this wretched state, of course I can do
nothing."

[FOOTNOTE 42: cottier--an Irish tenant renting land directly from
the owner, with the price determined by bidding]

"Will you bear it in mind though, Lynch? When a bit of land does fall
into your hands, I should be glad to be your tenant. I'm quite in
earnest, and should take it as a great favour."

"I'll not forget it;" and then he remained silent for a minute. What an
opportunity this was for him to lose! Colligan so evidently wished to
be bribed--so clearly showed what the price was which was to purchase
him. But still he could not ask the fatal question.

Again he sat silent for a while, till he looked at his watch, and found
it was a quarter past eight. "Never fear," he said, referring to the
farm; "you shall have it, and it shall not be the worst land on the
estate that I'll give you, you may be sure; for, upon my soul, I have a
great regard for you; I have indeed."