162
SHIANA
at his doing it. I'd rather throw it into the fire than give it to him, after his doing his little bit of deceit so shrewdly. Small as the knife was, perhaps, if he had succeeded, the suspicion of it might have fallen on some one else, and then see what a nice piece of work he would have done.
Peg.—You are right there, Kate. "The effect of a wrong act extends very far."
Abbie.—Well now, Peg, go on with the story. These people would keep you there till to-morrow morning talking and arguing and disputing and discussing.
Nora.—Indeed, Abbie, you were not without your share of the discussion; you did not let it go with them altogether.
Peg.—Cormac went off again, "without taking the road-dust off his shoes," as he said. When he had gone off, Shiana went back again into the room where the sick man was.
"What a long time you have been about coming!" said Dermot. "It's the match from November till May you have made of it. Half the country would have been married while you have been at it. Where is she now? She was there just a moment ago. 'A wife is better than a fortune.' A quiet, sensible girl, if you don't make her angry. Oh! fie! don't strike! confound you, don't strike! Look at that!"
"Is there any money in the house?" said Shiana to the nurse.
"Not a brown halfpenny," said she.
"Here," said he, "I got some leather from him a few days ago. It is as well for me to pay for it now," and he handed her some money.
