Tales and Novels Volume VIII Part 31

_Clerk._ I shall, sir. [_Exit clerk._

_Catty._ We'll see--we'll see all soon--and the truth will come out, and shame the _dibbil_ and the McBrides!

_Randal._ (_looking out_) The man I bet, as I'm a sinner!

_Catty._ What?--Which?--Where?--True for ye!--I was wondering I did not see the man you bet appear again ye: and this is he, with the head bound up in the garter, coming--miserable cratur he looks--who would he be?

_Randal._ You'll see all soon, mother.

_Enter PAT c.o.xE, his head bound up._

_Mr. Carv._ Come on--walk on boldly, friend.

_Catty._ Pat c.o.xe! saints above!

_Mr. Carv._ Take courage, you are under my protection here--no one will dare to touch you.

_Randal_ (_with infinite contempt_) Touch ye! Not I, ye dirty dog!

_Mr. Carv._ No, sir, you have done enough that way already, it appears.

_Honor._ Randal! what, has Randal done this?

_Mr. Carv._ Now observe--this Mr. Patrick c.o.xe, aforesaid, has taken refuge with me; for he is, it seems, afraid to appear before his master, Mr. O'Blaney, this night, after having been beaten: though, as he a.s.sures me, he has been beaten without any provocation whatsoever, by you, Mr. Randal Rooney--answer, sir, to this matter.

_Randal._ I don't deny it, sir--I bet him, 'tis true.

_Pat._ To a jelly--without marcy--he did, plase your honour, sir.

_Randal._ Sir, plase your honour, I got rason to suspect this man to be the author of all them lies that was tould backwards and forwards to my mother, about me and Miss Honor McBride, which made my mother mad, and driv' her to raise the riot, plase your honour. I charged Pat with the lies, and he s.h.i.+rked, and could give me no satisfaction, but kept swearing he was no liar, and bid me keep my distance, for he'd a pocket pistol about him. "I don't care what you have about you--you have not the truth about ye, nor in ye," says I; "ye are a liar, Pat c.o.xe,"

says I: so he c.o.c.ked the pistol at me, saying, _that_ would prove me a coward--with that I wrenched the pistol from him, and _bet_ him in a big pa.s.sion. I own to that, plase your honour--there I own I was wrong (_turning to HONOR_), to demane myself lifting my hand any way.

_Mr. Carv._ But it is not yet proved that this man has told any lies.

_Randal._ If he has tould no lies, I wronged him. Speak, mother--(_c.o.xE gets behind CATTY, and twitches her gown_), was it he who was the informer, or not?

_Catty._ Nay, Pat c.o.xe, if you lied, I'll not screen you; but if you tould the truth, stand out like a man, and stand to it, and I'll stand by you, against my own son even, Randal, if he was the author of the report. In plain words, then, he, Pat c.o.xe, tould me, that she, Honor McBride, gave you, Randal Rooney, the meeting behind the chapel, and you gave her the ring--and then she went with you to drink at Flaherty's.

_Honor._ (_starting up_) Oh! who _could_ say the like of me?

_Catty._ There he stands--now, Pat, you must stand or fall--will you swear to what you said? (_Old McBRIDE and PHIL approach PAT._)

_Mr. Carv._ This is not the point before me; but, however, I waive that objection.

_Randal._ Oh! mother, don't put him to his oath, lest he'd perjure himself.

_Pat._ I'll swear: do you think I'd be making a liar of myself?

_Honor._ Father--Phil dear--hear me one word!

_Randal._ Hear her--oh! hear her--go to her.

_Honor._ (_in a low voice_) Would you ask at what time it was he pretends I was taking the ring and all that?

_Old McB._ Plase your honour, would you ask the rascal what time?

_Mr. Carv._ Don't call him rascal, sir--no _rascals_ in my presence.

What time did you see Honor McBride behind the chapel, Pat c.o.xe?

_Pat._ As the clock struck twelve--I mind--by the same token the workmen's bell rang as usual! that same time, just as I seen Mr. Randal there putting the ring on her finger, and I said, "_There's the bell ringing for a wedding_," says I.

_Mr. Carv._ To whom did you say that, sir?

_Pat._ To myself, plase your honour--I'll tell you the truth.

_Honor._ Truth! That time the clock struck twelve and the bell rang, I was happily here in this house, sir.

_Honor._ If I might take the liberty to call one could do me justice.

_Mr. Carv._ No liberty in justice--speak out.

_Honor._ If I might trouble Mrs. Carver herself?

_Mr. Carv._ Mrs. Carver will think it no trouble (_rising with dignity_) to do justice, for she has been the wife to one of his majesty's justices of the peace for many years.

[_Sends a servant for Mrs. CARVER._

_Mr. Carv._ Mrs. Carver, my dear, I must summon you to appear in open court, at the suit or prayer of Honor McBride.

_Enter Mrs. CARVER, who is followed by Miss BLOOMSBURY, on tiptoe._

_Mrs. Carv._ Willingly.

_Mr. Carv._ The case lies in a nutsh.e.l.l, my dear: there is a man who swears that Honor McBride was behind the chapel, with Randal Rooney putting a ring on her finger, when the clock struck twelve, and our workmen's bell rang this morning. Honor avers she was at Bob's Fort with you: now as she could not be, like a bird, in two places at once--was she with you?

_Mrs. Carv._ Honor McBride was with me when the workmen's bell rang, and when the clock struck twelve, this day--she stayed with me till two o'clock.

[_All the ROONIES, except CATTY, exclaim--_

Oh, no going beyond the lady's word!

_Mrs. Carv._ And I think it but justice to add, that Honor McBride has this day given me such proofs of her being a good girl, a good daughter, and a good sister, that she has secured my good opinion and good wishes for life.

_Mr. Carv._ And mine in consequence.

_Bloom._ And mine of course. [_HONOR curtsies._

[_Old McBRIDE bows very low to Mr. CARVER, and again to Mrs. CARVER.