General John Regan Part 42

Doyle's satisfaction did not last long. Major Kent drove into the town in his pony trap and pulled up opposite the statue. He called to Father McCormack, who had satisfied himself about Mary Ellen's appearance, and was prowling round the statue, making mild jokes about its ghostly appearance. Doyle detected a note of urgency in the Major's voice, and hurried across the square, reaching the pony trap just as Father McCormack did.

"So I hear," said the Major, "that the Lord-Lieutenant's not coming after all."

For a moment neither Father McCormack nor Doyle spoke at all. The rumour?it could be no more than a rumour?to which the Major referred was too terrible for immediate digestion.

"I shan't be sorry myself," said the Major, "if he doesn't come. I've always thought we were making fools of ourselves."

Then Doyle regained his power of speech.

"It's a lie," he said, "and whoever told it to you is a liar. The Lord-Lieutenant can't not come."

"It'll be a curious thing, so it will," said Father McCormack, "if he doesn't, but I can't believe it. Who was it told you, Major, if you don't mind my asking?"

"It was Mr. Ford," said the Major. "He was standing at his door as I drove past and he stopped me to say that he'd just had a telegram from Dublin Castle??"

"I don't believe it," said Doyle. "I don't believe a word of it. That fellow Ford was against us all the time, and he's just saying this now to annoy us."

"He seemed to believe it himself," said the Major.

"Where's the doctor?" said Father McCormack. "If there's any truth in it he'll be sure to know."

"If so be that such a telegram was sent," said Doyle, "it'll be on account of something that fellow Ford has been doing. He was always against us."

"Where's the doctor?" said Father McCormack helplessly.

"Probably bolted," said the Major. "If Ford's news is true that's the only thing for the doctor to do."

"He was with me half-an-hour ago," said Doyle, "taking a look round at the luncheon and the rest of it. He went away back to his house to clean himself. If he knew??but he didn't."

"I'll go and see him at once," said Father McCormack.

"You'll find that he's cut and run," said the Major.

"You needn't go, Father," said Doyle, "for Thady Gallagher's just after going to him, and I see him coming back at the far end of the street this minute."

Thady Gallagher pushed his way through the crowd which had gathered thickly at the lower end of the square. It was plain from the way he elbowed the people who stood in his way that he was in a very bad temper indeed. He strode up to the Major's trap and began to speak at the top of his voice.

"Let me tell you this, gentlemen," he said: "if you deserve the name of gentlemen, which you don't, that the conspiracy which you're engaged in for insulting the people of this district by means of a tune??"

He appeared to be addressing himself particularly to Major Kent, whom he evidently regarded as, next to the doctor, the chief conspirator. The Major disliked being abused. He also shrank from complicated situations.

He foresaw that an argument with Gallagher about a tune which might be played if the Lord-Lieutenant did not fail to keep his appointment, was likely to be a confused and highly complex business. He touched his pony with the whip and drove away in the direction of Doyle's yard, where he usually put up his trap.

"Have sense, Thady," said Father McCormack appealingly.

"I will not have sense," said Gallagher. "Why would I have sense when??"

"Did you speak to the doctor?" said Doyle.

"I did not, but if I had??"

"The Lord save us and deliver us," said Doyle in despair. "He's gone, the way the Major said he would."

"What are you talking about?" said Gallagher. "The doctor's shaving himself."

"Are you sure of that?"

"I am sure. Didn't I go through the house till I found him? Didn't I open the door of the room he was in? Didn't I see him standing there with a razor in his hand?"

"And what did he say to you, Thady? Did he tell you??"

"He told me to get along out of that," said Gallagher.

"It's likely he'd heard the news. He'd never have said the like of that to you, Thady, if he hadn't been upset about something."

"What'll we do at all?" said Doyle. "There's the statue to be paid for and the dress for Mary Ellen and the luncheon. It's ruined we'll be, for where will we get the money?"

"I had my mind made up," said Gallagher, "to speak out plain to the doctor about the tune the band's to play. I had my mind made up to tell him straight what I thought of him. And to tell him what I thought of the whole of you."

"Be quiet, Thady," said Father McCormack. "Don't you know??"

"There's more than you will want to speak plain to the doctor," said Doyle in sudden anger. "It's him that's got us into the trouble we're in. It's him that ought to be made to pay up what'll have to be paid; only he can't do it, for he owes more this minute than ever he'll pay.

Tell me now, Thady, what you said to him. Tell me the language you used. It'll be some satisfaction to me to hear the words you said to the doctor."

"I said nothing," said Gallagher. "Is it likely I'd speak the way I meant to a man with an open razor in his hand? I'd have had my throat cut if I'd said a word."

Mrs. Gregg rode hurriedly into the market square on her bicycle, while Gallagher was making his confession. She wore a delicate and flimsy pink silk skirt, entirely unsuited for cycling. A very large hat, adorned with a wreath of pink roses, had been forced to the back of her head by the speed at which she rode, and was held there with much strain by two large pins. She had only one glove, and several hooks at the back of the upper part of her dress were unfastened. No one could doubt that Mrs.

Gregg had left home before she was quite ready. No one could doubt that she had come into Ballymoy as fast as she could. She dismounted in front of Father McCormack and panted. She said "Oh" three times, and each time was prevented saying anything else by lack of breath. Then she caught sight of Major Kent, who was coming out of the hotel yard after stabling his pony. She let her bicycle fall at the feet of Father McCormack, and ran to the Major.

"Oh," she said. "Oh! my husband?just told me?a telegram?isn't it frightful? What are we to do?"

"I'm rather glad myself," said the Major, "but everybody else is making a fuss."

Doyle, Father McCormack and Gallagher followed Mrs. Gregg. Father McCormack, who was a chivalrous man even when agitated, picked up her bicycle and brought it with him.

"Is it true, ma'am," said Doyle, "what we're after hearing?"

"It's quite true," said Mrs. Gregg. "My husband had a telegram. So had Mr. Ford. And Mrs. Ford is so pleased. Oh, it's too much! But where's Dr. O'Grady?"

"Everybody is asking that," said the Major. "My own impression is that he's bolted."

"If only Dr. O'Grady were here," said Mrs. Gregg, "he might do something."

"There's one thing the doctor won't do," said Gallagher, "Lord-Lieutenant or no Lord-Lieutenant, he'll not have the town band playing the tune that he's after teaching young Kerrigan."

"Doyle," said Major Kent, "do you think you could get Thady Gallagher out of this? He's becoming a nuisance. n.o.body's temper will stand a Home Rule speech at the present moment."

"Thady," said Doyle, persuasively, "a drop of something to drink is what will suit you. The inside of your throat is dried up the same as if you'd been eating lime on account of the rage that's in you."