Well，mydear，itwasaisyseentherewassomethingwrongavidBillyMalowney，forhepaidnoattintiontherestoftheeveningtoanysoartofdivarsionbutthewhiskyalone；an’everyglasshe’ddrinkit’swhathe’dbewishingthedivilhadthewomen，an’theworstivbadlucktoallsoartsivcourting，until，atlast，widthegoodnessivthesperits，an’thebadnessivhistemper，an’theconstantflusthrationivcursin’，hegrewallasoneasyoumightsayalmost，savingyourpresince，bastelydrunk!
　　Well，whoshouldhefallinwid，inthatchildishcondition，ashewasdeployingalongtheroadalmostasstraightastheletterS，an’cursin’thegirls，an’roarin’formorewhisky，buttherecruiting-sargentivtheWelshConfusileers。
　　So，cuteenough，thesargentbeginstoconvarsehim，an’itwasnotlonguntilhehadhimsittinginMurphy’spublic-house，widanelegantdandyivpunchbeforehim，an’theking’smoneysafean’snuginthelowestwrinkleofhisbreeches-pocket。
　　Soawaywidhim，andthedhrumsandfifesplaying，an’adozenmoreunforthunatebliggardsjustlistedalongwithhim，an’
　　heshakin’handswidthesargent，andswearin’aginthewomeneveryminute，until，bethetimehekemtohimself，begorra，hewasagoodtenmilesontheroadtoDublin，an’Mollyandallbehindhim。
　　Itidbenogoodtellin’youivthelettershewrotetoherfromthebarracksthere，norhowshewasbreakingherhearttogoandseehimjustwanstbeforehe’dgo；butthefatheran’motherwouldnotallowivitbenomanes。
　　An’soinlesstimethanyou’dbethinkin’
　　aboutit，thecolonelhadhimpolishedoffintoitraleelegantsoger，widhisgunexercise，andhisbagnetexercise，andhissmallsword，andbroadsword，andpistolanddagger，an’alltherest，an’thenawaywidhimonboordaman-a-wartofurrinparts，tofightforKingGeorgeaginBonyparty，thatwasgreatinthemtimes。
　　Well，itwasverysoonineveryone’smouthhowBillyMalowneywasbatin’allbeforehim，astonishin’theginerals，anfrightenin’theinimytothatdegree，therewasnotaFrinchmandaresayparleyvoooutsideoftheroundsivhiscamp。
　　YoumaybesureMollywasproudivthatsame，thoughsheneverspokeawordaboutit；untilatlastthenewskemhomethatBillyMalowneywassurroundedan’
　　murderedbytheFrincharmy，underNapoleonBonypartyhimself。ThenewswasbroughtbyJackBrynnDhas，thepeddlar，thatsaidhemetthecorporalivtheregimentonthequayivLimerick，an’howhebroughthimintoapublic-houseandthratedhimtoanaggin，andgotallthenewsaboutpoorBillyMalowneyoutivhimwhiletheywardhrinkin’it；an’asorrowfulstoryitwas。
　　Thewayithappened，accordin’asthecorporaltouldhim，wasjisthowtheJookivWellingtondetarminedtofightaraletarin’battlewidtheFrinch，andBonypartyatthesametimewasaiquallydetarminedtofightthedivil’sownscrimmidgewidtheBritishfoorces。
　　Well，assoonasthebusinesswasprettynearreadyatbothsides，Bonypartyandthegeneralnextundherhimselfgetsupbehindabush，tolookattheirinimiesthroughspy-
　　glasses，andthrywouldtheyknowanyivthematthedistance。
　　’Bedadad!’saysthegineral，aftheradivilivalongspy，’I’dbethalfapint，’sayshe，’that’sBillMalowneyhimself，’sayshe，’downthere，’sayshe。
　　’Och!’saysBonypart，’doyoutellmeso？’sayshe——’I’mfairlyheart-scaldedwiththatsameBillyMalowney，’sayshe；’an’IthinkifIwaswanstshutivhimI’dbatetherestivthemaisy，’
　　sayshe。
　　’I’mthinkingsomyself，’saysthegineral，sayshe；’buthe’satoughbye，’
　　sayshe。
　　’Tough!’saysBonypart，’he’sthedivil，’
　　sayshe。
　　’Begorra，I’dbebetterplased。’saysthegineral，sayshe，’totakehimselfthantheDukeivWillinton，’sayshe，’an’
　　SirEdwardBlakeneyintothebargain，’
　　sayshe。
　　’TheDukeofWellintonandGineralBlakeney，’saysBonypart，’isgreatforplanning，nodoubt，’sayshe；’butBillyMalowney’stheboyforACTION，’sayshe——
　　’an’action’severything，justnow，’sayshe。
　　SowidthatBonypartpushesuphiscockedhat，andbeginsscratchinghishead，andthinningandconsidherin’forthebarelife，andatlastsayshetothegineral：
　　’GineralCommandherivalltheFoorces，’
　　sayshe，’I’vehotit，’sayshe：’ordherouttheforlornhope，’sayshe，’an’givethemasmuchpowdher，bothglazedandblasting，’
　　sayshe，’an’asmuchbulletsdoyemind，an’swan-dhropsan’chain-shot，’sayshe，’an’allsoortsivwaiponsan’combustablesastheycancarry；an’letthemsurroundBillMalowney，’sayshe，’an’iftheycangetanysoortivanadvantage，’sayshe，’letthemknockhimtosmithereens，’sayshe，’an’thentakehimpresner，’sayshe；
　　’an’tellallthebandmenivtheFrincharmy，’sayshe，’toplayup“Garryowen，“
　　tokeepuptheirsperits，’sayshe，’allthetimethey’readvancin’。An’youmaypromisethemanythingyoulikeinmyname，’sayshe；for，bymysowl，I
　　don’tthinkitsmanyivthem’illcomebacktothroubleus，’sayshe，winkin’athim。
　　Soawaywiththegineral，an’heordhersouttheforlornhope，all’tellsthebandtoplay，an’everythingelse，justasBonypartdesiredhim。An’sureenough，whinBillyMalowneyheerdthemusicwherehewasstandin’takingablastofthedhudheentocomposehismindformurdherin’theFrinchmenasusual，beingmightypartialtothattuneintirely，hecockshisearaoneside，an’downhestoopstolistentothemusic；but，begorra，whoshouldbeinhisrareallthetimebutaFrinchgrannideerbehindabush，andseeinghimstoopedinaconvanientforum，bedadheletfliesathimsthraight，andfiredhimrightforwardbetweenthelegsan’thesmallivtheback，glorybetoGod!withwhattheycallsavingyourpresenceabum-shell。
　　Well，BillMalowneyletoneroaroutivhim，an’awayherowledoverthefieldivbattlelikeaslittherasBonypartandtheDukeivWellington，thatwaswatchingthemanoeuvresfromadistance，bothconsayvedintoglory。
　　An’sureenoughtheFrinchwasoverjoyedbeyantallbounds，an’smallblametothem——an’theDukeofWellington，I’mtoult，wasneveralloutthesamemansinst。
　　Atanyrate，thenewskemhomehowBillyMalowneywasmurdheredbytheFrinchinfurrinparts。
　　Well，allthistime，youmaybesure，therewasnowantivboyscomin’tocoortpurtyMollyDonovan；butonewayaranother，shealwayskeptputtin’
　　themoffconstant。An’thoughherfatherandmotherwasnathurallyanxioustogetridofherrespickably，theydidnotliketomarryheroffinspiteivherteeth。
　　An’thisway，promisingonewhileandputtin’itoffanother，sheconthrivedtogetonfromoneShrovetoanother，untilnearsevenyearswasoverandgonefromthetimewhenBillyMalowneylistedforfurrinsarvice。
　　ItwasnighhandayearfromthetimewhinthenewsivLeum-a-rinkabein’killedbytheFrinchcamehome，an’inplaceivforgettin’him，asthesaisinswintover，it’swhatMollywasgrowin’palerandmorelonesomeeveryday，antiltheneighboursthoughtshewasfallin’intoadecline；andthisisthewayitwaswithherwhinthefairofLisnamoekemround。
　　Itwasabeautifulevenin’，justatthetimeivthereapin’ivtheoats，andthesunwasshinin’throughtheredcloudsfarawayoverthehillsivCahirmore。
　　Herfatheran’mother，an’theboysan’
　　girls，wasallawaydowninthefair，andMollySittin’allaloneonthestepofthestile，listeningtothefoolishlittlebirdswhistlin’amongtheleaves——andthesoundofthemountain-riverflowin’throughthestonesan’bushes——an’thecrowsflyin’
　　homehighoverheadtothewoodsivGlinvarlogh——an’downintheglen，faraway，shecouldseethefair-greenivLisnamoeinthemist，an’sunshineamongthegreyrocksandthrees——an’thecowsan’thehorses，an’thebluefrieze，an’theredcloaks，an’thetents，an’thesmoke，an’
　　theouldroundtower——allassoftan’assorrowfulasadhrameivouldtimes。
　　An’whileshewaslookingthisway，an’thinkingivLeum-a-rinka——poorBillivthedance，thatwassleepin’inhislonesomegloryinthefieldsivSpain——shebegantosingthesongheusedtolikesowellintheouldtimes——
　　’Shule，shule，shalea-roon；’
　　an’whensheendedtheverse，whatdoyouthinkbutsheheardamanlyvoicejustattheothersideivthehedge，singingthelastwordsoveragain!
　　Wellsheknewit；herheartflutthereduplikealittlebirdthatidbewounded，andthendhroppedstillinherbreast。
　　Itwashimself。Inaminutehewasthroughthehedgeandstandingbeforeher。
　　’Leum!’saysshe。
　　’Mavourneencuishlamachree!’sayshe；
　　andwithoutanotherwordtheywerelockedinoneanother’sarms。
　　Well，itidonlybenansinseformethryin’an’tellyeallthefoolishthingstheysaid，andhowtheylookedinoneanother’sfaces，an’laughed，an’cried，an’
　　laughedagain；andhow，whentheycametothemselves，andshewasableatlasttobelieveitwasralyBillyhimselfthatwasthere，actiallyholdin’herhand，andlookin’
　　inhereyesthesamewayasever，barrin’
　　hewasbrownerandboulder，an’didnot，maybe，lookquiteasmerryinhimselfasheusedtodoinformertimes——an’
　　fondherforall，an’morelovin’thanever——howhetouldherallaboutthewarswidtheFrinchmen——an’howhewaswounded，andleftfordeadinthefieldivbattle，bein’shotthroughthebreast，andhowhewasdischarged，an’gotapinsionivafullshillin’aday——andhowhewascomebacktolivtherestivhisdaysinthesweetglenivLisnamoe，an’ifonlySHE’D
　　consinttomarryherselfinspiteivthemall。
　　Well，yemayaisilythinktheyhadplintytotalkabout，afthersevenyearswithoutonceseein’oneanother；andsosignson，thetimeflewbyasswiftan’aspleasantasabirdonthewing，an’thesunwintdown，an’themoonshonesweetan’softinstead，an’theytwoneverknewaha’porthaboutit，butkepttalkin’an’whisperin’，an’
　　whisperin’an’talkin’；forit’swondherfulhowoftenatinder-heartedgirlwillbeartohearapurtyboytellin’herthesamestoryconstantoveran’over；ontilatlast，sureenough，theyheerdtheouldmanhimselfcomin’uptheboreen，singin’the’ColleenRue’——athingheneverdonebarrin’whinhehadadhropin；an’themisthresswalkin’
　　infrontivhim，an’twoilligantKerrycowshejustboughtinthefair，an’
　　thesarvintboysdhrivingthembehind。
　　’Oh，blessedhour!’saysMolly，’here’smyfather。’
　　’I’llspaketohimthisminute，’saysBill。
　　’Oh，notfortheworld，’saysshe；’he’ssingin’the“ColleenRue，“’saysshe，’andnoonedarraisonwithhim，’saysshe。
　　’An’where’llIgo，thin？’sayshe，’forthey’reintothehaggardantopivus，’sayshe，’an’they’llseemeivIlepthroughthehedge，’sayshe。
　　’Thrythepig-sty，’saysshe，’mavourneen，’
　　saysshe，’inthenameivGod，’saysshe。
　　’Well，darlint，’sayshe，’foryoursake，’
　　sayshe，’I’llcondescendtothemanimals，’
　　sayshe。
　　An’widthathemakesadarttogetin；
　　bud，begorra，itwastoolate——thepigswasallgonehome，andthepig-stywasasfullastheBurrcoachwidsixinside。
　　’Och!blur-an’-agers，’sayshe，’thereisnotroomforasuckin’-pig，’sayshe，’letaloneaChristian，’sayshe。
　　’Well，runintothehouse，Billy，’saysshe，’thisminute，’saysshe，’an’hideyourselfantilthey’requiet，’saysshe，’an’thinyoucanstealout，’saysshe，’anknownsttothemall，’saysshe。
　　’I’lldoyourbiddin’，sayshe，’Mollyasthore，’sayshe。
　　’Runinthin，’saysshe，’an’I’llgoan’
　　meetthem，’saysshe。