Sowidthatawaywidher，andinwintBilly，an’where’idhehidehimselfbudinalittleclosetthatwasoffivtheroomwheretheouldmanandwomanslep’。Soheclosedthedoore，andsotdowninanouldchairhefoundthereconvanient。
　　Well，hewasnotwellinitwhenalltherestivthemcomesintothekitchen，an’ouldTimDonovansingin’the’ColleenRue’
　　forthebarelife，an’therestivthemsthrivin’tohumourhim，anddoin’
　　exactlyeverythinghebidthem，becausetheyseenhewasfoolishbethemanesivtheliquor。
　　Well，tobesureallthiskep’themlongenough，youmaybesure，fromgoin’tobed，sothatBillycouldgetnomannerivanadvantagetogetoutivthehouse，andsohestedsittin’inthedarkclosetinstate，cursin’the’ColleenRue，’andwondherin’
　　tothedivilwhinthey’dgettheouldmanintohisbed。An’，asifthatwasnotdelayenough，whoshouldcomeintostopforthenightbutFatherO’Flaherty，ofCahirmore，thatwasbuyin’ahorseatthefair!An’avcourse，therewasabedtobemeddownforhisraverence，an’someotherattintions；an’
　　alongdiscoorsehimselfan’ouldMrs。
　　DonovanhadabouttheslaughterivBillyMalowney，an’howhewasburiedonthefieldivbattle；an’hisraverencehopedhegotadacentfuneral，an’alltheotherconvaniencesivreligion。An’soyoumaysupposeitwasprettylateinthenightbeforeallivthemgottotheirbeds。
　　Well，TimDonovancouldnotsettletosleepatallatall，an’sohekep’discoorsin’
　　thewifeaboutthenewcowshebought，an’thestripphershesould，an’soanforbetterthananhour，ontilfromonethingtoanotherhekemtotalkaboutthepigs，an’
　　thepoulthry；andatlast，havingnothingbetthertodiscoorseabout，hebegunathisdaughterMolly，an’alltheheartscaldshewastohimberaisonivrefusin’themen。
　　An’atlastsayshe：
　　’Ionderstand，’sayshe，’verywellhowitis，’sayshe。’It’showshewasinlove，’
　　sayshe，’widthatbliggard，BillyMalowney，’
　　sayshe，’badlucktohim!’sayshe；forbythistimehewascomingtohisraison。
　　’Ah!’saysthewife，saysshe，’Timdarlint，don’tbecursin’themthat’sdeadan’buried，’saysshe。
　　’An’whywouldnotI，’sayshe，’iftheydesarveit？’sayshe。
　　’Whisht，’saysshe，’an’listentothat，’
　　saysshe。’InthenameoftheBlessedVargin，’saysshe，’whatISit？’saysshe。
　　An’sureenoughwhatwasitbutBillMalowneythatwasdhroppin’asleepinthecloset，an’snorin’likeachurchorgan。
　　’Isitapig，’sayshe，’orisitaChristian？’
　　’Arra!listentothetuneivit，’saysshe；’sureapigneverdonethelikeisthat，’saysshe。
　　’Whateveritis，’sayshe，’it’sintheroomwidus，’sayshe。’TheLordbemarcifultous!’sayshe。
　　’Itouldyounottobecursin’，’saysshe；’badlucktoyou，’saysshe，’foranommadhaun!’forshewasaveryreligiouswomaninherself。
　　’Sure，he’sburiedinSpain，’sayshe；
　　’an’itisnotforonelittleinnocentexpression，’sayshe，’he’dbecomin’allthatawaytoannoythehouse，’sayshe。
　　Well，whiletheywartalkin’，Billturnsinthewayhewassleepin’intoanaisierimposture；andassoonashestoppedsnorin’ouldTimDonovan’scouragerizagin，andsayshe：
　　’I’llgotothekitchen，’sayshe，’an’
　　lightarish，’sayshe。
　　An’withthatawaywidhim，an’thewifekep’workin’thebeadsallthetime，an’beforehekembackBillwassnorin’asloudasever。
　　’Oh!bloodywars——Imanetheblessedsaintsaboutus!——thatdeadlysound，’sayshe；’it’sgoingonaslivelyasever，’
　　sayshe。
　　’I’maswakeasarag，’sayshiswife，saysshe，’widthefairanasiness，’saysshe。’It’soutivthelittleclosetit’scomin，’saysshe。
　　’Sayyourprayers，’sayshe，’an’houldyourtongue，’sayshe，’whileIdiscoorseit，’sayshe。’An’whoareye，’sayshe，’inthenameivofalltheholysaints？’
　　sayshe，givin’thedooradabivacrusheenthatwakenedBillinside。’Iax，’sayshe，’whoareyou？’sayshe。
　　Well，Billdidnotrightlyrememberwhereintheworldhewas，buthepushedopenthedoor，an’sayshe：
　　’BillyMalowney’smyname，’sayshe，’an’I’llthankyetotellmeabetther，’
　　sayshe。
　　Well，whinTimDonovanheardthat，an’
　　actiallyseenthatitwasBillhimselfthatwasinit，hehadnotstrengthenoughtoletabawloutivhim，buthedhroptthecandleoutivhishand，an’downwidhimselfonhisbackinthedark。
　　Well，thewifeletascreechyou’dhearatthemillivKillraghlin，an’——
　　’Oh，’saysshe，’thespirithashim，bodyan’bones!’saysshe。’Oh，holySt。
　　Bridget——oh，MotherivMarcy——oh，FatherO’Flaherty!’saysshe，screechin’murdherfromoutivherbed。
　　Well，BillMalowneywasnotaminuteremimberin’himself，an’sooutwidhimquitean’aisy，an’throughthekitchen；
　　budinplaceivthedoorivthehouse，it’swhathekemtothedoorivFatherO’Flaherty’slittleroom，wherehewasjistwakenin’widthenoiseivthescreechin’
　　an’battherin’；an’bedad，Billmakesnomoreaboutit，buthejumps，widoneboult，cleveran’claneintohisraverance’sbed。
　　’Whatdoyemane，youuncivilisedbliggard？’sayshisraverance。’Isthatavenerableway，’sayshe，’toapproachyourclargy？’sayshe。
　　’Houldyourtongue，’saysBill，’an’I’lldoyenoharum，’sayshe。
　　’Whoareyou，yescoundhrelivtheworld？’sayshisraverance。
　　’Whisht!’sayshe？’I’mBillyMalowney，’
　　sayshe。
　　’Youlie!’sayshisraveranceforhewasfrightenedbeyontallbearin’——an’hemakesbutonejumpoutivthebedatthewrongside，wheretherewasonlyjistalittleplaceinthewallforapress，an’hisraverancecouldnotasmuchasturninitforthewealthivkingdoms。’Youlie，’
　　sayshe；’butforfearedit’sthetruthyou’retellin’，’sayshe，’here’satyeinthenameivalltheblessedsaintstogether!’
　　sayshe。
　　An’widthat，mydear，heblazesawayathimwidaLatinprayerivthestrongestdescription，an’，ashesaidhimselfafterwards，thatwasivanaturethatiddhrivethedivilhimselfupthechimleylikeapuffivtobackysmoke，widhistailbetunehislegs。
　　’Arra，whatareyesthrivin’tosay，’saysBill；sayshe，’ifyedon’thouldyourtongue，’sayshe，’widyourparlyvoo；’
　　sayshe，’it’swhatI’llputmythumbonyourwindpipe，’sayshe，’an’BillyMalowneyneverwintbackivhiswordyet，’
　　sayshe。
　　’Thundher-an-owns，’sayshisraverance，sayshe——seein’theLatintooknoinfectonhim，atallatallan’screechin’thatyou’dthinkhe’drisethethatchupivthehousewidthefairfright——’andthundherandblazes，boys，willnoneivyescomeherewidacandle，butlaveyourclargytobechokedbyaspiritinthedark？’sayshe。
　　Well，bethistimethesarvintboysandtherestivthemworupan’halfdressed，an’intheyallrun，oneontopivanother，widpitchforksandspades，thinkin’itwasonlywhathisraverenceslep’adhrameivthelike，bymeansofthepunchhewasafthertakin’justbeforeherowl’dhimselfintothebed。But，begorra，whintheyseenitwasralyBillMalowneyhimselfthatwasinit，itwasonlywho’dbeforemostoutagin，tumblin’backways，oneoveranother，andhisraverenceroarin’an’cursin’themlikemadfornotwaitin’forhim。
　　Well，mydear，itwasbettherthanhalfanhourbeforeBillyMalowneycouldexplaintothemallhowitralywashimself，forbegorratheywereallivthempersuadin’
　　himthathewasaspirittothatdegreeit’sawondherhedidnotgiveintoit，ifitwasonlytoputastoptotheargiment。
　　Well，hisraverencetouldtheouldpeoplethen，therewasnouseinsthrivin’aginthewillivProvidencean’thevagariesivloveunited；an’whintheykemtoundherstandtoasartintyhowBillyhadashillin’adayfortherestivhisdays，begorratheytookratheralikin’tohim，andconsidheredatwansthowhemusthaverizoutofallhisnansinseentirely，orhisgraciousMajestyidneverhavecondescindedtoshowhimhiscountenancethatwayeverydayofhislife，onasilvershillin’。
　　An’so，begorra，theyneverstopttillitwasallsettled——an’therewasnotsichaweddin’asthatinthecounthrysinst。It’smorethanfortyyearsago，an’thoughI
　　wasnomorenoragossoonmyself，I
　　remimberitlikeyestherday。Mollyneverlookedsopurtybefore，an’BillyMalowneywasplisantbeyontallhearin，’tothatdegreethathalfthegirlsinitwasfairlytarin’
　　mad——onlytheywouldnotleton——theyhadnothimtothemselvesinplaceivher。
　　An’begorraI’dbeafearedtotellye，becauseyouwouldnotbelieveme，sincethatblessidmanFatherMathewputanendtoallsoortsofsociality，theLordrewardhim，howmanygallonsivpottieenwhiskywasdhrankuponthatmostsolemnandtindheroccasion。
　　PatHanlon，thepiper，hadafaveroutivit；an’NeddyShawnHeigue，mountin’
　　hishorsethewrongway，brokehiscollar-
　　bone，bythemanesivfallin’overhistailwhilehewasfeelin’forhishead；an’
　　PaytherBrian，thehorse-docther，Iamtould，wasneverquiterightintheheadeverafther；an’ouldTimDonovanwassingin’the’ColleenRue’nightanddayforafullweek；an’begorratheweddin’
　　wasonlythefoundationivfun，andthebeginningivdivarsion，fortherewasnotayearfortenyearsafther，an’more，butbroughtroundachristenin’asregularasthesasinsrevarted。
　　End