“Arrah, it 's wishing it, I am, the same love. Sure my back and sides is sore with it; my misfortunes would fill a book. Did n't I bind myself apprentice to a carpenter for love of Molly Scraw, a niece he had, just to be near her and be looking at her; and that 's the way I shaved off the top of my thumb with the plane. By the mortial, it was near killing me. I usedn't to eat or drink; and though I was three years at the thrade, faix, at the end of it, I could n't tell you the gimlet from the handsaw!”
“And you wor never married, Mister M'Keown?” said Kitty.
“Never, my darling, but often mighty near it. Many 's the quare thing happened to me,” said Darby, meditatingly; “and sure if it was n't my guardian angel, or something of the kind, prevented it, I 'd maybe have more wives this day than the Emperor of Roossia himself.”
“Arrah, don't be talking!” grunted out the old cook, whose passion could scarcely be restrained at the boastful tone Mister M'Keown assumed in descanting on his successes.
“There was Biddy Finn,” continued Darby, without paying any attention to the cook's interruption; “she might be Mrs. M'Keown this day, av it wasn't for a remarkable thing that happened.”
“What was that?” said Kitty, with eager curiosity.
“Tell us about it. Mister M'Keown,” said the butler.
“The devil a word of truth he'll tell you,” grumbled the cook, as she raked the ashes with a stick.
“There 's them here does not care for agreeable intercoorse,” said Darby, assuming a grand air.
“Come, Daxby; I 'd like to hear the story,” said I.