“Excuse my interrupting you, Father,” said Doyle, “but before you take the opinion of the meeting on this point, I’d like to say that I’m offering no opinion one way or the other; and what’s more I won’t give a vote either for or against. I wouldn’t like to do it in a case where my own nephew is a candidate.”
“You needn’t tell us that, Mr. Doyle,” said Father McCormack. “We all know that you’re not the kind of man who’d be using his public position to further the interests of his relatives. What do you say now, gentlemen? Is Mr. Aloysius Doyle to be given the contract for the statue or not? What do you say, Major?”
“If he can make a full-sized statue of a General in ten days,” said the Major, “he’s a man who deserves every encouragement we can give him.”
“Now, doctor,” said Father McCormack, “what’s your opinion?”
“I’m for giving him the job,” said the Doctor.
“Mr. Doyle won’t vote,” said Father McCormack.
“I will not,” said Doyle firmly.
“So we’d be glad of your opinion, Mr. Gallagher.”
“If his price is satisfactory,” said Gallagher, “we may as well give him the preference. I’d be in favour of supporting local talent when possible, and although Mr. Aloysius Doyle isn’t a resident among us at present, his family belongs to Ballymoy.”
“Carried unanimously,” said Father McCormack. “And now about the price. What will that nephew of yours do us a statue for, Doyle? And mind you, it must be done well.”