"Faith I will, though I never thought of marriage, if it be to please James." Seeing how heart-sick his brother was, he said, "I can't say I like her as you like her; but if she likes me I will promise to do right by her. James, you're going away; we may never see you again. It is all very sad. And now you'll let me go back to bed."
"Peter, I knew you would not say no to me; I can't bear this any longer."
"And now," said Peter, "let me go back to bed. I am catching my death."
And he ran back to his room, and left his brother and father talking by the fire.
V
Pat thought the grey mare would take him in faster than the old red horse; and the old man sat, his legs swinging over the shaft, wondering what he should say to the Reverend Mother, and how she would listen to his story; and when he came to the priest's house a great wish came upon him to ask the priest's advice. The priest was walking up his little lawn reading his breviary, and a great fear came on Pat Phelan, and he thought he must ask the priest what he should do.
The priest heard the story over the little wall, and he was sorry for the old man.
It took him a long time to tell the story, and when he was finished the priest said:—
"But where are you going, Pat?"
"That's what I stopped to tell you, your reverence. I was thinking I might be going to the convent to tell Catherine that Peter has come back."