“Not goin’ on at all!” says Mrs. Caffrey; “heart-scalded I do be, wid the frettin’ and annoyance and thinkin’ that it’s murthered me poor boy must be, and he wid the price of the heifer in his pocket!”
“Och! murthered-how-are-ye!” says Moll, very confident in herself; “no! no such a thing! It’s what he has went off to America! He’ll be sendin’ yous back plenty of money out of it, I’ll go bail!”
“Do ye tell me that?” said the mother, brightening up as Moll talked on about it all. The old woman was getting a bit hard of hearing at that time; and she took it up that Peetcheen had told Moll that he was going.
“Well, that’s the best I could wish to hear, if it’s a thing that he wasn’t going to contint himself here at home with us; and too sure I am that he’ll do well ... ay, and won’t forget his poor mother....”
Julia comes up to them, and whips the child from Moll, the same as if she was dirt and not fit to touch him. That vexed Moll; small blame to her! So when old Mrs. Caffrey began reeling out of her all that she imagined Moll had said ... and a bit more that she didn’t say ... such as that poor Peetcheen was working hard there beyant to send home money to them, Moll never put her right. The old mother related it quite cheerfully, thinking it would pacify Julia. But it didn’t. You never saw so vexed a person.
“So, that’s where the price of me fine heifer is gone!” said Julia; “and I that had him dead! drowned in a bog-hole ... or murthered.... Breakin’ me heart I was, about a villyin of the soart! Well ... all I know is, them that thinks I’m goin’ to stop here and rair Peter Caffrey’s babby for him is in a great mistake! I’ll not do it! I’ll go after him, before I’m many days older!”
“Is it go to America? Sure, woman dear, you’d never find him! You might as well go look for a needle in a haystack. America is a middlin’ big place, mind ye!” said Moll.
No one knew better than Moll how to get round people. She was that clever, she could knot eels, the people said. She knew what a foolish notion it was of Julia’s, to go off to America; and that Julia herself would soon cool on it, if she was let alone. So that’s why she contradicted her.
“Fitter far, ay, and decenter, too, for a woman like you to stay where you’re well off, in your good home, with Peetcheen’s mother for company, and Peetcheen’s babby to be lookin’ at....”
“Mind yer own business, and be off about it, now!” said Julia, choking with the anger; “what call have you to be putting in yer gab here? I want no interference from you, or the likes of ye! Leave me to manage me own affairs! I’ll see to make Peetcheen pay for what he’s after doing ‘on’ me!”