“That’ll not do, it must be drawn fresh,” said Moll.
“I’ll send a boy for it; here, Patsy! you’ll be soupler than Moll!”
“Ora, will you be aisy! that would not answer at all!” said Moll. “I must go for it wid meself and no one else by; there’s a char-rum to be said over the well ... and let no one speak a word to Kitty while I’m doing all that!”
“Well, well, whatever you say!” said Cusack. He knew Moll to be an experiented woman and so she had her way.
Moll then as soon as she had the door shut again on Cusack and all the people, was taking off the cloak and handkerchief and giving all instructions over again to Kitty, when, “Look-at-here!” said Cusack; “more misfortunes!”
And over he rushed to the hearth, like a redshank, to where the dinner was being cooked. A great, sudden cloud of steam was rising up, and threatening to destroy everything. The pig’s face and greens was after boiling over into the fire, and all the women gathered round, puffing and blowing, striving to keep down the ashes that was powdering over the fine elegant goose they had roasting in front of the fire. The men just stood round, their hands in their pockets and their mouths gaping open, not able to do a hand’s turn, only all very much engaged wondering what would become of the dinner....
As Moll said after, ’twas God that done it, that started the thing, so that she perceived ’twas little they would be thinking of Kitty. “Here now, here’s your chance, and take it, girl dear! Throw the cloak about ye, and dart while you’re young!”
On the word, there stepped out into the kitchen (to all appearance) Dark Moll, with her head down, and off she went at a dog’s trot to the well. And not one even took notice that she never asked to bring a can, or even a noggin with her, to get the water in. In fact, not one of the wedding-party thought of meddling with Moll (as they thought), they were so taken up with the danger the goose was running with the ashes.
But when all that was done with, they waited, and they waited; at long last, first one and then another slipped out to try could they see what was delaying Moll at the well.
“Where must she be, the ould rap?” said Cusack, very short.