“Was that her at Dempsey’s?” said Heffernan; “and good tay it was, too! She can’t be too young?”
“No,” said Moll; “but what does a sensible man, like yourself, with a place that’s worth looking after, want with one of them whipsters of girls, that would be for ever dressing herself up, and off to every wake and wedding in the place. Far more comfort there will be with one that would have her mind on her business, and be striving to keep a man’s things together for him!”
“I’d always wish to have the place someways decent!” says Mickey.
“To be sure you would, and why wouldn’t ye? Whisht now! is that wheels I hear?” said Moll.
“Faith, I believe so,” said Mickey; “them that hasn’t eyes has ears!”
“That will be Marg, coming back from the fair,” said Moll; “and now, Mr. Heffernan, I may’s well be cuttin’ me stick and paring it along the road, the way I won’t be keeping the poor girl waiting on me, below there at the cross-roads. We have it laid out that we’ll meet there, when she’s on her way home; and I’ll go back with her, to be company to her this night, anyway, God help her!”
“I may’s well go that far with you,” says Mickey, getting down stiffly from the wall, and reaching for the stick that he always had convenient to his hand.
“In the name of God, then, do so!” said Moll.
Heffernan meant by that, to get a look at Marg; and so he did. For there she was, waiting as Moll had said. She was standing by the little ass, with her hand on its neck, and her head a bit bowed, and the look in her face would put you in mind of the picture of the Virgin Mary in the chapel, it was so sorrowful and patient. She was tired out, with the heat of the day and the noise and confusion in the fair; and she had on the big blue cloak that came to her from the mother. It was the weight of two cloaks, it was so good and heavy. And she had a blue handkerchief on her head, tied under her chin, and a grand big blue apron, over her red skirt, that was made of wool from her own sheep, and by her own two hands. Those colours were in the picture, too.
She and Heffernan passed the time of day with one another; and then he asked, “Is it buying or selling you were to-day?”