"MacDonagh and Pearse and Connolly have been taken," said Lander. "They say Connolly's badly wounded...."
"Have you heard anything of ... of John Marsh?"
"Yes. He's dead. They say he was killed soon after the fighting began ... in the street!..."
Henry did not speak. He glanced about him at the ruin and wreck of a city which, though it had many times filled him with anger, yet filled him also with love; and for a while he could not see clearly.... Somewhere in this street, John Marsh had been killed. He had died, as he had desired, for Ireland, and a man can do no more than give his life for his country ... but what was the good of his dying? It was not enough that a man should die ... he must also die well and to purpose. Oh, indeed, John had believed that such a death as this would be a good death, to much purpose, but it is not the dead who can judge of that ... it is the living to whom now and forever is the task of judging what the dead have done.
"It's a pity," said Lander, "that the slums weren't destroyed, too!..."
"Perhaps," Henry answered, "we can build a finer city after this!"
"Perhaps," said Lander dubiously, for Lander knew the ways of men and had small faith in them.
2
They walked along the quays until they reached the Four Courts, and while they were standing there, a sickly woman, with a fretful, whining voice, plucked at Henry's arm.
"Is it over, mister?" she said, and when he nodded his head, she turned away, exclaiming fervently, "Oh, thanks be to the Holy Mother of God!"