“Go down and make fast his honour’s boat, Barry,” said my father.
I obeyed reluctantly, for I was curious to know what these three had to say to one another.
I found his honour’s boat already fast, and returned as quickly as I could to the cabin.
Biddy’s shrill voice, as I came near, rose above the other two.
“It served your turn, Maurice Gorman,” said she. “You know as well as me one of the two boys is—”
“Whisht!” exclaimed my father; “there he is.”
And as I entered the talk suddenly dropped, and I felt quite abashed to see them all look at me as they did.
“Well, well, Biddy,” said his honour presently, “you’re a decent woman, and I’ll help you. You shall have the forty pounds when you get back to Paris. My agent there will see to it, and you shall have a letter to him.”
“Your honour’s a gentleman,” said Biddy with a courtesy. “Maybe you’ll make it a little more, to save a poor widow another journey over to see you. Sure, forty pounds wouldn’t keep me in France for six months.”
“Well, well, we’ll see. Come to Knockowen to-morrow evening, Biddy.”