SERGEANT. I am accepting his assistance. No bigotry about me when there is a question of the welfare of any fellow creatures. Orange and green will stand together to-night, I, myself, and the station-master on the one side, your parish priest in the chair.
MISS JOYCE. If his reverence would mind me he would not quit the house to-night. He is no more fit to go speak at a meeting than [pointing to the one hanging outside Quirke's door] that sheep.
SERGEANT. I am willing to take the responsibility. He will have no speaking to do at all, unless it might be to bid them give the lecturer a hearing. The loss of those slides now is a great annoyance to me—and no time for anything. The lecturer will be coming by the next train.
MISS JOYCE. Who is this coming up the street, Mrs. Delane?
MRS. DELANE. I wouldn't doubt it to be the new sub-sanitary inspector. Was I telling you of the weight of the testimonials he got, Miss Joyce?
MISS JOYCE. Sure, I heard the curate reading them to his reverence. He must be a wonder for principles.
MRS. DELANE. Indeed, it is what I was saying to myself, he must be a very saintly young man.
[Enter Hyacinth Halvey. He carries a small bag and a large brown-paper parcel. He stops and nods bashfully.
HYACINTH. Good evening to you. I was bid to come to the post-office——
SERGEANT. I suppose you are Hyacinth Halvey? I had a letter about you from the resident magistrate.