"Ay! and I'll tell you the particulars. It was the year after the banks broke—times were bad—tenants racked—and Tom Braddigan, like many a better man, poor fellow! was cleaned out by the sheriff. Never was a shuck[56] sinner harder up for a few hundreds; and, to make a long story short, Hoofey came in the way, and Tom 'sould himself' regularly. I never heard the sum, but it is said that it was a large figure; and that, to give the devil his due, he never cobbled for a moment, but paid a sporting price, and came down like a man. Well, the tenure-day came round; Clooty was true to time, and claimed his customer: but Tom was awake; Paul Feaghan was at his elbow, and, as it turned out, Paul proved himself nothing but a good one.
"'Arrah! what do ye want here, honest man?' says the priest to the devil, opening the conversation civilly.
"'No offence, I suppose,' says the other, 'for a body to look after his own.'
"'None in the world,' replied Father Paul, answering him quite politely; and all the while, poor Tom shaking like a Quaker.
"'Mr. Braddigan,' says the devil, 'we have a long drive before us, and the carriage is waiting. Don't mind your Cotamore,[57] Tom; and the eternal ruffian put his tongue in his cheek. 'Though the day's cold, 'pon my conscience, you shall have presently an air of the fire.'
"'Asy,' says the priest, 'what call have you to a Catholic?'
"'A Catholic!' replied the devil, with a twist of his lip, mimicking Father Paul; 'maybe your reverence would tell us when he was last at confession?'
"At this the priest lost temper. 'What the blazes,' says he, 'have you to do with that? Was there any body present at the bargain betune[58] ye?'
"'Hell to the one,' replied the devil.
"'Then,' says Father Paul, 'sorrow leg you would have to stand on if the whole thing came before the barrister.'