“‘Fetch it yourself, Felix Donovan. Who’s your sarvant now?’ says the chap, docking up his chin as impident as a tinker’s dog. I felt my fingers itching to give the fellow a polthogue33. A thump. in the ear; but I thought I might as well keep myself paceable in a strange place—so I only gave him a contemptible look, and turned my back upon him.
“‘Felix jewel!’ whispered Anty in my ear. ‘You’ve lost your power over the fairies by that misfortunate kiss—’
”’Diaoul!—there’s two of Mahoon’s gifts gone already,’ thinks I,
“‘If you’ll take my advice,’ says Anty, ‘you’ll be off out of this as fast as you can.”
“‘The sorra foot I’ll stir out of this,’ says I ‘unless you come along with me ma callieen dhas44. My pretty girl.—’
“I wish you could have seen the deluding look she gave me as leaning her head upon my shoulder she whispered to me in a voice sweeter than music of a dream,
“‘Felix dear! I’ll go with you all the world over, and the sooner we take to the road the better. Steal you out of the door, and I’ll follow you in a few minutes.’
“Accordingly I sneaked away as quietly as I could; they were all too busy with their divarsions to mind me—and at the door I met Anty with her apron full of goold and diamonds.
“‘Now,’ said she, ‘where’s the kippeen Mahoon gave you?’
“‘Here it is safe enough,’ I answered, pulling it out of my breeches pocket.