'Twas a shame for your father to part with the land, Redmond, that went so long with the name.' He then began to ask me concerning myself, and I gave him my history at some length; at which the worthy gentleman laughed many times, saying, that I was a Barry all over.

In the middle of my story he would stop me, to make me stand back to back, and measure with him (by which I ascertained that our heights were the same, and that my uncle had a stiff knee, moreover, which made him walk in a peculiar way), and uttered, during the course of the narrative, a hundred exclamations of pity, and kindness, and sympathy.

It was 'Holy Saints!' and 'Mother of Heaven!' and 'Blessed Mary!' continually; by which, and with justice, I concluded that he was still devotedly attached to the ancient faith of our family.
It was with some difficulty that I came to explain to him the last part of my history, viz., that I was put into his service as a watch upon his actions, of which I was to give information in a certain quarter.

When I told him (with a great deal of hesitation) of this fact, he burst out laughing, and enjoyed the joke amazingly.

'The rascals!' said he; 'they think to catch me, do they?
Why, Redmond, my chief conspiracy is a faro-bank.