"Meehaul Neil," said she, "we're now upon the Common, where no ear can hear what passes between us.

I ax have you spirit to keep your sister Ellen from shame and sorrow ?" The young man started, and became strongly excited at such a serious prelude to what she was about to utter.
"_Millia diououl!_ woman, why do you talk about shame or disgrace comin' upon any sister of mine ?" What villain dare injure her that regards his life?
My sisther! Ellen Neil! No, no! the man that 'ud only think of that, I'd give this right hand a dip to the wrist in the best blood of his heart." "Ay, ay! it's fine spakin': but you don't know the hand you talk of.
It's one that you had better avoid than meet.

It's the strong hand, an' the dangerous one when vexed.

You know Lamh Laudher Oge ?" Meelmul started again, and the crone could perceive by his manner that the nature of the communication she was about to make had been already known to him, though not, she was confident, in so dark and diabolical a shape as that in which she determined to put it.
"Lamh Laudher Oge!" he exclaimed; "surely you don't mane to say that he has any bad design upon Ellen! It's not long since I gave him a caution to drop her, an' to look out for a girl fittin' for his station.

Ellen herself knows what he'll get, if we ever catch him spakin' to her again.
The day will never come that his faction and ours can be friends." "You did do that, Meehaul," replied Nell, "an' I know it; but what 'ud you think if he was so cut to the heart by your turnin' round upon his poverty, that he swore an oath to them that I could name, bindin' himself to bring your sister to a state of shame, in order to punish you for your words?
That 'ud be great glory over a faction that they hate." "Tut, woman, he daren't swear such an oath; or, if he swore it fifty times over on his bare knees, he'd ate the stones off o' the pavement afore he'd dare to act upon it.