Begone, sir, I despise and detest you--until this moment, I looked upon and treated you as a fool, but I now find you are a villain--begone, I say; I scorn and defy you." "You defy me, do you ?" "Yes, I have said it, I defy you." "Well, then, so be it," he replied, "you must take the consequences, that's all, and let your favorite, M'Carthy, look to himself too." Having uttered these significant words, ha reentered the double ditch, along which a common pathway went, and in a minute or two was out of sight.
Mary, on her return, at once perceived, by the flushed cheek and kindled eye of her sister, that something had discomposed her.

"Why, goodness me, dear Julia, you look disturbed or frightened; what is the matter ?" "Disturbed I am," she replied, "but not at all frightened.

This worthy lover of mine, whom nothing can abash, has honored me with another interview." "Is it after the scene between him and my brother to-day ?" "Certainly," she replied, with a smile, for she now began once more to look upon the matter in a ludicrous point of view, "and has threatened not only myself, but the whole family with destruction, unless I favor his addresses--ha! ha! ha! He has one good quality in a lover, at all events--perseverance." "Say rather effrontery and impudence," replied Mary.
"Yes, I admit that," said her sister; "but at any rate, they very often go together, I believe." She then related the dialogue that took place, at which her sister, who was equally remarkable for courage, only laughed.
"The fellow after all is only a fool," she observed.

"If he were anything else, or if he had any serious intention of carrying such threats into effect, he most assuredly would not give expression to them, or put you on your guard against them.

No, he is only a fool and not worth thinking about: let him go." They then proceeded to the cabin of poor Widow Cleary, to whom they administered the medicine with their own hands, and to whose children they brought their mother's orders to attend the house, that they might be relieved with that comfortable food which their destitute circumstances so much required.
On their return home, the relation of the incident which we have just narrated very much amused the family, with the exception of M'Carthy, who expressed himself not quite at ease after having heard English's threats.