[The House by the Church-Yard by J. Sheridan Le Fanu]@TWC D-Link book
The House by the Church-Yard

CHAPTER LXXVIII
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Listen to me, the both o' yez--the leedy up stairs, the misthress iv this house, and widow of poor Charles Nutter--Mrs.Sally Nutther, I say--is well liked in the parish; an' if they get the wind o' the word, all I say 's this--so sure as you're found here houldin' wrongful possession of her house an' goods, the boys iv Palmerstown, Castleknock, and Chapelizod will pay yez a visit you won't like, and duck yez in the river, or hang yez together, like a pair of common robbers, as you unquestionably _are--not_,' he added, with a sudden sense of legal liability.
'Who's that ?' demanded the lynx-eyed lady, who saw Pat Moran cross the door in the shadow of the lobby.
'That's Mr.Moran, a most respectable and muscular man, come here to keep possession, Madam, for Mrs.Sally Nutther, our good friend and neighbour, Ma'am,' replied the priest.
'As you plase, Sir,' replied the attorney; 'you're tumblin' yourself and your friend into a nice predicament--as good a consthructive ousther, vi et armis, as my client could possibly desire.

Av coorse, Sir, we'll seek compensation in the regular way for this violent threspass; and we have you criminally, you'll obsarve, no less than civilly.' 'Now, look--onderstand me--don't affect to misteek, av you plase,' said the priest, not very clear or comfortable, for he had before had one or two brushes with the law, and the recollection was disagreeable: 'I--Mr.Moran--we're here, Sir--the both iv us, as you see--pacibly--and--and--all to that--and at the request of Mrs.Sally Nutther--mind that, too--at her special desire--an' I tell you what's more--if you make any row here--do you mind--I'll come down with the magisthrate an' the soldiers, an' lave it to them to dale with you accordin'-- mind ye--to law an' equity, civil, human, criminal, an' divine--an' make money o' that, ye--ye--mountain in labour--savin' your presence, Ma'am.' 'I thank you--that'll do, Sir,' said the lawyer, with a lazy chuckle.
'I'll now do myself the honour to make my compliments to Mrs.Sally Nutther,' said Father Roach, making a solemn bow to Mrs.Matchwell, who, with a shrill sneer, pursued him as he disappeared with-- 'The lady in the bed-room, your reverence ?' Whereat Dirty Davy renewed his wheezy chuckle.
Nothing daunted, the indignant divine stumped resolutely up stairs, and found poor Sally Nutter, to whose room he was joyfully admitted by honest Betty, who knew his soft honest brogue in a panic, the violence of which had almost superseded her grief.

So he consoled and fortified the poor lady as well as he could, and when she urged him to remain in the house all night.
'My dear Ma'am,' says he, lifting his hand and shaking his head, with closed eyes, 'you forget my ca_rac_ter.

Why, the house is full iv faymales.

My darlin' Mrs.Nutther, I--I couldn't enthertain sich an idaya; and, besides,' said he, with sudden energy, recollecting that the goose might be overdone, 'there's a religious duty, my dear Ma'am--the holy sacrament waitin'-- a pair to be married; but Pat Moran will keep them quiet till mornin,' and I'll be down myself to see you then.


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