On looking around him, he descended a flight of stone steps
that led to the fireplace or the kiln or opening in which the fuel used
to dry the grain was always burned. This corner, which was eight or ten
feet below the other portion of the floor, being, in general, during the
summer months filled with straw, received the drowsy pedagogue, who, in
a few minutes, was as sound asleep as any of them about him.
Hycy, who was conscious of his good figure, danced two or three times
afterwards.
Dora M'Mahon had the honor of being his partner, as had one or two of
the best looking girls present. At the close of the last dance he looked
significantly at the Hogans, and nodded towards the door; after which it
might have been observed, that they slunk out one at a time, followed in
a few minutes by Kate Hycy, after some further chat with Gerald Cavanagh
and his wife, threw half a crown to Mickey M'Grory, and in his usual
courteous phraseology, through which there always ran, by the way, a vein
of strong irony, he politely wished them all a good night.
CHAPTER VIII.--Anonymous Letter with a Name to It
--Finigan's Dialogue with Hycy
The severest tax upon Hycy's powers of invention was, in consequence of
his habits of idleness, to find means of occupying his time. Sometimes,
it is true, he condescended to oversee the men while at work, but
there it was generally found that so far from keeping them to their
employment, he was a considerable drawback upon their industry.
Pages:
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138