Oh,
my God, an' what will we do--what will we do!"
This anecdote told by the sorrowing husband was indeed inexpressingly
affecting. Bryan, who had collected all his firmness with a hope of
being able to sustain his father, was so much overpowered by this
circumstance that, after two or three ineffectual attempts to soothe
him, he was himself fairly overcome, and yielded for the moment to
bitter tears, whilst the whole family broke out into one general
outburst, of sorrow, accompanied in many cases by the spectators, who
were not proof against the influence of so natural and touching an
incident.
Their neighbors and friends, in the meantime, were pouring in fast
from all directions. Jemmy Burke and his wife--the latter ridiculously
over-dressed--drove there upon their jaunting-car, which was considered
a great compliment, followed soon afterwards by Hycy and Harry Clinton
on horse-back. Gerald Cavanagh and his family also came, with the
exception of Kathleen and Hanna, who were, however, every moment
expected. The schoolmaster having finished the _De Profundis_, was,
as is usual, treated to glass of whiskey--a circumstance which just
advanced him to such a degree of fluency and easy assurance as was
necessary properly to develop the peculiarities of his character. Having
witnessed Bryan's failure at consolation, attended as it was by the
clamorous grief of the family, he deemed it his duty, especially as
he had just taken some part in the devotions, to undertake the task in
which Bryan had been so unsuccessful.
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