Who ever defended the
absent?--why, Bryan M'Mahon. Who ever and always took the part of the
weak and defenceless against the strong and tyrannical?--why, Bryan
M'Mahon. Who fought for his religion, too, when the young heretics used
to turn it, or try to turn it, into ridicule--ay, and when cowardly and
traicherous Hycy used to sit quietly by, and either put the insult in
his pocket, or curry favor wid the young sneering vagabonds that abused
it? And yet, at the time Hycy was a thousand times a greater little
bigot than Bryan. The one, wid a juvenile rabble at his back, three to
one, was a tyrant over the young schismatics; whilst Bryan, like a brave
youth as he was, ever and always protected them against the disadvantage
of numbers, and insisted on showing them fair play. I am warm, Mrs.
Cavanagh," he continued, "and heat, you know, generates thirst. I know
that a drop o' the right sort used to be somewhere undher this same
roof; but I'm afraid if the _fama clamosa_ be thrue, that the side of
the argument I have taken isn't exactly such as to guarantee me a touch
at the native--that is, taking it for granted that there's any in the
house."
This request was followed by a short silence. The Cavanagh's all, with
the exception of Kathleen, looked at each other, but every eye was
marked either by indecision or indifference.
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