"
"Begad, Jemmy," said Cavanagh, "to tell you the truth, I haven't
nonsense enough to answer the last question at any rate; unless he
takes to speakin' common-sense I won't undhertake to hould any further
discourse wid him."
"Why will you continue," said his brother in a low voice, "to render
yourself liable to these strong rebuffs from plain people?"
"Well said, most vituline--_Solomon secundus_, well said."
"Hycy," said his mother, "you ought to remimber that every one didn't
get the edi cation you did--an' that ignorant people like your father and
Gerald Kavanagh there can't undhercomestand one-half o' what you say.
Sure they know nothing o' book-lamin', and why do you give it them?"
"Simply to move their metaphysics, Mrs. Burke. They are two of the most
notorious metaphysicians from this to themselves; but they don't possess
your powers of ratiocination, madam?"
"No," replied his father; "nayther are we sich judges of horseflesh,
Hycy."
Hycy made him a polite bow, and replied, "One would think that joke
is pretty well worn by this time, Mr. Burke. Couldn't you strike out
something original now?"
"All I can say is," replied the father, "that the joke has betther
bottom than the garran it was made upon."
Edward now arose and left the parlor, evidently annoyed at the empty
ribaldry of his brother, and in a few minutes Hycy mounted his horse and
rode towards Ballymacan.
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