Grania was the first to pull herself away, and she did it furiously. The very touch of the old creature was like the touch of a toad or a spider to her--it sent a shiver of disgust through her whole body. She turned angrily, her arm was up, she was about to strike. She stopped short, however, at sight of the crooked, diminutive body and grinning monkey-face before her. Old Biddy, on her side, bobbed, ducked, and chattered, blinking her eyes, a little frightened evidently, yet proud, too, and pleased by her own successful piece of mischief. Grania, thereupon, swept round upon Teige. _Someone_ should be responsible--_someone_ should be made to pay for the insult! Teige was standing in the same place beside the loom, his face red as a lobster, as red as his hair, but his eyes shining--shining as they had probably never shone in his life before. The poor, ill-favoured _boccach_ was for the moment transfigured. Grania stared at him in sheer astonishment. What did he mean? What was he staring at? What on earth possessed him? She felt confused and startled. Something was passing through her, a sudden impression, she did not as yet know what it was, but it was something new--something at once new and disturbing--something that meant---- What, she asked herself confusedly, _did_ it mean? With a sudden, angry clutch she swept up her shawl which was lying on the floor, and, without another word, ran out of the cabin down the steep bit of pathway which led to the narrow causeway, now narrower than ever from the fast encroaching tide. Lame as he was, Teige, being nearer to the door, contrived to scramble after her, and caught her up just as she reached the other side. ‘Auch, Grania! Grania O’Malley!--’tisn’t angry you’d be with one who hasn’t the sense of life in her at all, at all?’ he cried deprecatingly--‘a creature that can’t speak with her tongue, nor hear with her ears, nor understand, nor a thing! What is she but a poor old lost one out and out, old Biddy, God help her! Sure, Grania O’Malley, ’tisn’t yourself would turn upon such a one as that? Arrah, I know you wouldn’t.’ But Grania was not to be reasoned with. She pulled her hand furiously away, almost pushing him down the rocks in her anger. What did he mean by trying to stop her? what did he mean by staring at her? what did he mean by----? Had they all gone mad to-day--herself into the bargain? Why did he look at her like that?--look at her as no one else had ever--why did he--why did she----? Her head spun round; she hurried on.