_Teag._ That’s what I did, beat them all to their own contentment, but there was one of them stronger than me, who would have killed me, if the other two had not pulled me away, and I had to run for it, till his passion was over, then they made us drink and gree again; we shook hands, and made a bargain, never to harm other more; but this bargain did not last long, for, as I was kissing his mouth, by shaint Patrick, I bit his nose, which caused him to beat me very sore for my pains. _Tom._ Well Paddy, what calling was you when in Scotland? _Teag._ Why sir, I was no business at all, but what do you call the green tree that’s like a whin bush, people makes a thing to sweep the house of it! _Tom._ O yes, Paddy, they call it the broom. _Teag._ Ay, ay, you have it, I was a gentleman’s broom, only waited on his horses, and washed the dishes for the cook: and when my master rode a hunting, I went behind with the dogs. _Tom._ O yes, Paddy, it was the groom you mean. But I fancy you was cook’s mate, or kitchen boy. _Teag._ No, no, it was the broom that I was, and if I had staid there till now, I might have been advanced as high as my master, for the ladies loved me so well, that they laughed at me. _Tom._ They might admire you for a fool. _Teag._ What sir, do you imagine that I am not a fool? no, no, my master asked counsel of me in all his matters, and I always give him a reason for every thing: I told him one morning, that he went too soon to the hunting, that the hares were not got out of their beds, and neither the barking of horns, nor the blowing of dogs could make them rise, it was such a cold morning that night; so they all ran away that we catched, when we did not see them. Then my master told my words to several gentlemen that were at dinner with him, and they admired me for want of judgment, for my head was all of a lump: adding, they were going a-fishing along with my master and me in the afternoon; but I told them that it was a very unhappy thing for any man to go a hunting in the morning, and a fishing in the afternoon; they would try it, but they had better staid at home, for it came on a most terrible fine night of south west rain, and even down wind; so the fishes got all below the water to keep themselves dry from the shower, and we catched them all but got none. _Tom._ How long did you serve that gentleman, Paddy? _Teag._ Arra, dear honey, I was with him six weeks, and he beat me seven times. _Tom._ For what did he beat you? was it for your madness and foolish tricks?