Feemy didn't quite like all this--it was a corroboration of what her brother had said; for though the Captain had certainly promised to marry her, he had never thought it necessary to ask her. She knew the matter did not rest on a proper footing; and though she was hardly aware of it, she felt the indignity of the probability of being jilted being talked over by such persons as Pat Brady. "Your brother, Mary, might have saved himself the throuble of telling lies about either the Captain or me; not of course that I care." "Oh! it warn't Pat, Miss, said it, only he heard it you know, Miss, through the counthry." "Well, it don't signify who said it, but don't you be repeating what I told you." "Is it I, Miss? Sorrow a word, Miss, will any one hear from me av it. Would I tell a lie about it? But I'll be glad to see the day you're married, for that'll be the great wedding through the counthry.--Oh laws!" This exclamation was not a part of the last speech, but was a kind of long-drawn, melancholy sigh, which did not take place for some minute or two after she had done speaking, during which time Feemy had been thinking of her own affairs, quite forgetful of Mary Brady and her wedding. "My! Mary, what are you sighing about?" "Well then, Miss Feemy, and isn't it a dreadful thing to be laving one's home, and one's frinds like, and to be going right away into another house intirely, Miss; and altogether the thoughts of what is the married life at all frets me greatly." "Why, you needn't be married unless you like it, Mary." "Oh! Miss Feemy, that's in course too; but then a young woman is behove to do something for her family." "But you haven't a family, you know, Mary, now." "No, but Miss Feemy alanna, you know the chances is I shall have now I'm to be married; and it's for them, the little innocents, I does it." The strength of this argument did not exactly strike Feemy, but she thought it was all right, and said nothing. "And then the throubles of a married life, darling,--supposing them is too many for me, what'll I do at all? I wonder, Miss Feemy, will I get any sleep at all?" "Indeed, Mary, I was never married; but why shouldn't you sleep?" "'Deed then, Miss, I don't jist know, but they do be saying that Denis is so noisy at nights, a-shoeing all the cattle over again as he shod in the day, and counting the money; and you see, av he was hammering away the blessed live-long night that way, maybe I'd be hurted." "It's too late for you to think of that now; but he'll be quieter than that, I should think, when you're with him." "Maybe he will, Miss; and as you say, I couldn't dacently be off it now. But thin--oh laws!--I'm thinking what will poor Pat be doing without me, and no one in it at all to bile the pratees and feed the pigs--the craturs!" "That's nonsense, Mary--you and he was always fighting; he'll have more peace in it when you're gone."