The Return of the O'Mahony: A NovelFrederic, Harold
History
The Return of the O'Mahony: A Novel
Frederic, Harold
Deception -- Fiction; Ireland -- Fiction; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Desertions -- Fiction
When, an hour or so after their arrival, The O’Mahony emerged from the
lawyers’ office the waiting Jerry scarcely knew him for the same man.
The black felt hat, which had been pulled down over his brows, rested
with easy confidence now well back on his head; his gray eyes twinkled
with a pleasant light; the long face had lost its drawn lines and
saturnine expression, and reflected content instead.
“Come along somewhere where we can get a drink,” he said to Jerry; but
stopped before they had taken a dozen steps, attracted by the sign and
street-show of a second-hand clothing shop. “Or no,” he said, “come
in here first, and I’ll kind o’ spruce you up a bit so’t you can pass
muster in society.”
When they came upon the street again, it was Jerry who was even more
strikingly metamorphosed. The captious eye of one whose soul is in
clothes might have discerned that the garments he now wore had not been
originally designed for Jerry. The sleeves of the coat were a trifle
long; the legs of the trousers just a suspicion short. But the smile
with which he surveyed the passing reflections of his improved image in
the shop-windows was all his own. He strode along jauntily, carrying the
heavy bags as if they had been mere featherweight parcels.
The two made their way to a small tavern near the quays, which Jerry
knew of, and where The O’Mahony ordered a room, with a fire in it, and a
comfortable meal to be laid therein at once.
“Sure, it’s not becomin’ that I should ate along wid your honor,” Jerry
remonstrated, when they had been left alone in the dingy little chamber,
overlooking the street and the docks beyond.
At this protest The O’Mahony lifted his brows in unaffected surprise.
“What’s the matter with _you?_” he asked, half-derisively; and no more
was said on the subject.
No more was said on any subject, for that matter, until fish had
succeeded soup, and the waiter was making ready for a third course. Then
the founder of the feast said to this menial:
“See here, you, don’t play this on me! Jest tote in whatever more you’ve
got, an’ put er down, an’ git out. We don’t want you bobbin’ in here
every second minute, all the afternoon.”
The waiter, with an aggrieved air, brought in presently a tray loaded
with dishes, which he plumped down all over The O’Mahony’s half of the
table.
“That’s somethin’ like it,” said that gentleman, approvingly; “you’ll
get the hang of your business in time, young man,” as the servant left
the room. Then he heaped up Jerry’s plate and his own, ruminated over a
mouthful or two, with his eyes searching the other’s face--and began to
speak.
“Do you know what made me take a shine to you?” he asked, and then made
answer: “’Twas on account of your dodrotted infernal cheek. It made me
laugh--an’ I’d got so it seemed as if I wasn’t never goin’ to laugh any
more. That’s why I cottoned to you--an’ got a notion you was jest the
kind o’ fellow I wanted. D’ye know who I am?”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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