"
The turnkey brought him down to the yard, where he immediately
recognized Phelim as an old friend, shook hands with him, and addressed
him by his name.
"Bad luck to you," said Phelim in Irish, "is this a place to welcome
your friends to!"
"There is some mystery here," said the jailer. "I suppose the fact is,
that this fellow returned a wrong name to Mr. S., and that that accounts
for the name of Arthur Maguire being in the letter."
All Phelim's attempts to extricate himself were useless. He gave them
the proper version of the letter affair with Fool Art, but without
making the slightest impression. The jailer desired him to be locked up.
"Divil fire you all, you villains!" exclaimed Phelim, "is it goin' to put
me in crib ye are for no rason in life? Doesn't the whole parish
know that I was never off o' my bed for the last three months, wid a
complaint I had, until widin two or three days agone!"
"There are two excellent motives for putting you in crib," said the
jailer; "but if you can prove that you have been confined to your bed so
long as you say, why it will be all the better for yourself. Go with the
turnkey."
"No, tarenation to the fut I'll go," said Phelim, "till I'm carried."
"Doesn't the gintleman identify you, you villain," replied one of the
turnkeys; "an' isn't the Square's letther in your favor?"
"Villain, is id!" exclaimed Phelim.
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