"You are the only unmarried girl we have left now," he said, "and surely
you ought neither to be too proud nor too saucy to refuse such a match
as Mark Hanratty--a young man in as thrivin' a business as there is in
all Ballykeerin; hasn't he a good shop, good business, and a good back
of friends in the country that will stand to him, an' only see how he
has thruv these last couple o' years. What's come over you at all? or do
you ever intend to marry? you have refused every one for so far widout
either rhyme or raison. Why, Peggy, what father's timper could stand
this work?"
"Ha, ha, ha! like raipin' hooks, father--an' so the little red rogue
couldn't bear that? well, at all events, the comparison's a good
one--sorra better; ha, ha, ha--reapin' hooks!"
"Is that the answer you have for me?"
"Answer!" said Margaret, feigning surprise, "what about?"
"About Mark Hanmity."
"Well, but sure if he's fond of me, hell have no objection to wait."
"Ay, but if he does wait, will you have him?"
"I didn't promise that, and, at any rate, I'd not like to be a
shopkeeper's wife."
"Why not?"
"Why, he'd be puttin' me behind the counter, and you know I'd be too
handsome for that; sure, there's Thogue Nugent that got the handsome
wife from Dublin, and of a fair, or market-day, for one that goes in to
buy anything, there goes ten in to look at her.
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