"Well," said he, when she returned, "now for the answer; and before you
give it, think of the comfort you'll have with him--how fine and nicely
furnished his house is--he has carpets upon the rooms, ay, an' upon my
sounds, on the very stairs itself! faix it's you that will be in state.
Now, acushla, let us hear your answer."
"It's very short, father; I won't have him."
"Won't have him! and in the name of all that's unbiddable and undutiful,
who will you have, if one may ax that, or do you intend, to have any one
at all, or not?"
"Let me see," she said, putting the side of her forefinger to her lips,
"what day is this? Thursday. Well, then, on this day month, father, I'll
tell my mother who I'll have, or, at any rate, who I'd wish to have;
but, in the mean time, nobody need ask me anything further about it till
then, for I won't give any other information on the subject."
The father looked very seriously into the fire for a considerable time,
and was silent; he then drew his breath lengthily, tapped the table a
little with his fingers, and exclaimed--"A month! well, the time will
pass, and, as we must wait, why we must, that's all."
Matters lay in this state until the third day before the expiration
of the appointed time, when Margaret, having received from Art secret
intelligence of his return, hastened to a spot agreed upon between them,
that they might consult each other upon what ought to be done under
circumstances so critical.
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