"Sahib," sez he, "there's a rig'mint an' a half av soldiers up at the
junction, knockin' red cinders out av ivrything an' ivrybody! They
thried to hang me in my cloth," he sez, "an' there will be murder an'
ruin an' rape in the place before nightfall! They say they're comin'
down here to wake us up. What will we do wid our women-folk?"
'"Fetch my throlly!" sez I; "my heart's sick in my ribs for a wink at
anything wid the Quane's uniform on ut. Fetch my throlly, an' six av
the jildiest men, and run me up in shtyle.'"
'He tuk his best coat,' said Dinah Shadd reproachfully.
''Twas to do honour to the Widdy. I cud ha' done no less, Dinah Shadd.
You and your digresshins interfere wid the coorse av the narrative.
Have you iver considhered fwhat I wud look like wid me _head_ shaved
as well as my chin? You bear that in your mind, Dinah darlin'.
'I was throllied up six miles, all to get a shquint at that draf'. I
_knew_ 'twas a spring draf' goin' home, for there's no rig'mint
hereabouts, more's the pity.'
'Praise the Virgin!' murmured Dinah Shadd. But Mulvaney did not hear.
'Whin I was about three-quarters av a mile off the rest-camp, powtherin'
along fit to burrst, I heard the noise av the men an', on my sowl,
Sorr, I cud catch the voice av Peg Barney bellowin' like a bison wid
the belly-ache.
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