Chapter XII

Och, the world gave a reel; och, the words meant no more than the thunderclaps mane,
Thro’ the roar in me ears, till I saw thim black sods that were soft wid the rain
All fresh thrampled, an’ scrawmed on the edge were the prints left where somewan had gript
For dear life wid his fingers--God help him whin heavy he grew, an’ they slipt,
And he dug his nails hard--an’ they slipt. An’ in Nelly’s own bit of a hand,
That I’d caught, was a scrap o’ gold lace; an’ his cap wid its bright-shinin’ band
Hung there waved on a brier; but the wather lay smooth. An’ sez I: ‘In God’s name,
What was that ye said, Nelly?’ An’ sez she: ‘’Twas but now; he was here whin I came.
An’ sez he, whin the rain-dhrops began: “Now the fine weather’s broke, I’ll be sworn,
But it’s lasted as long as me leave, for I’m off to the Curragh the morn.”
So sez I: “Is it that soon ye’ll be goin’?” An’ sez he: “Sure, if longer I’d stay,
What at all would the wife there be doin’? She’d think that I’d scooted away;
Och, it’s ragin’ she’d be like the mischief. But, Nelly,” sez he, “wife or no,
Ye’re the purtiest girl I e’er seen, an’ ye’ll give me a kiss ere I go.”
But I pushed him away, and I sez: “Ne’er a kiss ye’ll be gittin’ from me.”
An’ I turned to run home, an’ the sky’d grown so dark that I scarcely could see.
Thin he tuk a step back--sure belike he forgot he stood close to the bank--
An’ he fell, an’ he held to the edge, but he dhropped in the wather an’ sank.
An’ he’s dhrownin’--leave go o’ me, Jimmy--ye stookawn--I’d aisy jump down--
It’s your fau’t if ye hinder me savin’ him--your doin’ for lettin’ him dhrown,
That’s me sweetheart. Och, Felix,’ sez she, ‘I’d give body an’ sowl for your life,
Felix darlint.’ I knew it afore, yet to hear her seemed twistin’ a knife
That was stuck in me heart. But I held her the closer. I’ve learnt since I’ve thried
How a man can hold Heaven an’ Hell in wan grip. Thin most piteous she cried,
An’ she snatched her two hands out o’ mine to her throat, an’ seemed gaspin’ for breath,
An’ her head dhrooped aside, an’ she lay in me arms like the image o’ death.