Darby never since could raymember whether this time was before the flood or afther the flood. Bridget said it was durin’ the flood, but surely that sayin’ was nonsinse.
Howsumever, Darby knew his Uncle Wullum was right, for he often felt in himself the signs of greatness. And now as he sat alone on the grass he said out loud:
“If I had me rights I’d be doing nothing all day long but sittin’ on a throne, an’ playin’ games of forty-five with the Lord Liftenant an’ some of me generals. There never was a lord that likes good ating or dhrinking betther nor I, or who hates worse to get up airly in the morning. That last disloike I’m tould is a great sign entirely of gentle blood the worruld over,” says he.
As for the wife’s people, the O’Hagans an’ the O’Shaughnessys, well—they were no great shakes, he said to himself, at laste so far as looks were consarned. All the handsomeness in Darby’s childher came from his own side of the family. Even Father Cassidy said the childher took afther the O’Gills.
“If I were rich,” said Darby, to a lazy ould bumble-bee who was droning an’ tumbling in front of him,
