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           Therestatetheirsupperincarefulsilenceandescapedupstairsassoonastheycould,Paddyreluctantlyfollowing.Tohim,hisreligionwasawarmthandaconsolation;buttotherestofhisfamilyitwassomethingrootedinfear,ado-it-or-thou-shalt-be-damnedcompulsion.

           Whentheyhadgone,FatherRalphstretchedoutinhisfavoritechair,staringatthefire,smokingacigaretteandsmiling.Inhismind’seyehewaspassingtheClearysinreview,ashehadfirstseenthemfromthestationyard.ThemansolikeMary,butbowedwithhardworkandveryobviouslynotofhermaliciousdisposition;hisweary,beautifulwife,wholookedasifsheoughttohavedescendedfromalandauletdrawnbymatchedwhitehorses;darkandsurlyFrank,withblackeyes,blackeyes;thesons,mostofthemliketheirfather,buttheyoungestone,Stuart,verylikehismother,he’dbeahandsomemanwhenhegrewup;impossibletotellwhatthebabywouldbecome;andMeggie.Thesweetest,themostadorablelittlegirlhehadeverseen;hairofacolorwhichdefieddescription,notredandnotgold,aperfectfusionofboth.Andlookingupathimwithsilver-greyeyesofsuchalambentpurity,likemeltedjewels.Shrugging,hethrewthecigarettestubintothefireandgottohisfeet.Hewasgettingfancifulinhisoldage;meltedjewels,indeed!Morelikelyhisowneyeswerecomingdownwiththesandyblight.

           InthemorninghedrovehisovernightgueststoDrogheda,soinuredbynowtothelandscapethathederivedgreatamusementfromtheircomments.