"Why, that the parsons, an' all belonging to them, is to die of family
prostitution for their sins!"

"Devil's cure to them, then, for they desarve it--at least many of them
does, anyhow," says one segment.

"Faith, an' I don't know that either," says another segment. "The
parsons, bad as they're spoken of, was, for the most part, willin' to
live among us; and, begad, you all know that they're kind friends and
good neighbors, an' that the money they get out of the parish comes back
into the parish agin--not all as one as absentee landlords. They give
employment as far as they're able, an' thar's no doubt but their wives
and daughters does a great dale of good among the poor, and so, begad,
does the parsons themselves often."

"Who is that wiseecre that spoke last?" asked the Buck; "if I don't
misteek he leebors with Dennis Purcel, the procter."

"Ay, an' a very good masther he is," replied the spokesman of the
segment; "gives plenty of employment anyhow--although the pay's no great
shakes--an' that's more than some that abuses him does."

"There's no one aboosin' him here, my good friend, so don't imegine
it--at leest I should be extremely sorry to do so. I respect himself and
his family in a very elevated manner, I assoore you. An' what's more, my
friend, I'll thank you to report to him that I said so."

Here he looked significantly among the mob, especially as he perceived
that the man's eyes were not fixed upon him whilst he spoke, and having