The Collar Read Online Free

go in and repeat one of Tom’s jokes for the old man in his drawling powerful bass. The hens stepped daintily about the feet of the diners, poking officious heads between them, and rushing out the door with a flutter and shriek whenever they were hooshed at.
    â€˜Listen here to me,’ said Tom, with a look of mock concern at Niall. ‘Is that young fellow courting Delia Deignan?’
    â€˜Was he with Delia again?’ asked Maurice.
    â€˜He was. Is any of them married yet?’
    â€˜The Deignans? No.’
    â€˜Because I want to make a match for Ned with one of them. He’s not safe up there in Dublin by himself. Now, seriously, seriously, which of them will I make the match with?’
    â€˜Cait! Cait! Cait!’ shouted half a dozen voices, the deep voice of young Niall loudest of all.
    â€˜Well, now, Delia looks a smart little piece.’
    â€˜No, Cait! Cait! Delia isn’t the same since she went to a situation. Let him marry Cait!’
    â€˜Is she a quiet sort of girl?’
    â€˜She is, she is, she’s a grand girl!’
    Suddenly Sean rose and walked to the door with a grin.
    â€˜Damn well he knows she’s a quiet girl. No one else would have put up with him, the way he used to maul her.’
    Tom sat stiff with mock indignation while the whole gathering rocked. Niall rose and repeated the joke to the old man in the bed. The mauve tea-cosy shook; it was the only indication of the ancient’s amusement.
    4
    Before returning to the Caheraghs they decided to call at the Deignans ‘to choose a wife for Ned’, as Tom proclaimed. The purpose of the visit excited so much amusement and Tom was such a favourite that they had a following. Sean and two of the O’Donnell girls came as well. Niall preferred to remain at home.
    The Deignans’ house was on top of a hill over the road and commanded a view of the countryside for more than a mile on every side. They went to it up a winding muddy boreen whose walls of unmortared stone rose here and there against the sky like lacework. On their way they met another procession coming from a house some distance from the Deignans’. It was headed by the father and the island woman, arm in arm, and it numbered two locals as well as Dempsey and Red Patrick. Their father was already drunk. That was plain when he rushed forward to shake them both by the hand and ask how they were. In answer to Tom’s good-humoured queries he said that devil such honourable and kindly people as the people of Carriganassa were to be found in the whole created world, and that the O’Donnells were kings and sons of kings and you could see that same at a glance. He promised to be at the boat within twenty minutes. He had only one more call to make.
    They looked in over the Deignans’ half door. The kitchen was empty. It was a beautiful room, the woodwork and furniture painted a bright red-brown and the dresser shining with pretty ware. Over the fireplace was a row of caps and hats of different colours and sizes. They entered and began to look about them. Nothing was to be heard but the ticking of the cheap alarm clock over the fireplace. One of the O’Donnell girls began to giggle. Sean raised his voice.
    â€˜Is there anyone in?’
    There was silence for a moment. Then a quick step resounded upstairs and a girl descended at a run, drawing a knitted black shawl more tightly about her shoulders. She was perhaps twenty-eight or thirty with a narrow face and blue, nervous eyes. She stepped across the kitchen in an awkward manner, sideways, giving the customary greetings but without once raising her eyes.
    â€˜A hundred welcomes before you!… How are you?… ’Tis a fine day.’
    The same girl who had laughed first made herself objectionable again. Nora Deignan looked at her in surprise, nervously biting the tassel of her shawl.
    â€˜What is it?’
    â€˜Musha, stop your old antics and tell us where’s