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1When the Scotch House closed they went round to Mulligan's. They went into the parlour at the back and O'Halloran
2ordered small hot specials all round. They were all beginning to feel mellow. Farrington was just standing another round
3when Weathers came back. Much to Farrington's relief he drank a glass of bitter this time. Funds were getting low but
4they had enough to keep them going. Presently two young women with big hats and a young man in a check suit came in and
5sat at a table close by. Weathers saluted them and told the company that they were out of the Tivoli. Farrington's eyes
6wandered at every moment in the direction of one of the young women. There was something striking in her appearance. An
7immense scarf of peacock-blue muslin was wound round her hat and knotted in a great bow under her chin; and she wore
8bright yellow gloves, reaching to the elbow. Farrington gazed admiringly at the plump arm which she moved very often and
9with much grace; and when, after a little time, she answered his gaze he admired still more her large dark brown eyes.
10The oblique staring expression in them fascinated him. She glanced at him once or twice and, when the party was leaving
11the room, she brushed against his chair and said "O, pardon!" in a London accent. He watched her leave the room in the
12hope that she would look back at him, but he was disappointed. He cursed his want of money and cursed all the rounds he
13had stood, particularly all the whiskies and Apollinaris which he had stood to Weathers. If there was one thing that he
14hated it was a sponge. He was so angry that he lost count of the conversation of his friends. When Paddy Leonard called
15him he found that they were talking about feats of strength. Weathers was showing his biceps muscle to the company and
16boasting so much that the other two had called on Farrington to uphold the national honour. Farrington pulled up his
17sleeve accordingly and showed his biceps muscle to the company. The two arms were examined and compared and finally it
18was agreed to have a trial of strength. The table was cleared and the two men rested their elbows on it, clasping hands.
19When Paddy Leonard said "Go!" each was to try to bring down the other's hand on to the table. Farrington looked very
20serious and determined. The trial began. After about thirty seconds Weathers brought his opponent's hand slowly down on
21to the table. Farrington's dark wine-coloured face flushed darker still with anger and humiliation at having been
22defeated by such a stripling. "You're not to put the weight of your body behind it. Play fair," he said. "Who's not
23playing fair?" said the other. "Come on again. The two best out of three." The trial began again. The veins stood out on
24Farrington's forehead, and the pallor of Weathers' complexion changed to peony. Their hands and arms trembled under the
25stress. After a long struggle Weathers again brought his opponent's hand slowly on to the table. There was a murmur of
26applause from the spectators. The curate, who was standing beside the table, nodded his red head towards the victor and
27said with stupid familiarity: "Ah! that's the knack!" "What the hell do you know about it?" said Farrington fiercely,
28turning on the man. "What do you put in your gab for?" "Sh, sh!" said O'Halloran, observing the violent expression of
29Farrington's face. "Pony up, boys. We'll have just one little smahan more and then we'll be off." A very sullen-faced
30man stood at the corner of O'Connell Bridge waiting for the little Sandymount tram to take him home. He was full of
31smouldering anger and revengefulness. He felt humiliated and discontented; he did not even feel drunk; and he had only
32twopence in his pocket. He cursed everything. He had done for himself in the office, pawned his watch, spent all his
33money; and he had not even got drunk. He began to feel thirsty again and he longed to be back again in the hot reeking
34public-house. He had lost his reputation as a strong man, having been defeated twice by a mere boy. His heart swelled
35with fury and, when he thought of the woman in the big hat who had brushed against him and said Pardon! his fury nearly
36choked him. His tram let him down at Shelbourne Road and he steered his great body along in the shadow of the wall of
37the barracks. He loathed returning to his home. When he went in by the side-door he found the kitchen empty and the
38kitchen fire nearly out. He bawled upstairs: "Ada! Ada!" His wife was a little sharp-faced woman who bullied her husband
39when he was sober and was bullied by him when he was drunk. They had five children. A little boy came running down the
40stairs. "Who is that?" said the man, peering through the darkness. "Me, pa." "Who are you? Charlie?" "No, pa. Tom."
41"Where's your mother?" "She's out at the chapel." "That's right.... Did she think of leaving any dinner for me?" "Yes,
42pa. I----" "Light the lamp. What do you mean by having the place in darkness? Are the other children in bed?" The man
43sat down heavily on one of the chairs while the little boy lit the lamp. He began to mimic his son's flat accent, saying
44half to himself: "At the chapel. At the chapel, if you please!" When the lamp was lit he banged his fist on the table
45and shouted: "What's for my dinner?" "I'm going ... to cook it, pa," said the little boy. The man jumped up furiously
46and pointed to the fire. "On that fire! You let the fire out! By God, I'll teach you to do that again!" He took a step
47to the door and seized the walking-stick which was standing behind it. "I'll teach you to let the fire out!" he said,
48rolling up his sleeve in order to give his arm free play. The little boy cried "O, pa!" and ran whimpering round the
49table, but the man followed him and caught him by the coat. The little boy looked about him wildly but, seeing no way of
50escape, fell upon his knees. "Now, you'll let the fire out the next time!" said the man striking at him vigorously with
51the stick. "Take that, you little whelp!" The boy uttered a squeal of pain as the stick cut his thigh. He clasped his
52hands together in the air and his voice shook with fright. "O, pa!" he cried. "Don't beat me, pa! And I'll ... I'll say
53a Hail Mary for you.... I'll say a Hail Mary for you, pa, if you don't beat me.... I'll say a Hail Mary...." CLAY The
54matron had given her leave to go out as soon as the women's tea was over and Maria looked forward to her evening out.
55The kitchen was spick and span: the cook said you could see yourself in the big copper boilers. The fire was nice and
56bright and on one of the side-tables were four very big barmbracks. These barmbracks seemed uncut; but if you went
57closer you would see that they had been cut into long thick even slices and were ready to be handed round at tea. Maria
58had cut them herself. Maria was a very, very small person indeed but she had a very long nose and a very long chin. She
59talked a little through her nose, always soothingly: "Yes, my dear," and "No, my dear." She was always sent for when the
60women quarrelled over their tubs and always succeeded in making peace. One day the matron had said to her: "Maria, you
61are a veritable peace-maker!" And the sub-matron and two of the Board ladies had heard the compliment. And Ginger Mooney
62was always saying what she wouldn't do to the dummy who had charge of the irons if it wasn't for Maria. Everyone was so
63fond of Maria. The women would have their tea at six o'clock and she would be able to get away before seven. From
64Ballsbridge to the Pillar, twenty minutes; from the Pillar to Drumcondra, twenty minutes; and twenty minutes to buy the
65things. She would be there before eight. She took out her purse with the silver clasps and read again the words A
66Present from Belfast. She was very fond of that purse because Joe had brought it to her five years before when he and
67Alphy had gone to Belfast on a Whit-Monday trip. In the purse were two half-crowns and some coppers. She would have five
68shillings clear after paying tram fare. What a nice evening they would have, all the children singing! Only she hoped
69that Joe wouldn't come in drunk. He was so different when he took any drink.
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