“‘I think,’ said, she to Jack, with one of her own sweet smiles, ’that this is an odd way of performing your task.’

“’Och, thin, ‘tis you that may say that,’ replies Jack; ’but it’s myself that’s willing to have my head hung up any day, just for one sight of you, you darling.’

“‘Where did you come from?’ asked the lady, with another smile that bate the first all to nothing.

“‘Where did I come from, is it?’ answered Jack; ’why, death-alive! did you never hear of ould Ireland, my jewel!—­hem—­I mane, plase your ladyship’s honor.’

“‘No,’ she answered; ‘where is that country?’

“‘Och, by the honor of an Irishman,’ says Jack, ’that takes the shine!—­not heard of Erin—­the Imerald Isle—­the Jim of the ocean, where all the men are brave and honorable, and all the women—­hem—­I mane the ladies—­chaste and beautiful?’

“‘No,’ said she; ’not a word:  but if I stay longer I may get you blame—­come in to your breakfast, and I’m sorry to find that you have done so little at your task.  Your roaster’s a man that always acts up to what he threatens:  and, if you have not this stable cleared out before dusk, your head will be taken of your shoulders this night.’

“‘Why, thin,’ says Jack, ’my beautiful darl—­plase your honor’s ladyship—­if he Dangs it up, will you do me the favor, acushla machree, to turn my head toardst that same panel where I saw a sartin fair face that I won’t mintion:  and if you do, let me alone for watching a sartin purty face I’m acquainted with.’

“’What means cushla machree? inquired the lady, as she turned to go away.

“’It manes that you’re the pulse of my heart, avourneen, plase your ladyship’s Reverence,’ says Jack.

“‘Well,’ said the lovely crathur, ’any time you speak to me in future, I would rather you would omit terms of honor, and just call me after the manner of your own country; instead, for instance, of calling me your ladyship, I would be better pleased if you called me cushla—­something—­’ ’Cushla machree, ma vourneen—­the pulse of my heart—­my darling,’ said Jack, consthering it (the thief) for her, for fraid she wouldn’t know it well enough.

“‘Yes,’ she replied, ’cushla machree; well, as I can pronounce it, acushla machree, will you come in to your breakfast?’ said the darling, giving Jack a smile that would be enough, any day, to do up the heart of an Irishman.  Jack, accordingly, went after her, thinking of nothing except herself; but on going in he could see no sign of her, so he-sat down to his breakfast, though a single ounce, barring a couple of pounds of beef, the poor fellow couldn’t ate, at that bout, for’ thinking of her.