“My good neighbor,” said he to Mrs. Sullivan, “what strange woman is this, who has thrown the parish into such a ferment?  I’m told she paid you a visit?  Pray sit down.”

“I humbly thank your Reverence,” said Mary, curtseying lowly, “but I’d rather not sit, sir, if you plase.  I hope I know what respect manes, your Reverence.  Barny Bradagh, I’ll thank you to stand up, if you plase, an’ his Reverence to the fore, Barny.”

“I ax your Reverence’s pardon, an’ yours, too, Mrs. Sullivan:  sure we didn’t mane the disrespect, any how, sir, plase your Reverence.”

“About this woman, and the Lianhan Shee?” said the priest, without noticing Barny’s apology.  “Pray what do you precisely understand by a Lianhan Shee?”

“Why, sir,” replied Mary, “some sthrange bein’ from the good people, or fairies, that sticks to some persons.  There’s a bargain, sir, your Reverence, made atween thim; an’ the divil, sir, that is, the ould boy—­the saints about us!—­has a hand in it.  The Lianhan Shee, your Reverence, is never seen only by thim it keeps wid; but—­hem!—­it always, with the help of the ould boy, conthrives, sir, to make the person brake the agreement, an’ thin it has thim in its power; but if they don’t brake the agreement, thin it’s in their power.  If they can get any body to put in their place, they may get out o’ the bargain; for they can, of a sartainty, give oceans o’ money to people, but can’t take any themselves, plase your Reverence.  But sure, where’s the use o’ me to be tellin’ your Reverence what you know betther nor myself?—­an’ why shouldn’t you, or any one that has the power you have?”

He smiled again at this in his own peculiar manner, and was proceeding to inquire more particularly into the nature of the interview between them, when the noise of feet, and sounds of general alarm, accompanied by a rush of people into the house, arrested his attention, and he hastily inquired into the cause of the commotion.  Before he could receive a reply, however, the house was almost crowded; and it was not without considerable difficulty, that, by the exertions of Mrs. Sullivan and Bartley, sufficient order and quiet were obtained to hear distinctly what was said.

“Plase your Reverence,” said several voices at once, “they’re comin’, hot-foot, into the very house to us!  Was ever the likes seen! an’ they must know right well, sir, that you’re widin in it.”

“Who are coming?” he inquired.  “Why the woman, sir, an’ her good pet, the Lianhan Shee, your Reverence.”

“Well,” said he, “but why should you all appear so blanched with terror?  Let her come in, and we shall see how far she is capable of injuring her fellow-creatures:  some maniac,” he muttered, in a low soliloquy, “whom the villany of the world has driven into derangement—­some victim to a hand like m——.  Well, they say there is a Providence, yet such things are permitted!”