Well，mydear，itwasaisyseentherewassomethingwrongavidBillyMalowney，forhepaidnoattintiontherestoftheeveningtoanysoartofdivarsionbutthewhiskyalone；an’everyglasshe’ddrinkit’swhathe’dbewishingthedivilhadthewomen，an’theworstivbadlucktoallsoartsivcourting，until，atlast，widthegoodnessivthesperits，an’thebadnessivhistemper，an’theconstantflusthrationivcursin’，hegrewallasoneasyoumightsayalmost，savingyourpresince，bastelydrunk!
Well，whoshouldhefallinwid，inthatchildishcondition，ashewasdeployingalongtheroadalmostasstraightastheletterS，an’cursin’thegirls，an’roarin’formorewhisky，buttherecruiting-sargentivtheWelshConfusileers。
So，cuteenough，thesargentbeginstoconvarsehim，an’itwasnotlonguntilhehadhimsittinginMurphy’spublic-house，widanelegantdandyivpunchbeforehim，an’theking’smoneysafean’snuginthelowestwrinkleofhisbreeches-pocket。
Soawaywidhim，andthedhrumsandfifesplaying，an’adozenmoreunforthunatebliggardsjustlistedalongwithhim，an’
heshakin’handswidthesargent，andswearin’aginthewomeneveryminute，until，bethetimehekemtohimself，begorra，hewasagoodtenmilesontheroadtoDublin，an’Mollyandallbehindhim。
Itidbenogoodtellin’youivthelettershewrotetoherfromthebarracksthere，norhowshewasbreakingherhearttogoandseehimjustwanstbeforehe’dgo；butthefatheran’motherwouldnotallowivitbenomanes。
An’soinlesstimethanyou’dbethinkin’
aboutit，thecolonelhadhimpolishedoffintoitraleelegantsoger，widhisgunexercise，andhisbagnetexercise，andhissmallsword，andbroadsword，andpistolanddagger，an’alltherest，an’thenawaywidhimonboordaman-a-wartofurrinparts，tofightforKingGeorgeaginBonyparty，thatwasgreatinthemtimes。
Well，itwasverysoonineveryone’smouthhowBillyMalowneywasbatin’allbeforehim，astonishin’theginerals，anfrightenin’theinimytothatdegree，therewasnotaFrinchmandaresayparleyvoooutsideoftheroundsivhiscamp。
YoumaybesureMollywasproudivthatsame，thoughsheneverspokeawordaboutit；untilatlastthenewskemhomethatBillyMalowneywassurroundedan’
murderedbytheFrincharmy，underNapoleonBonypartyhimself。ThenewswasbroughtbyJackBrynnDhas，thepeddlar，thatsaidhemetthecorporalivtheregimentonthequayivLimerick，an’howhebroughthimintoapublic-houseandthratedhimtoanaggin，andgotallthenewsaboutpoorBillyMalowneyoutivhimwhiletheywardhrinkin’it；an’asorrowfulstoryitwas。
Thewayithappened，accordin’asthecorporaltouldhim，wasjisthowtheJookivWellingtondetarminedtofightaraletarin’battlewidtheFrinch，andBonypartyatthesametimewasaiquallydetarminedtofightthedivil’sownscrimmidgewidtheBritishfoorces。
Well，assoonasthebusinesswasprettynearreadyatbothsides，Bonypartyandthegeneralnextundherhimselfgetsupbehindabush，tolookattheirinimiesthroughspy-
glasses，andthrywouldtheyknowanyivthematthedistance。
’Bedadad!’saysthegineral，aftheradivilivalongspy，’I’dbethalfapint，’sayshe，’that’sBillMalowneyhimself，’sayshe，’downthere，’sayshe。
’Och!’saysBonypart，’doyoutellmeso？’sayshe——’I’mfairlyheart-scaldedwiththatsameBillyMalowney，’sayshe；’an’IthinkifIwaswanstshutivhimI’dbatetherestivthemaisy，’
sayshe。
’I’mthinkingsomyself，’saysthegineral，sayshe；’buthe’satoughbye，’
sayshe。
’Tough!’saysBonypart，’he’sthedivil，’
sayshe。
’Begorra，I’dbebetterplased。’saysthegineral，sayshe，’totakehimselfthantheDukeivWillinton，’sayshe，’an’
SirEdwardBlakeneyintothebargain，’
sayshe。
’TheDukeofWellintonandGineralBlakeney，’saysBonypart，’isgreatforplanning，nodoubt，’sayshe；’butBillyMalowney’stheboyforACTION，’sayshe——
’an’action’severything，justnow，’sayshe。
SowidthatBonypartpushesuphiscockedhat，andbeginsscratchinghishead，andthinningandconsidherin’forthebarelife，andatlastsayshetothegineral：
’GineralCommandherivalltheFoorces，’
sayshe，’I’vehotit，’sayshe：’ordherouttheforlornhope，’sayshe，’an’givethemasmuchpowdher，bothglazedandblasting，’
sayshe，’an’asmuchbulletsdoyemind，an’swan-dhropsan’chain-shot，’sayshe，’an’allsoortsivwaiponsan’combustablesastheycancarry；an’letthemsurroundBillMalowney，’sayshe，’an’iftheycangetanysoortivanadvantage，’sayshe，’letthemknockhimtosmithereens，’sayshe，’an’thentakehimpresner，’sayshe；
’an’tellallthebandmenivtheFrincharmy，’sayshe，’toplayup“Garryowen，“
tokeepuptheirsperits，’sayshe，’allthetimethey’readvancin’。An’youmaypromisethemanythingyoulikeinmyname，’sayshe；for，bymysowl，I
don’tthinkitsmanyivthem’illcomebacktothroubleus，’sayshe，winkin’athim。
Soawaywiththegineral，an’heordhersouttheforlornhope，all’tellsthebandtoplay，an’everythingelse，justasBonypartdesiredhim。An’sureenough，whinBillyMalowneyheerdthemusicwherehewasstandin’takingablastofthedhudheentocomposehismindformurdherin’theFrinchmenasusual，beingmightypartialtothattuneintirely，hecockshisearaoneside，an’downhestoopstolistentothemusic；but，begorra，whoshouldbeinhisrareallthetimebutaFrinchgrannideerbehindabush，andseeinghimstoopedinaconvanientforum，bedadheletfliesathimsthraight，andfiredhimrightforwardbetweenthelegsan’thesmallivtheback，glorybetoGod!withwhattheycallsavingyourpresenceabum-shell。
Well，BillMalowneyletoneroaroutivhim，an’awayherowledoverthefieldivbattlelikeaslittherasBonypartandtheDukeivWellington，thatwaswatchingthemanoeuvresfromadistance，bothconsayvedintoglory。
An’sureenoughtheFrinchwasoverjoyedbeyantallbounds，an’smallblametothem——an’theDukeofWellington，I’mtoult，wasneveralloutthesamemansinst。
Atanyrate，thenewskemhomehowBillyMalowneywasmurdheredbytheFrinchinfurrinparts。
Well，allthistime，youmaybesure，therewasnowantivboyscomin’tocoortpurtyMollyDonovan；butonewayaranother，shealwayskeptputtin’
themoffconstant。An’thoughherfatherandmotherwasnathurallyanxioustogetridofherrespickably，theydidnotliketomarryheroffinspiteivherteeth。
An’thisway，promisingonewhileandputtin’itoffanother，sheconthrivedtogetonfromoneShrovetoanother，untilnearsevenyearswasoverandgonefromthetimewhenBillyMalowneylistedforfurrinsarvice。
ItwasnighhandayearfromthetimewhinthenewsivLeum-a-rinkabein’killedbytheFrinchcamehome，an’inplaceivforgettin’him，asthesaisinswintover，it’swhatMollywasgrowin’palerandmorelonesomeeveryday，antiltheneighboursthoughtshewasfallin’intoadecline；andthisisthewayitwaswithherwhinthefairofLisnamoekemround。
Itwasabeautifulevenin’，justatthetimeivthereapin’ivtheoats，andthesunwasshinin’throughtheredcloudsfarawayoverthehillsivCahirmore。
Herfatheran’mother，an’theboysan’
girls，wasallawaydowninthefair，andMollySittin’allaloneonthestepofthestile，listeningtothefoolishlittlebirdswhistlin’amongtheleaves——andthesoundofthemountain-riverflowin’throughthestonesan’bushes——an’thecrowsflyin’
homehighoverheadtothewoodsivGlinvarlogh——an’downintheglen，faraway，shecouldseethefair-greenivLisnamoeinthemist，an’sunshineamongthegreyrocksandthrees——an’thecowsan’thehorses，an’thebluefrieze，an’theredcloaks，an’thetents，an’thesmoke，an’
theouldroundtower——allassoftan’assorrowfulasadhrameivouldtimes。
An’whileshewaslookingthisway，an’thinkingivLeum-a-rinka——poorBillivthedance，thatwassleepin’inhislonesomegloryinthefieldsivSpain——shebegantosingthesongheusedtolikesowellintheouldtimes——
’Shule，shule，shalea-roon；’
an’whensheendedtheverse，whatdoyouthinkbutsheheardamanlyvoicejustattheothersideivthehedge，singingthelastwordsoveragain!
Wellsheknewit；herheartflutthereduplikealittlebirdthatidbewounded，andthendhroppedstillinherbreast。
Itwashimself。Inaminutehewasthroughthehedgeandstandingbeforeher。
’Leum!’saysshe。
’Mavourneencuishlamachree!’sayshe；
andwithoutanotherwordtheywerelockedinoneanother’sarms。
Well，itidonlybenansinseformethryin’an’tellyeallthefoolishthingstheysaid，andhowtheylookedinoneanother’sfaces，an’laughed，an’cried，an’
laughedagain；andhow，whentheycametothemselves，andshewasableatlasttobelieveitwasralyBillyhimselfthatwasthere，actiallyholdin’herhand，andlookin’
inhereyesthesamewayasever，barrin’
hewasbrownerandboulder，an’didnot，maybe，lookquiteasmerryinhimselfasheusedtodoinformertimes——an’
fondherforall，an’morelovin’thanever——howhetouldherallaboutthewarswidtheFrinchmen——an’howhewaswounded，andleftfordeadinthefieldivbattle，bein’shotthroughthebreast，andhowhewasdischarged，an’gotapinsionivafullshillin’aday——andhowhewascomebacktolivtherestivhisdaysinthesweetglenivLisnamoe，an’ifonlySHE’D
consinttomarryherselfinspiteivthemall。
Well，yemayaisilythinktheyhadplintytotalkabout，afthersevenyearswithoutonceseein’oneanother；andsosignson，thetimeflewbyasswiftan’aspleasantasabirdonthewing，an’thesunwintdown，an’themoonshonesweetan’softinstead，an’theytwoneverknewaha’porthaboutit，butkepttalkin’an’whisperin’，an’
whisperin’an’talkin’；forit’swondherfulhowoftenatinder-heartedgirlwillbeartohearapurtyboytellin’herthesamestoryconstantoveran’over；ontilatlast，sureenough，theyheerdtheouldmanhimselfcomin’uptheboreen，singin’the’ColleenRue’——athingheneverdonebarrin’whinhehadadhropin；an’themisthresswalkin’
infrontivhim，an’twoilligantKerrycowshejustboughtinthefair，an’
thesarvintboysdhrivingthembehind。
’Oh，blessedhour!’saysMolly，’here’smyfather。’
’I’llspaketohimthisminute，’saysBill。
’Oh，notfortheworld，’saysshe；’he’ssingin’the“ColleenRue，“’saysshe，’andnoonedarraisonwithhim，’saysshe。
’An’where’llIgo，thin？’sayshe，’forthey’reintothehaggardantopivus，’sayshe，’an’they’llseemeivIlepthroughthehedge，’sayshe。
’Thrythepig-sty，’saysshe，’mavourneen，’
saysshe，’inthenameivGod，’saysshe。
’Well，darlint，’sayshe，’foryoursake，’
sayshe，’I’llcondescendtothemanimals，’
sayshe。
An’widthathemakesadarttogetin；
bud，begorra，itwastoolate——thepigswasallgonehome，andthepig-stywasasfullastheBurrcoachwidsixinside。
’Och!blur-an’-agers，’sayshe，’thereisnotroomforasuckin’-pig，’sayshe，’letaloneaChristian，’sayshe。
’Well，runintothehouse，Billy，’saysshe，’thisminute，’saysshe，’an’hideyourselfantilthey’requiet，’saysshe，’an’thinyoucanstealout，’saysshe，’anknownsttothemall，’saysshe。
’I’lldoyourbiddin’，sayshe，’Mollyasthore，’sayshe。
’Runinthin，’saysshe，’an’I’llgoan’
meetthem，’saysshe。