"
"I wouldn't say that," said James.
"You see," said his father, "she did not go into the convent
because she had a calling, but because she was crossed in love."
And after another long while James said, "It is a bitter dose, I
am thinking, father, but you must go and tell her that Peter has
left Maynooth."
"And what would the Reverend Mother be saying to me if I went to
her with such a story as that? Isn't your heart broken enough
already, James, without wanting me to be breaking it still more?
Sure, James, you could never see her married to Peter?"
"If she were to marry Peter I should be able to go to America, and
that is the only thing for me."
"That would be poor consolation for you, James."
"Well, it is the best I shall get, to see Peter settled, and to
know that there will be some one to look after you, father."
"You are a good son, James."
They talked on, and as they talked it became clearer to them that
some one must go to-morrow to the convent and tell Catherine that
Peter had left Maynooth.
"But wouldn't it be a pity," said Pat Phelan, "to tell her this if
Peter is not going to marry her in the end?"
"I'll have him out of his bed," said James, "and he'll tell us
before this fire if he will or won't."
"It's a serious thing you are doing, James, to get a girl out of a
convent, I am thinking."
"It will be on my advice that you will be doing this, father; and
now I'll go and get Peter out of his bed."
And Peter was brought in, asking what they wanted of him at this
hour of the night; and when they told him what they had been
talking about and the plans they had been making, he said he would
be catching his death of cold, and they threw some sods of turf on
the fire.
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