But the roars and the screams that he
let out of him were more than anybody could bear, and at the last she
said: 'Oh, I can't do it; it's too terrible a thing for him; he won't
bear it, and how can I make him?'
"The next day when she came in from her work the other boy said to
her: 'Mother, it was uncommon quiet he was while you was away to-day.
And by and by I went in to see what was ailing him. And there he sat,
looking so like an old man that I was near afraid of him. And he
looked at me and he spoke as plain as an old man, and he says: "Pat,"
says he, "bring me a pipe, till I have a bit of a smoke. It's tired of
life I am, lying here without it."'
"'"Ah," says I, "wait till my mother gets home and I'll tell her of
this."'
"'"Tell her," says he, "and she'll not believe a word from you."'
"'And no more do I believe a word from you,' says the woman.
"Well, soon after that there came a letter from the father, saying
that he'ld be at home now in a few days. With that the woman set off
to town to buy things to eat and drink to welcome her husband home,
and she said: 'Now we'll have the christening, as soon as ever he
comes.
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