Hould your tongue, Paddy; do you think the masther’s honor would allow us to lose our voices in his behalf.  It’s himself that hasn’t his heart in a trifle, God bless him.”

“Ah, thin, your honor,” said another fellow, in tatters, “isn’t this dust and hate enough to choke a bishop?  O Lord, am I able to spake at all?  Upon my sowl, sir, I think there’s a bonfire in my throath.”

Everything, however, had been prepared to meet these demands; and in about a quarter of an hour barrels of beer and kegs of whiskey were placed under the management of persons appointed to deal out their contents to the thirsty crowds.  Then commenced the dancing, whilst the huzzaing, shouting, jingling of bells, squeaking of fifes, blowing of horns, and all the other component parts of this wild melody, were once more resumed with still greater vigor.  The great feat of the night, however, so far as the people were concerned, was now to take place.  This was to ascertain, by superior activity, who among the young men could leap over the bonfire, when burnt down to what was considered such a state as might make the attempt a safe one.  The circles about the different fires were consequently widened to leave room for the run, and then commenced those hazardous but comic performances.  As may be supposed, they proceeded with various success, and occasioned the most uproarious mirth whenever any unfortunate devil who had overtasked his powers in the attempt, happened to fail, and was forced to scamper out of the subsiding flames with scorched limbs that set him a dancing without music.  In fact, those possessed of activity enough to clear them were loudly cheered, and rewarded with a glass of whiskey, a temptation which had induced so many to try, and so many to fail.  When these had been concluded about the minor fires, the victors and spectators repaired to the great one, to try their fortune upon a larger and more hazardous scale.  It was now nearly half burned down, but was still a large, glowing mass, at least five feet high, and not less than eighteen in diameter at the base.  On arriving there they all looked on in silence, appalled by its great size, and altogether deterred from so formidable an attempt.

It would be death to try it, they exclaimed; no living man could do it; an opinion which was universally acceded to, with one single exception.  A thin man, rather above the middle size, dressed in a long, black coat, black breeches, and black stockings, constituted that exception.  There was something peculiar, and even strikingly mysterious, in his whole appearance.  His complexion was pale as that of a corpse, his eyes dead and glassy, and the muscles of his face seemed as if they were paralyzed and could not move.  His right hand was thrust in his bosom, and! over his left arm he bore some dark garment of a very funereal cast, almost reminding one of a mortcloth.

“There is one,” said he, in a hollow and sepulchral voice, “that could do it.”  Father Magauran, who was present, looked at him with surprise; as indeed did every one who had got an opportunity of seeing him.