“Thanks, thanks, oh thanks an’ praise be to God for that news! thanks an’ praise be to you, blessed Father, for what he has said this minute, for it takes the weight, the dead crushin’ weight that lay on my heart, off it.  And now, Felix jewel, here, alanna, lay over your head upon my breast, an’ I’ll hould you anything I whisper into your own ear what ’ll make you as stout as ever—­keep away all of yees—­the nerra one o’ ye ’ll hear it but himself.  Sure, Felix dear,” he continued, in a lower voice, “sure I’m willin’ that you should marry your own Alley Bawn.  An’ listen, sure, I’ll give her a portion myself—­I’m able to do it an’ I will too.”

Felix, on hearing her name, looked around and endeavored, as appeared by his manner, to collect himself.  He put his hand to his head for a moment and his eyes were without meaning.  Hugh observed it, and felt his grief instantly checked by a fearful surmise as to a possible consequence of the blow which he had not contemplated.

“Felix dear,” said he in a voice low, hollow, and full of terror, “what ails you?  Is the pain coming back?”

Felix spoke not for about a minute, during which time he had become quite collected.  Then with an affectionate look towards his brother, he replied—­

“God bless you, Hugh, for the words you have said to me!  Poor Alley?  Hugh, God bless you!  Would Maura consent?  Will you consent, agra, to it, Maura dear?”

Maura, who had been all this time weeping, now advanced, and, smiling through her tears, embraced him tenderly.  “Yes, Felix, darling, an’ I’m only heart-broken, that ever Hugh or myself refused to consent, or ever set ourselves against it.”

The boy’s eyes sparkled with a light more brilliant than had ever shone from them before:  his whole face became animated, and the cloud of sorrow which had rested on his pale brow melted away before the effulgence of reviving hope.  In a few minutes he arose and expressed his determination to proceed and keep his appointment.  Hugh and Maura requested to accompany him, and the latter begged to be allowed the privilege to give the bride away.

“Maura,” said Felix, “will you desire the servants to have a decent dinner prepared, and we’ll eat it here.  I intend, if you and Hugh will let me, to bring her home at once!”

“Och, God help the poor boy!” exclaimed Maura—­“yes, darling, all that must be done.”

When ready to depart, he again put his hand to his head—­“It comes on here,” said he, “for about a minute or so—­this confusion—­I think I’ll tie a handkerchief about my head.  It ’ill be an asy thing for me to make some excuse, or I can take it off at the chapel.”