“To-morrow,” replied the artless and unsuspicious girl, without a moment’s hesitation.

“Well, then,” said he, “you pass the Grey Stone, at the foot of Mallybenagh—­of coorse, I know you must.  Now, my dear Mave, I want to show you that I have some insight into futurity.  What hour will you pass it at?”

“About three o’clock, as near as I think; it may be a little more or a little less.”

“Very well, acushlee; when you pass the Grey Stone about a few hundred yards on the right hand side, the first person you will meet will be a young man, well made, and very handsome.  That young man will be the person, whosoever he is—­an’ I don’t know myself—­that will bring you love, and wealth, and happiness, and all that a woman can wish to have with a man.  Nor, dear, if this doesn’t happen, never b’lieve anything I say again; but if this does happen, I hope you’ll have good sense, acushla machree, to be guided by one that’s your true friend—­an’ that’s myself.  The first person you meet, afther passin’ the Grey Stone, on your right hand side; remember the words.  I know there’s great luck an’ high fortune before you; for, indeed, your beauty an’ goodness well desarves it, an’ they’ll get both.”

They then returned into the house; Mave somewhat surprised, but no way relieved, while the Prophet seemed rather in better spirits by the interview.

“Now, Jerry Sullivan,” said he, “an’ you, Bridget his wife, lend your ears an’ listen.  The heart of Prophet is full of good to you and yours, and the good must come to his lips, and flow from them when it comes.  There are three books known to the wise:  the Book of Marriage, the Book of Death, and the Book of Judgment.  Open a leaf, says the Angel of Marriage—­the Garden Angel of Jericho—­where he brings all love, happiness and peace to; open a’ leaf, says the Angel of Marriage—­him that has one head and ten horns—­and read us a page of futurity from the prophecy of St. Nebbychodanazor, the divine.  The child is a faymale child, says the angel with one head and ten horns—­by name Mabel Sullivan, daughter to honest Jerry Sullivan and his daicent wife Bridget, of Aughnamurrin.  Amin, says the Prophet.  Time is not tide, nor is tide time, and neither will wait for man.  Three things will happen.  A girl, young and handsome, will walk forth upon the highway, and there she will meet a man, young and handsome too, who will rise her to wealth, happiness and grandeur.  So be it, says the Book of Marriage, and amin, agin, says the Prophet.  Open a new leaf, says Nebbychodanazor, the divine; a new leaf in the Book of Judgment, and another in the Book of Death.  A man was killed and his body hid, and a man lived with his blood upon him.  Fate is fate, and Justice is near.  For years he will keep the murther to himself, till a man’s to come that will bring him to judgment.  Then will judgment be passed, and the Book of Death will be opened.  Read, says the Prophet; it is done at last; Judgment is passed, and Death follows; the innocent is set free, and the murdherer that consaled the murdher so long swings at last; and all these things is to be found by the Wise in the Books of Marriage, Death, and Judgment.  He then added, as he had done at the conclusion of his former prophecy: