XXXIV.  THE DOCTOR MAKES A CLEAN BREAST OF IT

We will now return for a while to Dunmore, and settle the affairs of the Kellys and Lynches, which we left in rather a precarious state.

Barry’s attempt on Doctor Colligan’s virtue was very unsuccessful, for Anty continued to mend under the treatment of that uncouth but safe son of Galen.  As Colligan told her brother, the fever had left her, though for some time it was doubtful whether she had strength to recover from its effects.  This, however, she did gradually; and, about a fortnight after the dinner at Dunmore House, the doctor told Mrs Kelly and Martin that his patient was out of danger.

Martin had for some time made up his mind that Anty was to live for many years in the character of Mrs Martin, and could not therefore be said to be much affected by the communication.  But if he was not, his mother was.  She had made up her mind that Anty was to die; that she was to pay for the doctor—­the wake, and the funeral, and that she would have a hardship and grievance to boast of, and a subject of self-commendation to enlarge on, which would have lasted her till her death; and she consequently felt something like disappointment at being ordered to administer to Anty a mutton chop and a glass of sherry every day at one o’clock.  Not that the widow was less assiduous, or less attentive to Anty’s wants now that she was convalescent; but she certainly had not so much personal satisfaction, as when she was able to speak despondingly of her patient to all her gossips.

“Poor cratur!” she used to say—­“it’s all up with her now; the Lord be praised for all his mercies.  She’s all as one as gone, glory be to God and the Blessed Virgin.  Shure no good ever come of ill-got money;—­not that she was iver to blame.  Thank the Lord, av’ I have a penny saved at all, it was honestly come by; not that I shall have when this is done and paid for, not a stifle; (stiver [49] Mrs Kelly probably meant)—­but what’s that!” and she snapped her fingers to show that the world’s gear was all dross in her estimation.—­“She shall be dacently sthretched, though she is a Lynch, and a Kelly has to pay for it.  Whisper, neighbour; in two years’ time there’ll not be one penny left on another of all the dirthy money Sim Lynch scraped together out of the gutthers.”

     [FOOTNOTE 49:  stiver—­a Dutch coin worth almost nothing]

There was a degree of triumph in these lamentations, a tone of self-satisfied assurance in the truth of her melancholy predictions, which showed that the widow was not ill at ease with herself.  When Anty was declared out of danger, her joy was expressed with much more moderation.

“Yes, thin,” she said to Father Pat Geoghegan, “poor thing, she’s rallying a bit.  The docthor says maybe she’ll not go this time; but he’s much in dread of a re-claps—­”

“Relapse, Mrs Kelly, I suppose?”