Mr Crofton nodded his head.

`But after all now,' said Mr Lyons argumentatively, `King Edward's life, you know, is not the very... '

`Let bygones be bygones,' said Mr Henchy. `I admire the man personally. He's just an ordinary knockabout like you and me. He's fond of his glass of grog and he's a bit of a rake, perhaps, and he's a good sportsman. Damn it, can't we Irish play fair?'

`That's all very fine,' said Mr Lyons. `But look at the case of Parnell now.'

`In the name of God,' said Mr Henchy, `where's the analogy between the two cases?'

`What I mean,' said Mr Lyons, `is we have our ideals. Why, now, would we welcome a man like that? Do you think now after what he did Parnell was a fit man to lead us? And why, then, would we do it for Edward the Seventh?'

`This is Parnell's anniversary,' said Mr O'Connor, `and don't let us stir up any bad blood. We all respect him now that he's dead and gone — even the Conservatives,' he added, turning to Mr Crofton.

Pok! The tardy cork flew out of Mr Crofton's bottle: Mr Crofton got up from his box and went to the fire. As he returned-with his capture he said in a deep voice:

`Our side of the house respects him, because he was a gentleman.'

`Right you are, Crofton!' said Mr Henchy fiercely. `He was the only man that could keep that bag of cats in order. "Down, ye dogs! Lie down, ye curs!" That's the way he treated them. Come in, Joe! Come in!' he called out, catching sight of Mr Hynes in the doorway.

Mr Hynes came in slowly.

`Open another bottle of stout, Jack,' said Mr Henchy. `O, I forgot there's no corkscrew! Here, show me one here and I'll put it at the fire.'

The old man handed him another bottle and he placed it on the hob.

`Sit down, Joe,' said Mr O'Connor, `we're just talking about the Chief.'

`Ay, ay!' said Mr Henchy.

Mr Hynes sat on the side of the table near Mr Lyons but said nothing.

`There's one of them, anyhow,' said Mr Henchy, `that didn't renege him. By God, I'll say for you, Joe! No, by God, you stuck to him like a man!'

`O, Joe,' said Mr O'Connor suddenly. `Give us that thing you wrote — do you remember? Have you got it on you?'

`O, ay!' said Mr Henchy. `Give us that. Did you ever hear that, Crofton? Listen to this now: splendid thing.'

`Go on,' said Mr O'Connor. `Fire away, Joe.'

Mr Hynes did not seem to remember at once the piece to which they were alluding, but, after reflecting a while, he said:

`O, that thing is it... Sure, that's old now.'

`Out with it, man!' said Mr O'Connor.

`'Sh, 'sh,' said Mr Henchy. `Now, Joe!'

Mr Hynes hesitated a little longer. Then amid the silence he took off his hat, laid it on the table and stood up. He seemed to be rehearsing the piece in his mind. After a rather long pause he announced:

He cleared his throat once or twice and then began to recite:

Mr Hynes sat down again on the table. When he had finished his recitation there was a silence and then a burst of clapping: even Mr Lyons clapped. The applause continued for a little time. When it had ceased all the auditors drank from their bottles in silence.

Pok! The cork flew out of Mr Hynes' bottle, but Mr Hynes remained sitting flushed and bareheaded on the table. He did not seem to have heard the invitation.

`Good man, Joel' said Mr O'Connor, taking out his cigarette papers and pouch the better to hide his emotion.

`What do you think of that, Crofton?' cried Mr Henchy. `Isn't that fine? What?'

Mr Crofton said that it was a very fine piece of writing.