It would be punishing the thieves by heaping, as the Scripture says, coals of fire upon their heads." "And do you think, your reverence," replied the other, who was too quick of apprehension not to suspect what the priest was driving at, "do you think that I have been so long listening to your advice, not to know that such a coorse was my duty ?" "That's the way," continued the priest, "to punish them like a Christian." "Ay, to punish them, your reverence, as you say--an' in troth, I'm the man myself that 'ud go any length to do it." "But where are you bound to now, Con, and what--ahem--what is that you are carrying ?" asked the priest.
"Why then, it's the butt-end of a sack o' pittities," replied Con, giving an answer only to the easiest side of the query.
"Well, but who are you bringing them ?" he asked again, "because, thank God, there's not much poverty in this neighborhood at present." "Well, then, God forgive me!" replied the other, concealing his benevolence by a grin, which he could not prevent at his own ingenuity, but which he endeavored to conceal as well as he could; "God forgive me! but hearin' that Goodison the parson here, and his family were in great distress, I thought I might as well have my revenge aginst him, by fetchin' him a load o' praties, which is all I can spare the poor ould--hem--the heretical ould creature--and so, says I to myself, it's a good opportunity of heapin' the coals upon him that you spoke about, sir.

And upon my conscience, as far as a good weighty butt o' praties goes, I'll punish him this very night." The priest gave a short hiccup or two, as if laboring under some momentary affection of the throat, which soon extended to the eyes, for with some difficulty he put up his naked hand and wiped away a kind of moisture, that in ordinary cases would have very much resembled tears.
"Ah, I see, Con!" he said, after clearing his throat a little, "you had a grudge against him like myself, and you determined to--ay--just so--you see, Con, here's the way of it; he didn't visit me yet since I came to the parish--do you understand ?--and I tell you, flesh or blood couldn't overlook such a slight; so I'm glad, at all events, that you had the spirit to follow my advice--for the truth is, I'm goin' to have my revenge as well as yourself; but when one does take his revenge, Con, it's always best to take it like a Christian.

So now that we understand, one another, let us go up to the glebe--otherwise I'll drop .-- However, salvation to me!" he exclaimed with a smile, "if we'll bear their burthens much longer! I have a butt of meal here, I saw his son to-day, too, without a stitch to his foot, poor boy." "And so did I," replied M'Mahon; "he sent one o' them over to me for the loan of a lock o' praties." "Oh, God help them!" exclaimed the priest.

"Come, Con, let us hurry--but why didn't you send them then ?" "Why, sir--why, bekaise I daren't send them in open daylight." "True enough," said the other; "and it was stupid of me to ask.

I myself would have sent what I'm carrying to him by Barney Brennan, but that I feared it would take wind, in which case the people might withdraw their confidence from me, from an apprehension that I wanted to curry favor with the parson of the parish, which I assure you, Condy, I do not.