Duinnín agus an Bótun (tuilleadh)

Dineen and the Mistake (continued)

• ‘Fear an bhainne, ní foláir!’ ar sise. ‘Gabhaigí mo leithsceal, soicind.’ Rith sí as an seomra, an doras á dhúnadh aici ina diaidh.Leanfadh an tAthair Pádraig amach sa halla í ach bhagair
  Abraham air seasamh, ina theannta, sa bháfhuinneog.

  ‘Tá crann idir mé agus an doras. Ní maith liom crainn. Níl gá
  leo,’ arsa Tomkins go crosta.

  ‘Tom labhrais atá ann,’ arsa an tAthair Pádraig.

  ‘Sssss! Éist!’

  Nior chuala siad ach doras a oscailt agus a phlabadh arís
  láithreach.

  ‘Duine ar bith!’ arsa Miss Sweetman nuair a d’fhill sí.

  ‘It must be the milkman!’ she said. ‘Excuse me, a second.’

  She ran out of the room, closing the door behind her.

  Father Patrick would have followed her out into the hall but Abraham beckoned him to stand,
  along with him, in the bay window.

  ‘There is a tree between me and the door. I do not like trees. No need for[??] them,’ Tompkins said crossly[?]

  ‘That is a laurel there,’ said Fr. Patrick.

  ‘Shhhh! Listen!’

  They only heard a door opening and slamming again immediately.

  ‘Nobody!’ said Miss Sweetman when she returned.

  ní foláir	it is necessary
  bagair	brandish, beckon, threaten, drive(animals)
  teannta	Strait, difficulty, predicament	m
  i dteannta	along with, in addition to
  crosta	Fractious; troublesome, difficult; (Of child) Mischievous, contrary
  labhras	(Bay) laurel	m
  plabadh	plopping, banging	m
  láithreach	Present, immediate

• ‘Páistí dána, ní foláir … tá na Domhnallaigh óga fiáin.’‘Ar mhaith leat, a Mholly, go bhfanfadh muid tamall ar eagla
  go dtiocfadh na Domhnallaigh óga ag cur isteach ort arís?’

  ‘Ní gá, ní gá. Nil aon díobháil iontu. Ti gach rud ceart go
  leor.’

  Agus é seo á rá aici bhí a súile chomh luaineach sin go
  mbraithfeadh éinne go raibh a chontrárthacht fíor.

  D’fhág siad slán aici. Ni túisce an doras dúnta ina ndiaidh
  aici ná gur scrúdaigh siad an cosán agus na ceapacha bláth ar an
  dá thaobh de.

  ‘Ni haon leanaí a chnag ar an doras,’ arsa Tomkins ‘Chuaigh
  fear le spága móra millteacha ar a bharraicíní thar cheapach na
  gcabáistí.’

  ‘Must be naughty children … the young Donnellys are wild.’

  ‘Would you like, Molly, that we should stay a while in case the young Donnellys come to disturb you again?’

  ‘No need, no need. There is no harm in them.’

  As she said this her eyes were so unsteady that anyone would have felt that the contrary was true.

  They bid her farewell. No sooner had the door closed behind them than they had examined the path and the flower beds on both sides of it.

  ‘No children knocked on the door,’ said Tompkins, ‘A man with big giantic broad feet went across the cabbage bed on tiptoes.’

  dána	Bold; daring, confident; forward, audacious; brazen
  ní foláir	it is necessary
  fiáin	wild
  díobháil	Loss, deprivation, want; harm	f
  luaineach	Fast-moving, nimble; restless, unsteady; changeable, vacillating, inconstant; darting
  braith	Perceive, feel
  éinne = aon duine
  contrárthacht	Contrariety, contrast	f
  túisce	Sooner, rather; first
  cosán	Path; Footway, track	m
  spág	Broad flat foot; big clumsy foot	f npl spága
  millteach	Destructive; baneful, pernicious; gigantic
  barraicín	tip, toe	m
  ar bharraicíní	on tiptoes

• ‘Téimis chun cainte le Miss Minnows.’‘Ach cad chuige gur theith an garlach?’ arsa Tomkins.‘D’fhágamar ar hataí ar an mbord sa halla,’ arsa an
  Duinníneach. ‘Tá radharc ar an mbord san trí ghloine an dorais
  mhóir. Thuig sé go raibh cairde lei.’

  Chrom Abraham agus phioc sé rud éigin den chosán.

  ‘Cad tá ansin agat?’

  ‘Let us go talk to Miss Minnows.’

  ‘But why did the tramp run away?’ said Tompkins.

  ‘We left our hats on the table in the hall,’ said Dineen. ‘There is a view of the table through the glass of the big door. He realized that she had friends with her.’

  Abraham bent and picked up something from the path.

  ‘What do you have there?’ [End p 127]

  teith	Run away, flee, retreat
  crom	bend, stoop	v

• ‘Ruainne cré, nach cré na háite seo é, a thit da bhróga agus é
  ag rith. Tá síol istigh ann,’ ar seisean agus é ag glinniúint air faoi
  gha solais ón bhfuinneog.’

  `Síol ródaideandróin, Rhododendron slnogrande,’ arsa an
  Duinníneach a bhí ag déanamh taighde bitheolaíochta dá
  fhoclóir ag an am. ‘Mo léamh air seo na gur garraíodóir é an
  garlach. Oibríonn sé i dteach mór, i dtreo Bhinn Éadair, ní
  foláir, mar go bhfuil an ithir feiliúnach don ródaideandrón
  ansan.’

  ‘A bit of clay, not clay of this place, that fell from his shoes while running. There is a seed in it,’ he said as he examined it under a ray of light from the window

  ‘A rhododendron seed, Rhododendron sinogrande,‘ said Dineen who was doing biological research for his dictionary at the time. My reading of this is that the tramp is a gardener. He works in a big house, in the direction of Binnadair, it must be, because the soil is suitable for rhododendrons there.

  Ruainne	(Single) hair; bit
  síol	seed
  glinniúint	Scrutiny; Glint, sparkle	f
  ga solais	ray of light
  taighde	Research	m
  bitheolaíocht	biology	f
  garraíodóir	gardener	m
  ithir	Soil, earth; arable land, cornland	f
  feiliúnach	Suitable; fitting, fit, becoming

• ‘Fear a raibh taithí aige ar an sluasad agus é ina mhianadóir,
  d’fhéadfadh go gcasfadh sé ar an sluasad arís agus dul ag
  garraíadóireacht.’

  Bhí Miss Minnows ag faire amach agus sceitimíní uirthi.

  
  ‘Chonaic mé é,’ ar sise. ‘Fear mór garbh féasógach le srón
  ríneasarais air. Tháinig sé ag snámhaíocht suas faoi scáth an
  chlaí. Shleamhnaigh sé isteach trín ngeata. Chúlaigh sé faoi dhó
  ach, ansin, thug sé ruathar faoin doras agus chnag sé. Ach ní
  túisce san déanta na gur theith sé. Ó, a Athair, caithfidh tú
  breith air no déanfar muid uile a mharú agus muid inár
  leapacha!’

  A man who had experience with a shovel as a miner, he might turn to the shovel again and go gardening.

  Miss Minnows was watching with excitement.

  ‘I saw him,’ she said. ‘A big, rough, bearded man with a rhinoceros nose. He came crawling up under the shadow of the fence. He slipped in through the gate. He backed off twice but, then, he rushed at the door and knocked. But no sooner had he done that than he ran away. O, Father, you must catch him or we will all be killed while in our beds!’

  taithí	Frequentation, resort; Habit; practice, experience	f
  sluasaid	shovel	f
  mianadóir	miner	m
  garraíadóireacht	(Act of) gardening	f
  sceitimíní	Rapturous excitement, raptures, ecstasies
  féasógach	bearded
  snámhaíocht	(Act of) creeping, crawling, dawdling	f
  scáth	shade, shadow	m
  claí	Dike, wall; fence	m
  sleamhnaigh	slide, slip
  cúlaigh	Back, move back; reverse, retreat
  ruathar	Rush, onrush, onset, attack	m

• ‘A bhean uasal,’ arsa Abraham Tomkins, ‘mairg a bheadh ag
  brath ar an gcléir. Bíodh muinín agat asat féin. Beir ar an tlú.
  Beir ar an bpriocaire. Téigh ar an ionsaí.’

  ‘Ná bac leis, Miss Minnows, nil aon dealramh leis. Bí ag guí
  agus ag faire.’

  Ghearr Miss Minnows comhartha na croise uirthi féin.

  ‘Druid an doras anois.’

  Chuala siad dhá bholta á mbrú trasna istigh.

  ‘Lady,’ said Abraham Tomkins, ‘woe it would be to depend on the clergy. Be confident in yourself. Bring the tongs. Bring the poker. Go on the offensive.’

  ‘Don’t bother with it, Miss Minnows, It is ridiculous. Pray and watch.’

  Miss Minnows made the sign of the cross on herself.

  ‘Close the door now.’

  They heard two bolts being pushed across inside.

  mairg	woe, sorrow	f
  brath	Perception, feeling; Spying, betrayal; Expectation, intention [with ar]; dependence	m
  muinín	Trust, confidence	f
  tlú	tongs	m
  priocaire	poker	m
  ionsaí	Advance, approach, attack
  dealramh	Sheen, splendour, radiance; Look, appearance; likeness, resemblance	m
  guí	prayer	f

• ‘Ligimis orainn go bhfuilimid ag filleadh ar an stáisiún, ar
  eagla go bhfuil sé dár bhfaire,’ arsa an Duinníneach. ‘Ansin,
  casfaimid ar ais agus fanfaimid, féachaint an ndéanfadh sé
  iarracht eile anocht.’

  ‘Let’s pretend that we are returning to the station, in case he is watching us,’ said Dineen. ‘Then, we will turn back and wait, to see if he would try again tonight.’ [End p 128]

• Tháinig ceo isteach ón bhfarraige. D’éirigh a gcuid súile tinn
  ón síorfhaire.

  ‘Féach! Mo dhuine!’ arsa an Duinníneach. ‘Faoin gcrann.’

  ‘Is fathach é cinnte!’ arsa Abraham.

  ‘Tá rud éigin i bhfolach faoin gcóta mór sin aige!’ arsa an
  Duinníneach. ‘Rud éigin toirtiúil!’

  ‘Uirlisí a cheirde, cró agus uirlisí dá leithéid.’
  ‘Beirimis air.’

  ‘Fan socair! Nior dhein sé tada as an mbealach go fóill.’

  Fog came in from the sea. Their eyes became sore from the continual watch.

  ‘Look! My man!’ said Dineen. ‘Under the tree.’

  ‘He is certainly a giant!’

  ‘There is something hidden under his big coat!’ said Dineen. ‘Something bulky!’

  ‘Tools of his trade, a crow-bar and similar tools.’

  ‘Let’s catch him.’

  ‘Stay quiet. He hasn’t done anything out of the way yet.’

  ceo	Fog; mist, haze	m
  síor	Eternal, perpetual; continual
  toirtiúil	Large-sized, bulky
  ceird	Trade, craft; occupation	f
  cró	Eye, socket; Bore [of pipe, gun]	m
  cró = gró	crow-bar	m
  socair
  	Quiet, still; calm, unruffled; easy, steady; settled; at rest

• Bhog an garlach. D’fhéach sé ar dheis agus ar clé. Thrasnaigh
  sé an bóthar. Faoi sholas na gealaí, chonaic siad go raibh féasóg
  fhada chas air agus sleanndar sróine. Isteach leis an ngarlach trí
  gheata Miss Sweetman. Léim sé ceapach bláth agus chuaigh sé
  thart ar an teach. Rug Abraham greim ar an Athair Pádraig.

  ‘Fan! Caithfear breith air agus díobháil á dhéanamh aige. Lig
  dó fuinneog a bhriseadh.’

  
  ‘Ach … ach … ach . . .’

  The tramp moved. He looked right and left. He crossed the road. Under the moonlight, they saw that he had a long, curly beard and a slender[!] nose. The tramp went in through Miss Sweetman’s gate. He jumped over a flower bedt and went around the house. Abraham grabbed hold of Father Patrick.

  ‘Wait! He must be caught causing harm. Let him break a window.’

  ‘But … but … but . . .’

• ‘Anois!’ arsa Tomkins tamall ina dhiaidh sin agus lean siad an
  garlach go cúl an tí.

  ‘Ní fuinneog … An doras cúil a d’oscail sé,’ arsa an Duinníneach. ‘Is dócha nach
  raibh de chosaint air ach bolta a bhrúfadh
  leanbh de. Go dtuga Dia nach bhfuil aon díobháil déanta cheana
  féin[??}].’

  
  ‘D’fhág sé an doras ar oscailt le go mbeadh ar a chumas éalú
  go tapaidh,’ arsa Tomkins.

  ‘Now!’ said Tomkins after a while and they followed the tramp to the back of the house.

  ‘Not a window… He opened the back door,’ said Dineen. ‘It was probably only protected by a bolt that a child would press to. May God grant that no harm has been done already.’

  ‘He left the door open to have the ability to escape quickly.’

  cosaint	Defense, protection	f
  leanbh	child	m
  cumas	.Capability, power	m

• Bhí ciúnas iomlán istigh. Leag Abraham lámh ar chomhla an
  dorais. Ó áit éigin istigh, d’éirigh an scréachaíl is uafásaí a
  chuala an tAthair Pádraig riamh. Fiú in am seo na práinne, agus
  an bheirt acu ag réabadh trín gcistin, trín bpasáiste, i dtreo an
  tseomra suí, b’ionadh leis go bhféadfadh bean chomh hálainn

  
  gleo chomh huafásach a dhéanamh agus mheabhraigh sé dó féin
  nach bhfuil teora[var pl] leis na mná.

  There was complete silence inside. Abraham laid a hand on the door panel. From some place inside, arose the most horrible scream that Father Pádraig had ever heard. Even in this time of urgency, with the two of them rushing through the kitchen, through the hall, towards the living room, he was surprised that such a beautiful woman could make such a horrible noise and there are no limits to women. [End p 129] –>

  comhla	[door-]leaf; valve
  scréach	Screech, (harsh) scream, shriek	f
  práinn	Hurry, rush; urgent need; Liking, fondness; pride, delight.	f
  réabadh	Rending, shattering; rent, tear, rip; violation
  ionadh	Wonder, surprise	m
  gleo	Fight, combat, battle; Noise, clamour, uproar, tumult	m
  meabhraigh	Commit to memory; remember
  teorainn	Boundary, limit; border, frontier	f pl teoracha

• Bhí doras an tseomra suí druidte ach is as a bhí an gleo ag
  teacht. Bhrúigh Tomkins an tAthair Pádraig i leataoibh agus
  chas sé murlán an dorais go mall ciúin. Nior tháinig aon mhaolú
  ar an scréachaíl istigh agus d’airigh an Duinníneach ainm an
  Tiarna á lua go tarcaisneach. Chaith Tomkins an doras ar
  oscailt.

  
  ‘Stop a chladhaire, in ainm an Dlí!’ a bhéic sé.

  The living room door was closed but that was where the uproar was coming from. Tomkins pushed Father Patrick aside and turned the doorknob slowly and quietly. There was no reduction of the screaming inside and Dineen heard the name of the Lord mentioned contemptuously. Tomkins threw the door open.

  ‘Stop villain, in the name of the Law!’ he shouted.

  leataobh	one side [of two]	m
  murlán	knob	m
  maolú	Assuagement, mollification; alleviation; reduction, mitigation	m
  lua	Mention; citation, reference	m
  tarcaisneach	Contemptuous, scornful; insulting
  airigh	Perceive, sense
  cladhaire	Villain; rogue, trickster
  béic	Yell, shout	f, v

• Bhí greim ag an mbithiúnach ar Miss Sweetman. Nuair a
  chonaic sí a slánaitheoirí chuici, thit sí i bhfanntais. Ach lean an
  scréachaíl. Leag an fathach Molly Sweetman sios ar chathaoir
  uilleann. Chas sé i dtreo na beirte agus rug sé greim scornaí
  orthu araon, óir ba chrágach an fathach é.

  ‘Tabhair cic sna loirgne do!’ arsa an Duinníneach agus é á
  thachtadh.

  
  ‘Cic sna loirgne,’ a scréach pearóid ildaite a thuirling ar
  chloigeann an Duinnínigh mar ar sciorr sé thart ag iarraidh
  greim crúb a fháil. Dhreap cat Mholly a bhrístí ar thóir na
  pearóide.

  The scoundrel had a grip on Miss Sweetman. When she saw her saviors [ to her], she fainted. But the screaming continued. The giant laid Molly Sweetman down on an armchair. He turned towards the two and grabbed them both by the throat, because he had large hands.

  ‘Give him a kick in the shin!’ said Dineen while he was being choked.

  ‘Kick in the shin,’ screamed the colored parrot that landed on Dineen’s head as he slipped around trying to get a grip. Molly’s cat climbed up his trousers in pursuit of the parrot.

  greim	Grip, grasp, hold	m
  bithiúnach	scoundrel	m
  fanntais	Faint, swoon; fainting-fit	f
  scornach	throat	f gs scornaí
  araon	both
  óir	for
  crágach	Having large hands
  lorga	Staff, stick; club, cudgel; shin	f
  tacht	Choke; strangle, suffocate
  tuirling	Descend, alight
  sciorr	Slip, slide, slither, skid
  crúb	claw	f
  dreap	climb
  tóir	Pursuit, chase; hunt, search; pursuing party	f

• D’éirigh le Tomkins greim an fhathaigh a scaoileadh dá scornach.‘Braithim gur dheineamar botún!’ ar seisean leis an Athair Pádraig ‘Tá Bright’s Coconut and Lavender Hair Pomade a chaitheamh ag an duine uasal seo. Ní chaithfeadh gadaí a leithéid mar go ndúiseodh an boladh na mairbh … Déanaim amach, a dhuine uasail,’ ar seisean leis an bhfathach, ‘nach gadaí tú.’
  ‘Grrrrrrr,’ arsa an fathach agus an bheirt acu á dtuairteáil i gcoinne a chéile aige.

  Tomkins managed to loosen the giant’s grip on his throat.

  ‘I feel like we made a mistake!’ he said to Father Pádraig. ‘This gentleman is wearing Bright’s Coconut and Lavender Hair Pomade. A thief would not wear such a thing because the smell would wake the dead. ….. I conclude, sir.’ he said to the giant, ‘you are not a thief.’

  ‘Grrrrrrrr,’ said the giant and he pounded the two of them against each other.

  scaoileadh	Loosening, undoing; release, discharge	m
  scornach	throat	f gs scornaí
  déan amach	Make out; Write up; Conclude, distinguish, determine; Proceed outwards, (of time) onwards
  tuairteáil	Pound, thump, buffet

• Chac an pearoid ar ghualainn Abraham agus d’eitil sí sall
  chuig na cuirtíní mar ar chroch sí bun os cionn ag eascainí go
  faíoch.

  ‘Jonah!’ arsa Miss Sweetman, go faon, agus i ag teacht chuici
  féin. ‘Jonah, lig dóibh! Cairde liom iad.’

  
  Scaoil an fathach a ghreim. D’fhill sé ar Miss Sweetman agus
  d’ardaigh sé ina bhaclainn í.
  

  The parrot pooped on Abraham’s shoulder and flew across [End p 130 ]to the curtains where she hung upside down cursing freely.

  ‘Jonah!’ said Miss Sweetman, limply, as she came to herself. ‘Jonah, leave them alone. They are my friends.’

  The giant loosened his grip. He turned to Miss Sweetman and lifted her in his bent arm.

  sall	To the far side, over, across
  croch	hang
  eascainí	Cursing, swearing	f
  faíoch	Loud, plaintive; Free, fluent; copious, profuse
  faon	Supine; limp, languid
  baclainn	Bent arm	f

• `Jonah! Cuir im sheasamh mé!’ ar sise. Leag sé ar a cosa fúithi ar an gcairpéad í.‘Jonah! Bain díom na rósanna sin atá ceangailte dem chúl.’

  Dhein sé dícheangal ar leathdhosaen rósanna dubhdhearga a
  bhí ar an gcathaoir uilleann mar ar leag sé sios í, níos luaithe.

  ‘B’fhéidir gur chóir dúinn dul isteach sa chistin agus cupán
  tae a bheith againn,’ ar sise go gealgháireach leis an Duinníneach
  agus Tomkins.

  Tomkins a labhair i dtosach.

  ‘Jonah! Stand me up!’ she said.

  He laid her on her feet on the carpet.

  ‘Jonah! Take off those roses tied to my back.’

  He untied half a dozen dark red roses that were on the armchair where he had set her down, earlier.

  ‘Maybe we should go into the kitchen and have a cup of tea,’ she said brightly to Dineen and Tomkins.<br tompkins=”” spoke=”” first.<=”” br=””

  díom ← de + mé
  from/off/of me
  

  dícheangail
  Untie; loose, detach
  vn dícheangal m

  gealgháireach
  Having pleasant smile; sunny, radiant; cheerful, joyous
  

• ‘Nuair a chonaiceamar an tUasal . . .’ ‘Bones …Jonah Bones.’a little kiss bean ag screadaíl . . .’

  ‘Shil sibh gur mé a dhein an glór san!’ arsa Miss Sweetman
  agus bhris gáire uirthi. ‘B’shin Polly, ar ndóigh, pearóid Mr.
  Bones, a chuir i féin in aithne daoibh, anois beag, de réir mar a
  fheicim. Thug sé leis anocht i le go gcuirfinn aithne uirthi.
  D’éirigh sí ábhairín sceitimíneach i ngeall ar chat a bheith anseo
  . . . Jonah, nior mhiste, b’fhéidir, í a chur ar ais ina cás.’

  ‘When we saw Mr. . .’

  ‘Bones …Jonah Bones.’

  When we saw Mr. Jonah Bones sneaking around the back of the house … and when we heard a woman screaming. . .

  ‘You thought it was me who made that voice!’ said Miss Sweetman and she burst into laughter. That was Polly, of course, Mr. Jones’s parrot, who introduced herself to you, a bit ago, according to what I see. He brought her to me tonight so I could get to know her. She got somewhat excited on account of a cat being here. Jonah, it might be well, perhaps, to put her back in her cage.’

de réir	according to
ábhairín	somewhat

• Chuir Jonah sa chás i. Chaith sé a chóta anuas ar an gcás agus
  chiúnaigh sí.

  ‘Fuaireamar tuairisc go mbíodh fathach fir ag coimhéad do
  thí gach oíche Aoine. Comharsa leat a bhí imníoch,’ arsa
  Tomkins.

  
  ‘Jonah, a chuid, an mbíteá[2nd pers Past hab] ag coimhéad mo thí?’

  Jonah put her in the cage. He threw his coat over the case and she calmed down.

  ‘We received a report that a giant man had been watching your house every Friday night. Your neighbor was concerned,´ said Tomkins.

  ‘Jonah, my dear, have you been watching my house?’ [End p 131]

  ciúnaigh	Calm; pacify
  coimhéad	Watch, guard	m, v
  a chuid	my dear

• Sméid Mr. Bones a cheann go náireach. ‘Nach rómánsúil an fear tú!’
  Bhronn Molly póigin air.

  Mr. Bones nodded his head shamefully.

  ‘Aren’t you a romantic man!’

  Molly bestowed a little kiss on him .

  Sméid	Wink, nod, beckon; sign, signal (with movement of head)
  náireach	shameful
  rómánsúil = rómánsach	romantic
  bronn	Grant, besto

• ‘Chas Mr. Bones agus mé féin ar a chéile agus mé ag obair sa
  Mhisean do Mhairnéalaigh,’ ar sise leis an Athair Ó Duinnin.
  ‘Thiteamar i ngrá le chéile láithreach ach, on uair gur daoine
  cúthaileacha muid araon, nior lig ceachtar againn aon cheo
  orainn. Bhí an-imní orm go n-imeodh Jonah ar thuras fada
  uaim gan aon ní a rá. Níor thuig seisean nach grá éagmaiseach a
  bhí aige dom. Inné, ag am lóin, tharla an mhíorúilt. Scól mé mo
  lámh leis an tae agus phóg Mr. Bones é.’

  ‘Mr. Bones and I met together while I was working in the Mission for Sailors,’ she said to Father Dineen, We fell in love with each other instantly but, since we are both shy people, neither of us let anything on. I was very worried that Jonah would go on a long journey from me without saying anything. He didn’t realize that his love was not unrequited. Yesterday, at lunchtime, the miracle happened. I scalded my hand with the tea and Mr. Bones kissed it.

  cas ar	meet with
  láithreach	pressent, immediate
  cúthaileacht	Shyness; diffidence	f gs cúthaileachta
  araon	both
  ceachtar	Either, one or other of two
  ceo	Fog; mist, haze; anything, nothing	m
  éagmaiseach	Absent; lonesome, longing
  míorúilt	miracle	f
  Scól	scald

• D’fhéach sí ina threo go geanúil. Thóg sé an lámh leonta ina
  chrág agus phóg go náireach arís í.

  ‘Má shuíonn sibh síos, bhur dtriúr, ag comhrá le chéile
  tamall, déanfaidh mise braon tae,’ ar sise go cneasta.

  Thóg an tAthair Pádraig an dá scadán as a phóca ach bhrúigh
  Abraham ar ais iad agus bhog sé an Duinníneach i dtreo an
  dorais.

  
  ‘Tá sé in am dár bpaidreacha, a Athair!’ ar seisean go
  cráifeach, ‘agus táimid araon ar céalacan.’

  She looked in his direction affectionately. He took the injured hand in his big hand and kissed her bashfully again.

  ‘If you sit down, the three of you, conversing together for a while, I’ll make a drop of tea,’ she said nicely.

  Father Pádraig took the two herrings from his pocket but Abraham pushed them back and moved Dineen towards the door.

  ‘It is time for our prayers, Father!’ he said piously, ‘and we both are on a morning fast.’

  geanúil	Loving, affectionate
  leon	sprain; injure, wound
  crág	Large hand; claw, paw; handful	m
  bhur	your
  braon	drop	m
  cneasta	Honest, sincere; Decent, seemly; Mild-mannered
  scadán	herring	m
  brúigh	press; push, shove	v
  cráifeach	Religious; pious, devout
  araon	both
  céalacan	Morning fast

• ‘Lá éigin eile!’ arsa Miss Sweetman go suairc. ‘Jonah, oscail
  tusa an doras tosaigh dóibh!’

  ‘Ceist amháin agam ar Mr. Bones, lena chead,’ arsa an mac
  léinn diagachta. ‘An mbíonn tú ag obair i ngairdín i rith na
  seachtaine?’

  ‘Captaen loinge é Jonah! Ni fhágann sé an long ach go
  hannamh. Ní bhíonn tú ag garraíodóireacht ar bord a thaisce?’
  Chraith Jonah a cheann.

  
  ‘Cén bhaint a bhí agat mar sin le Rhododendron sinogrande?’
  ‘Thug tú last plandaí isteach sa tír le deireanas, Jonah, nár
  thug?’

  ‘Some other day!’ said Miss Sweetman cheerfully. ‘Jonah, open the front door for them.’

  ‘I have one question for Mr. Bones, with permission,’ said the theology student. Do you work in a garden during week?’

  ‘Jonah is a ship captain! He rarely leaves the ship. You do not garden on board. ‘ Jonah shook his head.

  ‘What is your connection to Rhododendron sinogrande?’

  ‘You brought a cargo of plants into the country recently, Jonah, didn’t you?’ [End p 132]

  suairc	Pleasant, agreeable; cheerful
  diagacht	divinity; theology	f gs diagachta
  annamh	Rare, infrequent
  garraíodóireacht	gardening	f
  taisce	dtore, treasure, hoard	f
  crait = croit	shake	v
  lastas	reight (load), cargo	m

• Sméid Jonah a cheann. ‘Bíonn Jonah ag allmhuiriú plandaí do Ghairdín na Lus,’ arsa
  Miss Sweetman go sásta.

  
  ‘Bhí na leideanna ar fad falsa,’ arsa Tomkins agus iad ag
  filleadh ar an stáisiún. ‘Bones bocht, eisean atá i mbaol. Is
  millteanach an rud é grá dea-mhná.’

  Jonah nodded his head.

  ‘Jonah imports plants for the Botanical Garden,’ said Miss Sweetman happily.

  ‘All of the clues were false,’ said Tomkins as they returned to the station. ‘Poor Bones, he’s the one in danger. The love of a good woman is a terrible thing.’

  Sméid	Wink, nod, beckon; sign, signal (with movement of head)
  allmhairiú	Importation
  lus	Plant, herb	m
  leid	Hint, inkling; prompt; pointer, clue	f pl leidanna
  falsa	false
  eisean	he, him	[emphatic]
  baol	danger	m
  millteanach	Terrible, horrible

• ‘Áiméan!’ arsa an tAthair Pádraig. ‘Nior insíomar di faoin diamaint. An cóir dúinn filleadh ar
  ais?’

  D’fhéach siad siar ar an teach.

  
  ‘Amanarthar,’ arsa an Duinníneach.

  ‘Amen!’ said Father Patrick.

  ‘We didn’t tell her about the diamond. Should we return?’

  They looked back at the house’

  ‘The day after tomorrow,’ said Dineen.

  diamant	diamond	m gs npl diamaint
  amanarthar = amanathar	The day after tomorrow