Duinnín i Lios Dúin Bhearna (tuilleadh)

Dineen in Lisdoonvarna (continued)

• D’fhag sé slan ag Mrs. Brown. Ghairm sé Greta i leataoibh agus, ar seisean:

  “Cá bhfaighinn seoladh an tiarna talún?”

  ‘Leabhar na seoltaí — an leabhar dearg, sa halla.’

  ‘Breathnaímis air anois.’

  ‘Cogar, a Ghreta,’ ar seisean ar ball agus an Dochtúir Bhatson imithe amach an doras tosaigh, ‘tá sé in am agat post eile a lorg. Ní rófhada go mbeidh caint ar an teach seo mar theach ar deineadh beirt a dhúnmharú ann.’

  ‘Ar mharaigh seisean iad?”

  He said goodbye to Mrs. Brown. He called Greta aside and said:

  ‘Where can I find the landlady’s address??’

  ‘Address book — the red book, in the hall.’

  ‘Let’s look at it now.’

  ‘Whisper, Greta,’ he said at once as Doctor Watson went out the front door, “it’s time you looked for another job. It won’t be too long before this house will be talked about as a house where two people were murdered.

  ‘Did he kill them?’

  gairm	call
  seoladh	Sailing, sail;

• “Ni fhéadfainn a rá nach raibh lámhaíocht aige ann.’

  Rinne Greta iarracht an scéal ina iomláine a léamh ar shúile an Duinninigh ach chraith sé a cheann.

  ‘Níl na freagraí ar fad agam go fóill, ach b’fhearr go bhfaighfeá féin agus Thomas agus Mrs. Brown postanna nua anois, seachas ar ball agus an scéal amuigh.”

  Sméid sí a ceann.

  ‘Céard faoi Mrs. Green?”

  ‘Pléifidh mise léi siúd,’ arsa an Duinnineach, ‘agus, a Ghreta, ná lig d’éinne an simné a ghlanadh go bhfillfidh mé.’
  

  ‘I couldn’t say he didn’t have a hand in it’

  Greta tried to read the whole story in Dineen’s eyes but he shook his head.

  ‘I don’t have all the answers yet, but you and Thomas and Mrs. Brown should get new jobs now, instead of later when the story is out.’

  ‘She shook/nodded her head’

  ‘What about Mrs. Green?’

  ‘I will discuss that with her later,’ said Dineen, ‘and, Greta, don’t let anyone clean the chimney until I return.’

  lámhaíocht	Helping hand; subscription	f
  pléigh	discuss

• Bhí Bhatson an-mhíshásta ar fad leis an gcaoi ar iompair an Duinnineach é féin sa teach ar Shraid Bennett. Bheartaigh sé gan labhairt leis agus iad ag filleadh ar Shraid an Bhaicéara, mar léiriú ar a mhíshástacht. Níor thug an Duinnineach aon ni faoi ndeara. Bhi sé ag machnamh go dian.

  ‘A Bhatson,’ ar seisean tar éis tamaill, ‘téigh tusa ar ais chuig de Hoilm, don lón, agus iarr air tuairisc ar bhás George Tavistock a lorg ina chomhad. Cas liom tigh Tavistock ag a dó: The Dovecote, Greenhills Drive, Putney, an seoladh. Inis do de Hoilm cá mbeidh ár dtriall. Inis dó freisin go mbeidh teastas pósta áirithe, go mb’fhéidir gur ann dó, á lorg agamsa san [d.l.213] idirlinn.”

  Watson was very unhappy with the manner in which Dineen had carried himself in the house on Bennett Street. He decided not to speak to him as they returned to Baker Street, as an illustration of his displeasure. Dineen did not notice anything. He was thinking hard.

  ‘Watson,’ ahe said after a while, ‘you go back to Holmes, for lunch, and ask him to look for a report of George Tavistock’s death in his file. Meet me at Tavistock´s house at two: The Dovecote, Greenhills Drive, Putney, being the address. Tell Holmes where we will be travelling. Tell him also that I will be looking for a certain marriage certificate, that probably exists, in [d.l.213] the meanwhile.’

  Clarification, illustration; representation

  beartaigh	poise, brandish; plan, contrive, consider; decide
  léiriú
  machnamh	reflection. contemplation	m
  dian	Intense, vehement; hard, severe
  triall	Journey, expedition	m
  teastas	Testimony; Testimonial, certificate	m
  idirlinn	Interval; pause, intermission; time-lag

• Nior thug sé deis argóna do Bhatson. Chas sé ar a sháil agus d’imigh sé leis. . .

  Rinne an tAthair Ó Duinnin teach Mrs. Tavistock, tiarna talún Burr, a choimhéad go ciúin séimh agus é ag feitheamh ar Bhatson. Chreid sé go mbíonn scéalta le hinsint ag nithe neamhbheo, an té a d’éisteodh, agus bhi sé ag éisteacht leis an teach.

  ‘Níl an t-úinéir sa bhaile,’ ar seisean le Bhatson, ar a theacht.

  ‘Chnag tú ar an doras?”
  

  He did not give Watson a chance to argue. He turned on his heel and left.

  Father Dineen made it to the house of Mrs. Tavistock, Burr’s landlady, and watched quietly as he waited for Watson. He believed that inanimate objects have stories to tell, whoever would listen, and he was listening to the house.

  ‘The owner is not at home,’ he said to Watson, on his arrival.

  ‘You knocked on the door?’

  argóin	argue	v
  sáil	heel
  coimhéad	watch, guard
  séimh	Thin, slender; fine, smooth; tenuous, subtle
  feitheamh	: Watch, look-out, guard; Wait, expectation
  úinéir	Owner, proprietor	m

• ‘Níor snasadh práis an dorais inniu agus is léir ón teach agus ón ngairdin gur duine pointedáilte í an t-uinéir nach gceadódh don chailin aimsire faillí a dhéanamh. An bhfaca tú id shaol riamh crann chomh táilliúrtha leis an gceann sin thall?’

  ‘B’fhéidir gurab í an cailin aimsire nach bhfuil istigh,’ arsa Bhatson.

  Bhi sé dona go leor go mbeadh tairngreachtaí, bunaithe ar neamhnithe beaga fianaise, á ndéanamh ag Searbhlach de Hoilm, ach go ndéanfadh an sagart beag seo as Éirinn iad! . .
  Nuair a chnag siad ar an doras, thosaigh madra sa ghairdin cúil ag tafann.

  ‘The brass of the door was not polished today and it is clear from the house and the garden that the owner is a tidy person who would not allow the servant girl to neglect it. Have you ever seen in your life a tree as well-tailored as that one over there?

  ‘Perhaps the servant girl is not in,’ said Watson.

  It was bad enough that Sherlock Holmes would be making predictions, based on small bits of nothing as evidence, but that this little priest from Ireland would make them! . . .

  When they knocked on the door, a dog in the back garden started barking.

  pointeáilte	Well-kept, tidy, spruce, smart
  faillí	Neglect, negligence; delay, omission	f
  snas	Finish, polish, gloss, good appearance	m
  prás	brass	m
  táilliúrtha	tailored
  tairngreachta	prophecy, prediction
  neamhní	nothing, void	m

• ‘Madra beag, a Bhatson,’ arsa an Duinnineach. ‘Bíonn airde an ghleo agus méid an mhadra in ais-chomhréir le chéile.’

  ‘O! Tá sibh ábhairín luath!’ arsa an cailín aimsire a d’oscail an doras.

  Bhi sí gléasta go néata i ngúna dubh agus naprún bán agus bhí seafóidín de chaipín beag bán ar a ceann.

  ‘Dúirt an ceannaí, Mr. Hugo, nach dtiocfadh sibh roimh a trí,’ ar sise agus amhras uirthi.

  Thug an Duinnineach cic don Dr. Bhatson a bhi ar tí a bhéal a oscailt. [d.l.214]

  ‘A small dog, Watson,’ said Dineen, ‘The loudness of the bark and the size of the dog are inversely proportional to each other.’
  ‘Oh! You’re a bit early!’ said the servant girl who opened the door.

  She was neatly dressed in a black dress and a white apron and had a small silly white cap on her head.

  ‘The agent, Mr. Hugo, said wouldn’t you come before three,’ she said doubtfully.

  Dineen gave a kick to Dr. Watson who was about to open his mouth.

  accord, congruity; proportion

  gleo	Fight, combat, battle; Noise, clamour, uproar,	m
  comhréir		f
  ceannaí	Buyer, purchaser; Dealer, merchant	m

• ‘B’fhéidir,’ arsa an Duinnineach, ‘murar mhiste, go bhféadfaimis an teach a fheiscint anois, ón uair go bhfuilimid anseo. Taim cinnte go mbeidh an Dr. Bhatson sásta…’

  Ghlac Bhatson leis an leid agus thug sé síneadh láimhe don chailin.

  ‘Cad is ainm duit, a thaisce?”

  ‘Gladys, a dhuine usuail.’

  ‘Níl Mrs. Tavistock féin ar an lathair? ‘

  ‘Níl. Tá Mr. Hugo chun tionónta a fháil thar a ceann.’

  ‘Fágfar an troscán, cuirtíní agus mar sin de?’

  ‘Perhaps,’ said Dineen, ‘if you don’t mind, we could see the house now, since we are here. I’m sure Dr. Watson will be pleased…’

  Watson took the hint and stretched out his hand to the girl.

  ‘What is your name, my dear?’

  ‘Gladys, sir.’

  ‘Mrs. Tavistock herself is not present?’

  ‘No. Mr. Hugo is getting a tenant on her behalf.’

  ‘The furniture, curtains and so on will be left?’

  troscán	furniture	m

• ‘Fágfar gach rud atá anseo. Tá pictiúirí, ornáidi agus rudaí mar sin tugtha chun siúil cheana féin.’

  ‘’Bhfuil sé i gceist ag Mrs. Tavistock an teach a ligint amach ar léas fada?’

  ‘Bheadh ort a fhiafraí de Mr. Hugo, ach shílfinn é. Ta sí ag dul ag pósadh.’

  “Cé leis?”

  ‘Níor tháinig sé anseo riamh.’

  ‘Ach tá scéal éigin amuigh?’ It is mea He never came hernt by Mrs. Tavistock let the house out on a long lease?t ‘But there is some news out there?’ said Father Padraig with a smile in his eyes.arsa an tAthair Padraig agus rógaireacht ina shúile.

  ‘Táthar á ra go bhfuil sí le misinéir a phósadh agus dul thar lear.’

  “Mar sin é?”

  ‘Táthar á rá gur easpag é.”
  

  ‘Everything here will be left. Pictures, ornaments and things like that have already been taken away.’

  ‘It is understood that Mrs. Tavistock let the house out on a long lease?’

  ‘You would have to ask Mr. Hugo, but I would think so. She is getting married.’

  ‘To whom?’

  ‘He never came here.’

  ‘But there is some news out there?’ said Father Padraig with roguery in his eyes.

  ‘It is said that she is going to marry a missionary and go abroad.’

  ‘Is that so?’

  ‘He is said to be a bishop.

  thar lear	abroad

• ‘Sea?’

  ‘Easpag ciardhubh!’

  ‘Bhuel, bhuel, bhuel,’ arsa an Duinnineach. ‘Is deas an scéal é agus d’fhéadfadh sé a bheith fíor. Braithfidh sí an teach seo uaithi agus í ag misinéireacht faoi ghrian na hAfraice. Rugadh anseo í, is dócha?”

  ‘Ni hea. Tháinig sí anseo nuair a phós si. Ba é seo teach [d.l.215] mhuintir Tavistock.’

  ‘Yes’

  ‘A black bishop!’

  ‘Well, well, well,’ said Dineen. ‘It’s a nice story and it could be true. She will feel this house of hers as she does missionary work under the African sun. She was born here, likely?’

  ‘She was not. She came here when she got married. This was the home of the Tavistock family.’It’s not

  ciardhubh	Jet-black, sable

• Le linn dóibh a bheith ag caint, bhí siad ag siúil trin teach agus ag féachaint thart orthu. Bhi na seomraí folamh mar a bheadh seomrai in ósta.

  ‘Seo an seomra staidéir,’ arsa an cailin.

  B’é seo an t-aon chuid den teach a raibh rian éigin den sealbhóir ann — cúpla grianghraf ar na fallaí, seilf agus píopaí tobac air.

  ‘Tá an seomra seo mar a bhí sé nuair a cailleadh Mr. George Tavistock. Ar ndóigh, tógadh na páipéiri amach as an deasc ach, seachas é sin, níor deineadh athruithe ar bith ar an áit. Ní thagadh Mrs. Tavistock isteach anseo riamh.’

  ‘Croíbhriste, ní folair,’ arsa Ó Duinnín. ‘Is dócha gur chas sí ar an gcreideamh nuair a cailleadh a céile. Cad a thug bás Mr. George Tavistock?”

  While they were talking, they were walking around the house and looking around. The rooms were empty like rooms of an inn.

  ‘This is the study,’ said the girl.

  This was the only part of the house that had some trace of the occupant — a few photographs on the walls, a shelf and tobacco pipes.

  ‘This room is as it was when Mr. George Tavistock died. Of course, the papers were taken off the desk but, apart from that, no changes were made to the place. Mrs. Tavistock never entered here.’

  ‘Must have been a broken heart,’ said Dineen. ‘She probably turned to religion when her husband died. How did Mr. George Tavistock die?

  sealbhóir	Occupier; possessor, holder, occupant.	m
  athrú	change, alteration	m plathruithe

• ‘Bhí sé ag iarraidh pearóid a leasú agus dhoirt sé arsanaic ar a chraiceann de thaisme. Shúigh an craiceann an nimh. Tháinig na póilini anseo an uair úd, ach thuig siad gur thimpist é.’

  Shuigh an Duinnineach ag an deasc mhór gan focal a ré, a shúile ar bior.

  ‘Is dócha gur anseo a shuigh George Tavistock agus an Dr. Burr nuair a bhí an léas don teach ar Shráid Bennett á shíniú acu,’ ar seisean.

  ‘Ó, níorbh ea,’ arsa an cailin aimsire. ‘Dhéanfaí a leithéid in oifig an dlíodóra, ach bhiodh an Dr. Burr anseo go minic mar sin féin.”

  ‘Réitigh sé go maith le George Tavistock, mar sin. Ar réitigh sé lena bhean chéile?”

  ‘Go han-mhaith ar fad. Bhiodh sé chun dinnéir aici uair sa tseachtain, nó mar sin, go dtí gur…’

  ‘He was trying to preserve a parrot and accidentally spilled arsenic on his skin. The skin absorbed the poison. The police came here at that time, but they understood it was an accident.’

  Dineen sat at the big desk without a word, his eyes looking sharply.

  ‘It is probably here that George Tavistock and Dr. Burr sat when they were signing the lease for the house on Bennett Street,’ he said.

  ‘O, it wasn’t,’ said the servant girl. ‘Such a thing would be done in the lawyer’s office, but Dr. Burr himself was here often.

  ‘He got on well with George Tavistock, then. Has he gotten along with his wife?

  ‘Very well, He would have dinner with her once a week or so, until…’

  pearóid	parrot	f
  taisme	Accident, mishap	f
  súigh	Absorb, suck
  leithéid	Like, counterpart, equal; such	f

  e Tavistock and Dr. Burr sat when they were signing the lease for the house on Bennett Street,’ he said.

  ‘O, it wasn’t,’ said the servant girl. ‘Such a thing would be done in the lawyer’s office, but Dr. Burr himself was here often.

  ‘He got on well with George Tavistock, then. Has he gotten along with his wife?

  Tháinig amhras ar Ghladys ar chóir di a bheith ag caint i [d.l.216] dtaobh a fostaitheoirí ach, bhí aghaidh chomh soineanta, agus súile chomh neamhurchóideacha san ag an Duinníneach gur mealladh í chun cabaireachta.

  ‘Bhuel, d’éirigh idir Mr. Tavistock agus an Dr. Burr. Bhí an cíos gan íoc. Tugadh cairde don Dochtúir agus, nuair a bhi an cairde istigh, tugadh fógra dó.’

  ‘Ach níor cuireadh as seilbh é?”

  Doubt came over Gladys about whether she should be talking about her employers but, her face was so naïve, and Dineen had such innocent eyes that she was beguiled by his loquacity.

  ‘It succeeded between Mr. Tavistock and Dr. Burr. The rent was unpaid. Respite was given to the Doctor and, when the respite was done, he was notified.’

  ‘But he was not evicted.’

  fostaitheoir	employer
  soineanta	naïve

• ‘Cailleadh Mr. Tavistock. Faoin am go raibh an chréip dhubh curtha di ag Mrs. Tavistock agus í i mbun gnó, bhí an Dochtúir pósta le bean shaibhir agus is dócha go raibh teacht ar airgead cíosa…”

  Níor labhair an Duinnineach láithreach ach luigh a shuile ar ghrianghraf ar an bhfalla.

  ‘Athair agus máthair Mr. George,’ said Gladys

  Grianghraf a glacadh i stiúideo, ag tús ré na grianghrafaíochta, a bhí ann. Bhí dath donn tréigthe air agus na ceannaithe gan a bheith róshoiléir. D’fhéach Bhatson ar an scríbhinn faoi agus d’fhógair sé os ard:

  ‘Mr. Tavistock died. By the time Mrs. Tavistock took off the black crepe was in business, the Doctor was married to a rich woman and probably could come upon the rent money.

  Dineen did not speak but his eyes were laid on a photograph on the wall.

  ‘Father and mother of Mr. George’

  It was a photo taken in a studio, at the beginning of the photography era. It was a faded brown color and the heads were not too clear. Watson looked at the writing on it and announced aloud:

  créip	crepe	f
  soiléir	clear; obvious; apparent

• 
  ‘Mr. and Mrs. Jeremiah Tavistock! A Athair Ui Dhuinnin, ni mór dom leithscéal a ghabháil leat,’ ar seisean. ‘Shileas go raibh tú ag áibhéil nuair a mhaigh ti go raibh árasán Squiers lan de stuif Jeremiah Tavistock … ach feicim anseo sa phictiúr an dódó agus an moncaí agus go leor de na nithe eile a bhí ann.’

  ‘Ní maith liom mar ghrianghraf é,’ arsa an cailín aimsire. ‘Bíonn súile na mná do mo leantúint thart faoin áit agus mé ag glantóireacht.”

  ‘Níl ann ach go raibh an bhean bhocht ag stánadh ar an gceamara ag an am,’ arsa Ó Duinnín agus é ag dul chun féachana. ‘Ná tóg uirthi é. Féach an hata deas atá uirthi agus an mhuince álainn. Is annamh go bhfeicfeá muince ghreanta mar sin anois.” [d.l.217]

  ‘Mr. and Mrs. Jeremiah Tavistock! Father Dineen, I must apologize to you,’ he said. ‘I thought you were exaggerating when you said Squiers apartment was full of Jeremiah Tavistock’s stuff…… but I see here in the picture the dodo and the monkey and many of the other things that were there.’

  ‘I don’t like it as a photo,’ said the servant girl. ‘The woman’s eyes follow me around the place as I clean.’

  ‘It’s just that the poor woman was staring at the camera at the time,’ said Dineen while going to see. ‘Don’t take it from her. Look at the nice hat she’s wearing and the beautiful necklace. It’s rare to see an engraved necklace like that now.’

  greanta	graven
  annamh	rare, infrequent

• ‘Tá sé seanfhaiseanta,’ arsa Gladys . . . ‘Ach, nach bhfuil sibh ag iarraidh an chuid eile den teach a fheiscint?”

  Bhí dearmad déanta ag an Duinnineach go raibh sé féin agus Bhatson in ainm is a bheith ag lorg tí. D’iarr sé go dtaispeánfaí an t-áiléar dóibh.

  ‘Duirt Mrs. Tavistock gur féidir 1éi an stuif san áiléar a chartadh as, má tá gá ag an tionónta leis an spás stórála,’ a mhinigh an cailín aimsire. ‘Bhiodh sé mar áit oibre ag Mr. Tavistock.”

  ‘It is old fashioned,’ said Gladys. . . ‘But, don’t you want to see the rest of the house?

  Dineen had forgotten that he and Watson were supposed to be looking for a house. He asked to be shown the attic.

  ‘Mrs. Tavistock said that she can clear away the stuff in the attic,’ the servant girl explained. ‘It used to be Mr. Tavistock’s place of work.’

• ‘Ag Jeremiah nó ag George?’ a d’fhiafraigh an Duinnineach agus é ag féachaint ar na sábhanna agus na sceana, ar na seilfeanna a raibh buidéil rangaithe orthu, ar an mbord leathan a raibh loganna ann chun leacht a scaoileadh chun siúil.

  ‘Bhíodh Mr. George ag obair anseo, ar ndóigh, ach bhi a athair anseo roimhe.”

  Rinne Bhatson eascaine.

  ‘Mo leithscéal,’ ar seisean. ‘Baineadh geit asam. D’fhéachas in airde agus chonaiceas an cat mór bán sin os mo chionn, ar tí léimrí. Ar ndóigh, is táirge eile de chuid na seitheadóirí é!

  ‘Theastaigh ó Mrs. Tavistock an cat a bhaint anuas as sin nuair a chuir sí an chuid eile de na hainmhithe sall go Sráid Bennett,’ arsa Gladys, ‘ach theip uirthi an ceann sin a shroichint. Ní raibh teacht ar dhréimire mar gur goideadh é ón seid sa ghairdin.”
  

  ‘Jeremiah’s or George’s?’ asked Dineen at the shelves where bottles were arranged,at the wide table where there were hollows to release liquid to flow.

  Mr. George used to work here, of course, but his father was here before.

  Watson cursed.

  ‘My apologies,’ he said. ‘I was startled. I looked up and saw that big white cat above my head, about to jump [??]. ‘

  ‘Mrs. Tavistock wanted the cat taken down from there when she sent the rest of the animals over to Bennett Street,’ said Gladys, ‘but she failed to reach that one. Couldn’t come by a ladder as it had been stolen from the shed in the garden.’

  rangaigh	Classify; grade, assort
  log	place, hollow	m
  leacht	grave, mound, heap; liquid	m
  scaoileadh	Loosening, undoing; release, discharge	m
  táirge	product	m
  seitheadóir	taxidermist	m
  Teastaigh	be wanted, needed
  sall	To the far side, over, across

• 
  “B’é stuif Jeremiah nó stuif George a chuir sí i leataoibh?’ a d’fhiafraigh an Duinnineach.
  ‘Ní raibh san áit oibre ag an am ach na créatuiri a bhalsamaigh George Tavistock.’

  “Agus cathain a dhein sí an glanadh amach?’

  ‘Nuair a bhí a fear céile breoite. Theastaigh uaithi go mbeadh an áit glan, réitithe faoina choinne, nuair a thiocfadh biseach [d.l.218] air.
  Chuidigh mise lei. Nior fhágamar ann ach an phearoid a raibh sé ag obair air agus an cat narbh fhéidir linn a shroichint.’
  ‘Seachas san, ar dhein sibh aon obair ghlantóireachta ar bith eile?”

  ‘Was it Jeremiah’s stuff or George’s stuff that she put aside?’ asked Dineen.
  ‘The workplace at the time had only the creatures embalmed by George Tavistock.’

  ‘And when did she clean them out?’

  ‘When her husband was sick. She wanted the place to be clean, ready for his return, when he recovered. I helped her. We only left there the parrot he was working on and the cat we couldn’t reach.

  Aside from that, did you do any other cleaning work?

  balsamaigh	embalmed
  breoite	sick, ailing

• ‘Chuir Mrs. Tavistock buidéil agus boscaí i dtreo. Níor dheineamar dustáil ná níochan mar gur cailleadh an fear bocht, agus cad ab áil linn é a dhéanamh ansin? Ar ndóigh, tugadh glanadh maith don áit i ndiaidh do na poilíní a bheith réidh leis.’

  ‘Bhatson, tar agus féach ar na buidéil sa chófra seo,’ arsa an Duinnineach.

  Rinne Bhatson iad a iniúchadh.

  ‘Ni haon ionadh go bhfuair sé bás de bharr arsanaic agus na ceimici seo in úsáid go michúramach aige,’ ar seisean agus a shuile ar leathadh. ‘Níl sé ceadaithe le breis is fiche bliain a leithéid seo a dhíol.”

  ‘Mrs. Tavistock put them along with bottles and boxes. We did not dust or wash because the poor man was dead, and what would we wish to do then? Of course, the place was given a good cleaning after the police were done with it.’

  ‘Watson, come and look at the bottles in this cupboard,’

  Watson inspected them.

  ‘No wonder he died from arsenic with his careless use of these chemicals,’ he said with his eyes wide. ‘It has not been allowed for more than twenty years to sell something like this.’

• 
  Shíl an Duinnineach gur airigh sé giosáil éigin ón díon ach ní raibh os a chionn ach an cat mór ban a bhainn stangadh as Bhatson níos túisce.

  ‘Dia idir sinn agus an anachain,’ arsa an Duinníneach agus ghearr sé comhartha na croise air féin. ‘Tuigim an scéal anois, nó ceapaim go dtuigim. Tá tú cinnte de, a thaisce, gur dhein George an cat sin thuas a phulcadh?’
  

  Dineen thought he heard some rustling from the roof but above him was only the big white cat that had startled Watson earlier.

  ‘God between us and the calamity,’ said Dineen and made the sign of the cross on himself. I understand the story now, or I think I do. Are you sure, my dear, that George stuffed that cat up there?

  airigh

  Perceive, sense.
  giosáil	Fizz, fizzle; sizzle; ferment
  túisce	Sooner, rather; first
  anachain	Mischance, calamity, disaster; loss	f

• ‘Is cuimhin liom é á dhéanamh.’

  Bhí ceist amhain eile ag an Duinnineach ar an gcailín aimsire:

  ‘An peata beag madra sin sa ghairdin cúil, an dtabharfaidh Mrs. Tavistock chun siúil é né an bhfágfar anseo é?”

  ‘Níl sí rócheanúil air. Déarfainn go bhfágfadh sí ina diaidh é, da mbeadh tionónta sásta glacadh leis.’

  “’Bhfuil sé aici le fada [d.l.219]

  ‘I remember him doing it.’

  Dineen had one more question for the servant girl:

  ‘That little pet dog in the back garden, does Mrs. Tavistock take it with heror leave it here?

  ‘She is not too fond of him. I would say she would leave it behind, if a tenant was happy to accept it.’

  ‘Has she had it for a long time?’

  </li

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