The Sisters

Though I was angry with old Cotter for alluding to me as a child,

ed strangely in my ears, like the word gnomon in the Euclid and the word simony in the Catechism

`What I mean is,' said old Cotter, `it's bad for children. My idea is: let a young lad run about and play with young lads of his own age and not be... Am I right, Jack?'

He was too scrupulous always,' she said. `The duties of the priesthood was too much for him. And then his life was, you might say, crossed.'

I pretended to pray but I could not gather my thoughts because the old woman's mutterings distracted me

as if I had been freed from something by his death.

I found it strange that neither I nor the day seemed in a mourning mood

he word gnomon in the Euclid and the word simony in the Catechism. But now it sounded to me like the name of some maleficent and sinful being. It fil

Every night as I gazed up at the window I said softly to myself the word paralysis

The Rev. James Flynn (formerly of St Catherine's Church, Meath Street), aged sixty-five years. R.I.P. The reading of the card persuaded me that he was dead and I was disturbed to find myself at check. Had he not been dead I would have gone into the little dark room behind the shop to find him sitting in his arm-chair by the fire, nearly smothered in his great-coat.