Lovely Is The Life

LOVELY is TH L by giBBINGS Sngravings by the Author York - 1945 E P BUTTON COMPANY, ING, Copyright 1945 s by Robert Gibbings. JLll rights reserved. Printed in U S A. by H. Wolff, N quot ew York. quot 2Vo part of this book may be reproduced in any form - without permission 172 - writing from the publisher y except by a reviewer - who ivishes to quote brief passages in con nection - with a re-uie-wtvritten for inclusion in magazine or netvspaper or radio broadcast. 0.. 2 4 crnr Of the hundreds, not mentioned in this book, who helped me on my journey two names must be recorded that of my friend William Figgis of Dublin and that of my cousin A lee Day of Cork. Both y in a never-ending series of kind nesses, made my way easy. To those others, in every city, town and village through which I passed, who gave me of their richest, I offer, too, my sincerest gratitude. Robert Gib b ings Llangurig, Montgomeryshire f id, rtto LOVELY IS THE IXE I WASN T TEN MINUTES inside the door of the Royal Hotel at Galway before I was accosted on the stairs by a com plete stranger, a young man of about thirty yearS of age. 4 Come down till I treat you he said, As I turned to go with him he added My name is Jimmy Dillon. What s yours I told him. I ll call you Bob he said. We went down the stairs and into the bar. There were only two men there. One was small and wizened. He was wearing corduroy breeches and leggings, and was sitting before the fire, reading a newspaper. He took little notice of our entry. The other was heavily built and florid. He vore a mustard-coloured tweed suit, and overlapped a high stool beside the marble counter. His elbows rested on the counter and his chin was sunk in his fists. Hislower lip was thrust far forward. He seemed to be weighed down with some great mental problem. You re someone he said, with emphasis, pointing his finger at me, as Jimmy and I came in. 4 I seen you before. 12 Robert Gibbings I seen you at the station. You didn t see me. Your back was facing me. quot That s a man I said to Paddy Lydon, quot that s a man, quot I said. My name is Laffin, Tim Laffin. He swung round on his stool. The sunburnt dome of his bald head seemed to rise higher and higher above his ears. Now he said with great solemnity, I m a plain man, a very plain man. I m a man of few words. Tell me, in one sentence, in one sentence only, what s wrong with the world It would not be the easiest question to answer in one sentence at any time, still less on the spur of the moment that one arrives in Galway. I suppose I ventured, the only hope is in a revival of real religion Isn t the pope looking after that said the man at the fire. Shut up said the man of few words. But I was punctured. Any great thoughts that I might have uttered were lost to the world. Laffin began to speak again, but Jimmy interrupted him. Cattle were fetching five pounds more a head in England than in Ireland, he said. You d get five pounds more for that glass of stout if you had it in hell said the man by the fire. You go to hell said Laffin. And send you my ashes as snuff. Wouldn t I laugh to see you sneezing Once that man s hat is on his head his house is thatched whispered Jimmy to me, pointing to the little man. He s a tangler. He hasn t the price of one beast in the world. But he s a good judge. He ll buy early, knowing he can sell at a profit before the day is out. He can t pay till he sells The littleman got up and left us. And he puts that many airs on him, looking down his Lovely Is the Lee 13 nose at every one added Jimmy a little louder, as the door closed. Them as looks down their nose don t see far beyond it said Laffin. And he s never in the same place two days walks, walks, walks said Jimmy. Might as well tell a swallow not to travel said Laffin. Every man to his trade said Jimmy. There s a deal of difference between selling bad eggs and cooking them said Laffin. Now will ye all stop talking and listen to me for one moment he continued...