human
Flory, you are pretending to be asleep. Flory uttered a short snore,--or rather snort, for he was not a good actor.
gpt
You may as well wake up, because otherwise I shall shake you.
human
Why am I to be shaked up in bed?
gpt
Because I want to speak to you.
human
Why am I to be made to speak when I want to sleep?
gpt
Papa has been talking about you downstairs. He has come home from Ballintubber, very tired and very unhappy, and he thinks you have been made to go to bed without your supper because we have been attacking you about religion. I have told him that nobody has said a word to you.
human
But you did.
gpt
Not a word.
human
You didn't tell him all that you told me--about letting in the water?
gpt
Not a word,--not as yet.
human
And you won't? Mind, I tell you it's all untrue. What do I know about letting in the water?
gpt
Who did it?
human
I'm not going to tell.
gpt
You know, then?
human
No, I don't. But I'm not going to tell as though I knew it. You don't care about it in your religion, but we Catholics don't like telling lies.
gpt
You saw nothing?
human
Whatever I saw I'm not to tell a lie about it.
gpt
You've promised not, you mean?
human
Now, Edy, you're not going to trap me. You've got your own religion and I've got mine. It's a great thing in our religion to be able to hold your tongue. Father Malachi says it's one of the greatest trials which a man has to go through.
gpt
Then, Flory, am I to gather that you will say nothing further to me? Here the boy shook his head.
human
Because in that case I must tell father. At any rate, he must be told, and if you do not tell him, I shall.
gpt
What is there to be told?
human
I shall tell him exactly what I saw,--and Ada. I saw,--we saw,--that when the news came about the flood, you were conscious of it all. If you will go to father and tell him the truth he will be but very little angry with you. I don't suppose you had a hand in it yourself.
gpt
No!
human
But I think you saw it, and that they made you swear an oath. Was that not so?
gpt
No!
human
I am sure it was so.