Two Gallants

The grey warm evening of August had descended upon the city and a mild warm air, a memory…

Two young men came down the hill of Rutland Square. One of them was just bringing a long…

When he was quite sure that the narrative had ended he laughed noiselessly for fully half a minute.…

“Well!... That takes the biscuit!”

His voice seemed winnowed of vigour; and to enforce his words he added with humour:

“That takes the solitary, unique, and, if I may so call it, _recherché_ biscuit!”

He became serious and silent when he had said this. His tongue was tired for he had been…

“And where did you pick her up, Corley?” he asked.

Corley ran his tongue swiftly along his upper lip.

“One night, man,” he said, “I was going along Dame Street and I spotted a fine tart under…

“Maybe she thinks you’ll marry her,” said Lenehan.

“I told her I was out of a job,” said Corley. “I told her I was in Pim’s.…

Lenehan laughed again, noiselessly.

“Of all the good ones ever I heard,” he said, “that emphatically takes the biscuit.”

Corley’s stride acknowledged the compliment. The swing of his burly body made his friend execute a few light…

Lenehan offered his friend a cigarette. As the two young men walked on through the crowd Corley occasionally…

“Well ... tell me, Corley, I suppose you’ll be able to pull it off all right, eh?”

Corley closed one eye expressively as an answer.

“Is she game for that?” asked Lenehan dubiously. “You can never know women.”

“She’s all right,” said Corley. “I know the way to get around her, man. She’s a bit gone…

“You’re what I call a gay Lothario,” said Lenehan. “And the proper kind of a Lothario, too!”

A shade of mockery relieved the servility of his manner. To save himself he had the habit of…

“There’s nothing to touch a good slavey,” he affirmed. “Take my tip for it.”

“By one who has tried them all,” said Lenehan.

“First I used to go with girls, you know,” said Corley, unbosoming; “girls off the South Circular. I…

But Lenehan could well believe it; he nodded gravely.

“I know that game,” he said, “and it’s a mug’s game.”

“And damn the thing I ever got out of it,” said Corley.

“Ditto here,” said Lenehan.

“Only off of one of them,” said Corley.

He moistened his upper lip by running his tongue along it. The recollection brightened his eyes. He too…

“She was ... a bit of all right,” he said regretfully.

He was silent again. Then he added:

“She’s on the turf now. I saw her driving down Earl Street one night with two fellows with…

“I suppose that’s your doing,” said Lenehan.

“There was others at her before me,” said Corley philosophically.

This time Lenehan was inclined to disbelieve. He shook his head to and fro and smiled.

“You know you can’t kid me, Corley,” he said.

“Honest to God!” said Corley. “Didn’t she tell me herself?”

Lenehan made a tragic gesture.

“Base betrayer!” he said.

As they passed along the railings of Trinity College, Lenehan skipped out into the road and peered up…

“Twenty after,” he said.

“Time enough,” said Corley. “She’ll be there all right. I always let her wait a bit.”

Lenehan laughed quietly.

“Ecod! Corley, you know how to take them,” he said.

“I’m up to all their little tricks,” Corley confessed.

“But tell me,” said Lenehan again, “are you sure you can bring it off all right? You know…

His bright, small eyes searched his companion’s face for reassurance. Corley swung his head to and fro as…

“I’ll pull it off,” he said. “Leave it to me, can’t you?”

Lenehan said no more. He did not wish to ruffle his friend’s temper, to be sent to the…

“She’s a fine decent tart,” he said, with appreciation; “that’s what she is.”

They walked along Nassau Street and then turned into Kildare Street. Not far from the porch of the…

The two young men walked up the street without speaking, the mournful music following them. When they reached…

“There she is!” said Corley.

At the corner of Hume Street a young woman was standing. She wore a blue dress and a…

“Let’s have a look at her, Corley,” he said.

Corley glanced sideways at his friend and an unpleasant grin appeared on his face.

“Are you trying to get inside me?” he asked.

“Damn it!” said Lenehan boldly, “I don’t want an introduction. All I want is to have a look…

“O.... A look at her?” said Corley, more amiably. “Well ... I’ll tell you what. I’ll go over…

“Right!” said Lenehan.

Corley had already thrown one leg over the chains when Lenehan called out:

“And after? Where will we meet?”

“Half ten,” answered Corley, bringing over his other leg.

“Where?”

“Corner of Merrion Street. We’ll be coming back.”

“Work it all right now,” said Lenehan in farewell.

Corley did not answer. He sauntered across the road swaying his head from side to side. His bulk,…

Lenehan observed them for a few minutes. Then he walked rapidly along beside the chains at some distance…

Lenehan walked as far as the Shelbourne Hotel where he halted and waited. After waiting for a little…

Now that he was alone his face looked older. His gaiety seemed to forsake him and, as he…

He walked listlessly round Stephen’s Green and then down Grafton Street. Though his eyes took note of many…

He was hungry for, except some biscuits which he had asked two grudging curates to bring him, he…

“How much is a plate of peas?” he asked.

“Three halfpence, sir,” said the girl.

“Bring me a plate of peas,” he said, “and a bottle of ginger beer.”

He spoke roughly in order to belie his air of gentility for his entry had been followed by…

He paid twopence halfpenny to the slatternly girl and went out of the shop to begin his wandering…

He left his friends at a quarter to ten and went up George’s Street. He turned to the…

His mind became active again. He wondered had Corley managed it successfully. He wondered if he had asked…

Suddenly he saw them coming towards him. He started with delight and, keeping close to his lamp-post, tried…

They turned down Baggot Street and he followed them at once, taking the other footpath. When they stopped…

Lenehan hurried on in the same direction. Some drops of light rain fell. He took them as a…

“Hallo, Corley!”

Corley turned his head to see who had called him, and then continued walking as before. Lenehan ran…

“Hallo, Corley!” he cried again.

He came level with his friend and looked keenly in his face. He could see nothing there.

“Well?” he said. “Did it come off?”

They had reached the corner of Ely Place. Still without answering, Corley swerved to the left and went…

“Can’t you tell us?” he said. “Did you try her?”

Corley halted at the first lamp and stared grimly before him. Then with a grave gesture he extended…