Atty and sun and moon, and worshipped
beauty and strength more than St. Atty or sun and moon.
Costello's hand had rested upon the handle of his sword and his
knuckles had grown white, but now he drew it away, and, followed by
those who were with him, strode towards the door, the dancers giving
way before him, the most angrily and slowly, and with glances at the
muttering and shouting peasants, but some gladly and quickly, because
the glory of his fame was over him. He passed through the fierce and
friendly peasant faces, and came where his good horse and the rough-
haired garrons were tied to bushes; and mounted and bade his ungainly
bodyguard mount also and ride into the narrow boreen. When they had
gone a little way, Duallach, who rode last, turned towards the house
where a little group of Dermotts and Namaras stood next to a more
numerous group of countrymen, and cried: 'Dermott, you deserve to be
as you are this hour, a lantern without a candle, a purse without a
penny, a sheep without wool, for your hand was ever niggardly to
piper and fiddler and story-teller and to poor travelling people.' He
had not done before the three old Dermotts from the Ox Mountains had
run towards their horses, and old Dermott himself had caught the
bridle of a garron of the Namaras and was calling to the others to
follow him; and many blows and many deaths had been had not the
countrymen caught up still glowing sticks from the ashes of the fires
and hurled them among the horses with loud cries, making all plunge
and rear, and some break from those who held them, the whites of
their eyes gleaming in the dawn.
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