The Butcher Boy Read Online Free PDF Page B

this is grand we're well fed here sit down and rest yourself never mind us!
    We're an awful crowd!
    Alo stood behind Mary with his hands placed on her shoulders and sang When you were sweet sixteen.
    The clapping went on for over a minute and she didn't know where to look.
    You shouldn't she said.
    Alo's face was red as a beetroot and his eyes were wild. He laughed and then went down on his hunkers, half-crouched and ready to leap an abyss. I could see him checking all the faces in the room and then when he was satisfied that everything was all right he let out a kind of a growl and out of nowhere grips her by the arm. It took her completely by surprise and she nearly fell off her stool.
    And why shouldn't I me darling?
    He fell into her lap and his legs swung out and up into the air.
    Ma squealed and everybody cheered.
    We may get the priest! they cried.
    Just for a split second I though Mary was going to throw her arms around Alo and burst into tears. She kept biting her nail and her lip was trembling just like a kid when it falls and everybody's asking are you all right are you all right?
    But she didn't burst into any tears. When the laughter had died away, Alo struggled to right himself with one hand and straighten his tie with the other. As he got up his fingers lightly brushed against her cheek and she bent her head. Then someone went to say something but didn't say it. After that there was silence but Alo didn't want silence. He rushed over and poured himself a fresh drink. He called for another song.
    What about the Inspector of Drains from the County Leitrim? The man himself -- Percy French!
     
    Mary hunched herself up over the keyboard so that no one would see her hands were shaking. The flies were at the cakes again and there were crumbs all over the floor where Alo's elbow had knocked a plate. But no one even noticed. There was a spot of butterfly bun cream on the triangle top of his red hankie. It was well past two and everybody was singing different songs. Would you look at the time someone said and a long low whistle glided across the room.
    We'll never make Mass in the morning.
    Time we were moving so, they said.
    You'll stay another while, please! said Alo.
    There'll be more nights, they said, man dear but it was great to see you Alo!
    Let me, said ma, and went to the hall for their coats.
    Well there you are, said da, standing in the doorway and smoothing his hair back from his forehead with the edge of his hand.
    Now we're right, they said, or right as we'll ever be!
     
    Alo shook hands and said goodbye. He didn't want to let go their hands when they made to go off to the car he was still holding on. They called from the car Please God it won't be so long the next time!
     
    Mary tried to look away but a magnet pulled her eyes back until they met Alo's. He reached out to touch her on the shoulder then retracted it again like a shoplifter losing his nerve at the last minute. He didn't know what to do then so he just stood there. He was standing almost on his tiptoes. If it had been earlier they all might have whistled or hummed to get rid of the silence. Now all they did was jingle coins and fasten overcoat buttons, they couldn't think of anything else to do. Mary's lips parted to speak. I knew what she was going to say. She was going to say it was lovely to see you but that was exactly what Alo said and the sentences collided in mid-air. Mary tried to start again. So did Alo. Then Alo went pale and leaned forward. He kissed her softly on the hair and when she looked again he was gone. He was back inside with the whiskey bottle. Da muttered something under his breath I don't know what and the ball bearing eyes were cold steel in his head. The chickenhouse fan was droning away, the hens as happy as Larry inside their warm woodchip world of burbling beaks and swooshing seed. It was like they were saying: Well we're all right. You won't find us worrying! We're too busy burbling and waiting for our