The year of the virgins Read Online Free PDF

that is in her to hold him tight to her for the rest of his life. Pure and unsullied, that's how she thinks of him. You know, since he was born and she saw that he was normal, you could say in all truth that she's hardly looked at Stephen or Joe; in fact, she dislikes them both, although for different reasons.'
    Father Ramshaw now shook his head before slowly saying, 'But even if you were to leave her you couldn't be divorced. You know that.'
    'That wouldn't matter to me so long as there was space between us, more space, because as you know I haven't had her bed for years; she even shrinks from my hand.'
    The old priest sighed as he said, "Tis a sad state of affairs. But perhaps God has a strange way of working: after Saturday, when she knows she's lost Don, she might turn to you.'
    'Oh, never, Father.' Daniel now reached firmly out and replenished the glasses with whisky and, again handing one to the priest, he said, T couldn't stand that. I really couldn't. Not after all this long time. Oh, no, there'll be no reconciliation like that, I can tell you.'
    'What about Joe, should you carry out your plan?'
    'Oh, Joe's a man in his own right; he'll order his life the way he wants it. He's in a good position now, being a full-blown accountant. And anyway, he's got his own little establishment in the cottage. There's days on end when he doesn't come into the main house here, not even

    for his meals. Oh, I don't worry about Joe; he'll get along on his own.'
    'Aye. Joe's a fine fellow, but nobody gets along on their own, Daniel. And that reminds me, I'll have to be after him; he's been neglecting his duties of late; I haven't seen him at Mass for a couple of Sundays. But then he could have been at Father Cody's. I could have enquired about that, but I didn't. The less that devil-chaser and me have to say to each other the better!' He gulped at the whisky now, then laughed and ended, 'I'm a wicked man, you know. But there's only you and God know that, so keep it to yourself. That's a fine whisky an' all, Daniel, but it must be me last if I don't want to drive home singing, because then, believe it or not, Father Cody would have me on me knees, he would that, and thumping me on the back, saying, "Repeat after me: Drink is the divil. Drink is the divil. Drink is the divil."
    They both laughed, and the priest went on, 'And I bet he would say that an' all, because he puts me in mind of Sister Catherine. They could be mother and son, you know, the way they deal with those who lapse, because that's what she used to do to the young lads. I caught her at it once, thumping a hapless little divil on the head for some misdemeanour and with each thump crying, "Say: God is love. God is love. God is love."'
    'Oh! Father.' Daniel wiped his eyes with a handkerchief. T hope you'll attend my deathbed, because I'd like to die laughing.'
    'Ah, that's nice, that's a very nice thing to say. But seeing how the two of us are set in years it could be the other way round. Now, give me a hand up. Let me see if me legs are steady. How many whiskies have I had?'
    'Three, and the brandy.'

    'It's the brandy, whisky never goes to me legs like this.' He put out a leg and shook it, saying, 'It's got the tremors. Come on, let me out quietly, and then get yourself away to your bed. I'll see you on Thursday at the rehearsal, then pray God Saturday will be here and it will all be over. We must talk again, Daniel. Do you hear? Promise me you won't do anything until we talk again.'
    'All right, Father, I promise.'
    And on that, Daniel led the way out of the house and saw this dear old fellow, as he thought of him, into his car, saying, Til see you to the gates; I promised Bill I'd put out the lights . . .'
    Back in the house, he looked across the hall to the green-baize door. She was still in the kitchen - he had seen the light from the drive - but he didn't make towards it. Instead, he slowly went up the stairs.

    It was a beautiful day; it could have been mid-July, for