You’re welcome, sir, Ned Lambert said. Drop in whenever you like. Next week, say. Can you see?

Yes, yes. Good afternoon, Mr Lambert. Very pleased to have met you.

Pleasure is mine, sir, Ned Lambert answered.

He followed his guest to the outlet and then whirled his lath away among the pillars. With J. J. O’Molloy he came forth slowly into Mary’s abbey where draymen were loading floats with sacks of carob and palmnut meal, O’Connor, Wexford.

He stood to read the card in his hand.

The reverend Hugh C. Love, Rathcoffey. Present address: Saint Michael’s, Sallins. Nice young chap he is. He’s writing a book about the Fitzgeralds he told me.