And there they were too listening in as hard as they could to the solans and sycamores and ^|1the migratories and^1| mistle thrushes and all the birds of the sea, all four of them, listening. They were the big four, the four master waves of Erin, all listening., four. There was old Matt Gregory and then besides old Matt there was old Marcus Lyons, the four waves, and oftentimes they used to be saying grace together right enough: here now we are the four of us: old Matt Gregory and old Marcus and old Luke Tarpey: the four of us and sure thank God there are no more of us: and sure now you wouldn't go and leave out ^|1the other fellow and^1| old Johnny MacDougall: the four of us and no more of us and so now pass the fish for Christ sake, Amen: the way they used to be saying their grace before fish for auld lang syne. And so there they were spraining their ears listening and listening to the oceans of kissening with their eyes glistening all the four when he was kiddling and cuddling his colleen bawn ^|1that was ^|avery wrong^a| most improper^1| and cuddling her and kissing her with his poghue like Arrah-na-poghue the dear dear annual they all four remembored ^|1who made the world and^1| how they used to be ^|1at that time^1| cuddling and kiddling her ^|1from^1| under her mistlethrush and kissing and listening in the good old bygone days of Dion Boucicault ^|1the elder^1| in Arrah-na-poghue ^|1in one of the farback centuriesº^{1| |1}when who made the world^1| where they knew ^|1O'Clery^1| the man on the door when they were all four collegians ^|1on the nod^{1| |1}with their slates and satchels^1| in the queen's colleges ^|1with another fellow^1|. Ah ho! It brought
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the dear scenes all back again as fresh as of yore Matt and Marcus and ^|1after that^1| now there he was and his Arrah-na-poghue before the four of them ^|1so shocking and scandalous^1| and now thank God there were no more of them and he ^|1poguing and poguing poghuing and poghuing^1| and there they were listening ^|1as tired as they were, ^|athe three jolly topers,^a|1| with their mouths watering ^|1along with the other fellow^1| so pass the ^|1pogue poghue^1| for Christ' sake, Amen. Listening and ^|1poghuing and^1| watering all the four^|1, the old men of the sea,^1| Luke and Johnny MacDougall and all wishening for anything at all of the bygone times for a cup of kindness yet for four farback tumblerfuls of woman squash with them all four listening and spraining their ears and all their mouths making water.

^|1Johnny.^1| Ah well sure that's the way up and ^|1|athen it so happened^a|1| there was poor Matt Gregory up and up the others and now really and truly they were four dear old heladies and really they looked so nice and respectable with their grey half a tall hat and tailormade frock coat and ^|1then after that^1| they had their fathomglasses to find out all the fathoms and their half a tall hat just now like the marquess of ^|1powerscourt Powerscourt^1| only forº the saltwater or the auctioneer there in front of the place near ^|1Clery's^1| that ^|1ancient Dame^1| street where the statue of Mrs ^|1Dannie Dana^1| O'Connell behind the Trinity college that arranges all the auctions of the valuable colleges, ^|1Smith Battersby Sisters,^1| like the auctioneer
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^|1Smith ^|aNorth Battersby Sisters^a|1| that sells all the fine statues and powerscourts James H ^|1North Tickell^1| J.P. the jaypee in Hoggin Green going to the horsehow horseshow with ^|1another fellow and everyone getting out of her way^1| all the horses over from England and American visitors ^|1(so they say)^1| all over in his grey half a tall hat and ^|1how (how^1| do you do^|1, jaypee)^1| and his fathomglasses to find out all the ^|1improper^1| colleges and ^|1how (how^1| do you do, Mr James, ^|1get out of my way)^1| and all the horsepowers. ^|1And But^1| now that reminds me of ^|1the^1| poor Marcus ^|1of^1| Lyons and poor Johnny and the four of us and there they were now listening right enough the four saltwater widowers and all they could remembore long long ago ^|1in ^|athe^a| olden times^1| and Lally when my heart knew no care, ^|1& after that^1| the landing of sir James Casement in 1132 and the ^|1coronation christening^1| of King Brian ^|1by according to^1| his grace the bishop in his ^|1half a^1| shovel hat, ^|1sir alderman^1| J.P. Bishop senior and then there was the drowning of Pharoah ^|1& his pedestrians^1| and ^|1at that time^1| they were all drowned in the sea, the red sea, and then poor Martin Cunningham out of the castle when he was drowned off Dunleary in the red sea ^|1and a lovely mourning paper^1| and thank God there were no more of him. ^|1And that was how it was.^1| Ay, ay. ^|1And^1| So he was.

^|1Marcus.^1| And ^|1then after that^1| there was the Flemish armada all scattered and all drowned ^|1|athere and then^a| on a lovely ^|amourning morning^a| at eleven thirtytwo^1| off the coast of Cunningham and saint Patrick ^|1the pedestrian^1| and Kevin & ^|1and Powerscourt and Dana,^1|
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our first marents and Lapoleon ^|1the equestrian^1| and all they remembored and then there was the French fleet in 1132 landing under general Boche in his half a greyº hat and ^|1after that^1| there he was ^|1so terrestrial^1| cuddling and poguing her under the sycamores in Arrah-na-pogue^|1, the sylvestrious,^1| near the queen's colleges in ^|1Alice's ^|a1132^a| Bridie's^1| street behind the century man on the door. And then they used to give the grandest ^|1known^1| lectures ^|1(Matt speaking)^{1| |1}by according to the^1| pictures postcard in Roman history ^|1(Marcus Lyons speaking)^1| to the collegians green and all the old senate ^|1sleeping away^1| in the four trinity colleges of Ulcer, Moonster, Leanstare and Cannought, the four ^|1grand^1| colleges of Killorcure and Killthemall and Killeachother and Kilkelly-on-the-Flure. Those were the four grandest history colleges ^|1(Lucas ^|aspeaking) calling, hold the line)^a|1| in the Jane Andersdaughter university for auld acquaintance sake ^|1(this lady lived to a great age at no. 1132 Fitzmary square and was widely liked)^1| for all the Roman history of the spirit of nature as divinely developed in timeº the past and present ^|1(Johnny MacDougall speaking, give me trunks, miss.)^1| and present and absent and past and present and future arma virumq romano. Ah dearo dearo how it all came back to them to hear him there kissing her and cuddling her in ^|1the his^1| Roman arms by Cornelius nepos Nepos. Nepos. MNepos. Mnepos. Anumque. Umque.

Queh? Ah dearo dearo dear it was so sorry for the four of us and Lally ^|1when he lost his half a hat^1| and Lapole and Tim Tom Tarpey^|1, the Welshman,^1| and the four widowers. And that reminds me ^|1now^1| of the four ^|1welsh^1| waves in their
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half a Roman hat in Chichester college auction and thank God they were all summarily divorced ^|1four years before ^|aas was ^|bplainly^b| foretold in their old ^|bsong pilgrim song^{b|a|1| |1}so they say^1| by their dear poor shehusbands in dear bygone days and never brought to mind ^|1to see no more the rainwater on the floor^1| but still they parted ^|1raining water laughing^1| on the best of terms and be forgot. And so they parted. Ay, ay. S Ah well, sure that's the way. ^|1Woman. Squash. Part.^1| Ay, ay. By decree absolute.

^|1Lucas.^1| And well they could remembore ^|1at that time^1|
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Mrs Justice Squelchman in her fullbottom wig and beard in 1132 at the Married Male Auctioneers' court in ^|1Arrahnapogue Arrahnacuddle^1|. Poor Johnny ^|1MacDougal of the clan of the Dougals, the poor Scotman Scotsman,^{1| |1}so frightened on account of her fullbottom^1| and the four masters because he was so slow ^|1at counting her manbuttons instead of^1| backscratching ^|1proper^1| all divorced ^|1by according to^1| their dear faithful and poor Marcus Powerscourt all persecuted by everybodyº by decree absolute all because he made wind and water and because he forgot to remembore to sign an old ^|1morning^1| paper a request in writing to herself on stamped parchment before saying his grace before fish and then there was poor Dion Boucicault all drowned tooº before the world and her husband because ^|1he it was most improper when he^1| attempted to — well, he was a bit bad in his health, he said, with the shingles falling off him — because he — ah, well now,º we won't be too hard on him as an old presbyterian ^|1Manxman^1| and ^|1then after that^1| he went to confession ^|1on his two ^|abare^a| knees^1| to Mother Evangelist Sweeney and now tell the truth there were faults on both sides — well he attempted — ah, sure, he was only funning ^|1|awith his andrewmartins &^a| with his old age coming on^1| — attempted ^|1(so they say)^1| some hunnish familiarities after eating a bad crab in the red sea and sure he was deadseasickabed, ^|1the her^1| poor old ^|1fellow divorced male^1|, in the hospice for the dying and trying to hold the nurse's hand ^|1|aah, the poor old coax,^a| and count the buttons and her hand and frown on a bad crab^1|. Ah dearo dearo dear! And where do you leave Matt? They were all so sorry for poor Matt in his ^|1saltwater salwater^1| hat ^|1that ^|ahe she^a| grew all out of^1| too big for him ^|1of Mnepos^1| and his overalls all falling over ^|1him her^1| in folds — sure he hadn't the energy to pull them up — poor Matt ^|1the old matriarch, and a queenly man,^1| sitting there ^|1on his tombstone^1| with ^|1his her^1| face to the wall in sight of the poorhouse ^|1|ain the middle of the amid the ^|brattling rattle^b| of^a| hailstones with ^|ahis her^a| ivyclad hat of Mnepos ^|agripping an old pair of curling tongs belonging to Mrs Dana O'Connell^a|1| with his can of tea and two bits of ^|1Shackleton's^1| brown loaf and dilisk waiting for the end to come — God of heaven, when you think of it! Ah ho! All divorced by act of ^|1parliament parlament^1| by woman squelch and all on account of the smell of ^|1brown loaf Shackleton's^1| and ^|1his Scratchman^{1| |1}& his^1| mouth watering and so now pass the ^|1loaf ^|abrown loaf^a|1| for Christ' sake. Amen. And so. And all.

Matt. And loaf. Ah, God be good to us. Poor ^|1Andrew^1| Martin Cunningham. Ay, ay.

And still and all ^|1at that time^1| they were always up thinking of the auld man syneº up their four masters that were four up ^|1beautiful beauful^1| sisters ^|1now happily married^1| and there they were always counting ^|1every night^1| the lovely periwinkle buttons ^|1in according to^1| the lapper part of their ^|1dresses dress^1|
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up one up two up one up four and there she was, the deary, the ^|1beautiful beauful^1| four sisters and that was her ^|1modern^1| name right enough and they used to be getting up at the kookaburra bell ^|1so frightened ^|aand putting on their half a hat^a|1| at all hours every ^|1night nigh^1| on their mistletoes, the four old oldsters, when nobody wouldn't even let them ^|1sleep rest^1|, changing ^|1their wet beds the one wet bed they used to sleep under^1| and falling over all the opticals, ^|1slooping around in ^|aa bath^a| slippers and ^|asee the go away and see the doctor and^{a|1| |1}looking everywhere look everwhere^1| for the jool ^|1to set fire to all the^1| the rancers ^|1to collect all and bits of brown^1| the rathure's evelopmen in spirits of time in all the ^|1fathoms fathom^1| of space and ^|1then after that^1| they had their night tentacles and there they used to beº hanging aroundº the waists of the ships, the ^|1clipperbuilts clipperbuils ^|aand the fourmasters^a|1| and Lally and Roe ^|1& another fellow ^|aand he telling him that one about the goose and the golden egg^a|1| and Johnny MacGory, dear Mister John, and all the other ^|1annalists analsts^1|, the steamships and the women-o'-war and playing ladies' foursome and their bottlegreen eyes and peering in^|1, so they say,^1| through the steamy windows into the honeymoon cabins on board the big steamadories ^|1made by fumamory^1| and the saloon ladies' ^|1modern^1| toilet chambers lined ^|1with from^1| prawn silk and ^|1rubbing rubbi^1| off the salty ^|1cataract catarac^1| off the windows listening to see all the hunnishmooners and the ^|1toilet^1| ladies ^|1most improper in lovely mourning toilet^{1| |1}in with^1| all their ^|1familiarities familarities^1| saying their grace before steamadory so pass the pogue for grace sake Amen. And all trembling ^|1so frightened^1| and ^|1shaking shakin^1|. ^|1Aching.^1| Ay, ay.

And ^|1after that^1| they used to be counting all their ^|1peributtons perributts^1| up one up four to ^|1remembore membore^1| her ^|1beautiful beaufu modern^1| maiden name ^|1in by^1| the dream. ^|1And From^1| Greg and Doug ^|1and on^1| poor Greg ^|1and Mat and Mar and Lu and Jo, ^|anow happily buried,^{a|1| |1}the our^1| four sisters. And there she was now right enough, that lovely sight ^|1enough^1|, the ^|1maiden maid^1| lady bawn asthore, as ^|1in on^1| days of yore of planxty Gregory. ^|1Egory.^1|

Ay, ay. ^|1And ^|aWith But^a|1| sure ^|1that tha^1| reminds me now like another story how they used to be ^|1at that time^1| up always ^|1at over^1| their singing ^|1|aat the top of their voice^a| of Mamalujo^1| round up the wet fire ^|1register regiser^{1| |1}in Old Man's House^1| with their cold knees and their poor up feet asleep and all dolled up ^|1in for^1| their blankets and ^|1maternity materny^1| mufflers and plimsoles and their bowl of brown bread and milky and clots ^|1for a cup of kindest yet^{1| |1}and with^{1| |1}holding hands hold take hans^1| and ^|1nurse and only to touch and eat a lovely munkybown and^1| waiting and ^|1pinching pinch^{1| |1}and prompt^1| poor Mucus Lyons to pass the teeth for ^|1choke shake chok sake^1| Armensch when ^|1it happened^1| they were all ^|1sickamore sicamore^{1| |1}with since^1| the phlegmish ^|1whooping hoopig^1| cough ^|1and for^1| all a possabed after eating a bad cramp and ^|1Johnny Jonny^1| MacGories and ^|1backscratching baksrathing^{1| |1}their poor bedsores^1| and their farthing dip and ^|1reading read^1| a letter or two ^|1every night^1|, a ^|1capital letter capita lett^{1| |1}out of on^1| their old book of old year's eve 1132, their Senchus Mor, final buff lunch edition and Lally ^|1through throu^1| their gangrene spentacles ^|1& all the good they did in their time^{1| |1}and for^1| Roe and O'Driscoll ^|1and a^1| Riscoll ^|1and on^1| all ^|1and or^1| Lap ^|1and a^1| Morion and Buffler ^|1on Matty MacGregory^{1| |1}and for^{1| |1}Marcus by^1| Daddy De Wyer, old bag of broth and ^|1singing sing^{1| |1}a mamalujo^1|. And ^|1so now they started now start^{1| |1}singing their steamadorion sing a ^|alovesteamadorion lovasteamadorion^{a|1| |1}in her little blue and rolling ^|aher a^a| hoop and how she ran^{1| |1}and an^1| old Luke ^|1and a^1| Senchus Mor ^|1& another more^1| for auld luke syne and she haihaihail her ^|1kobber coiner kobbor koynor^1| sehehet on the praze savohohole Shanghai.