―There’s a gentleman here, sir, the attendant said, coming forward and offering a card. From the Freeman . He wants to see the files of the Kilkenny People for last year.

―Certainly, certainly, certainly. Is the gentleman?⁠ ⁠…

He took the eager card, glanced, not saw, laid down, unglanced, looked, asked, creaked, asked:

―Is he?⁠ ⁠… O, there!

Brisk in a galliard he was off and out. In the daylit corridor he talked with voluble pains of zeal, in duty bound, most fair, most kind, most honest broadbrim.