MRS. O'FLAHERTT AND LIZZ
29
than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven. Mother, mark
my words. When Robinson, that dirty devil dies, he will go straight to
Hell on an express train with no stops on the way. And may he roast
there for all eternity. Mother, when I die and go to Heaven, I'll
look down and see him roasting and toasting, parched for a drop of
water to drink, crying to get out of his suffering, crying for the sight
of God. Because, Mother, to be deprived of the sight of God is the
worst punishment a sinner can meet with. He'll be suffering and
crying, and I'll spit down on him. I will. I'll spit on him, and tell
him, 'Go ahead, you devil, be with Satan where you belong. Burn
down there, you trifler! Roast and toast away, you dirty bum! You
haven't a swell suit of clothes and money now to hide from the world
that you're just a bum and a no-account! Burn! Toast! Go ahead,
go ahead, fry away you Protestant sonofabitch!' Mother, that's what
I'll yell down from Heaven to him while he burns in Hell. That's
what I'll say to the likes of him when I'm in the next world," Lizz
said, arising, gesticulating energetically and ecstatically as she went on.
"I often do think how the likes of him would have been run out
of the old country on the sharp edges of a pitchfork," said Mrs.
O'Flaherty.
"Mother, he hasn't any conscience. That's why he is such a bad
one," Lizz said, pointing her finger to make her comment the stronger.
"Since when did anyone hear tell that a Protestant has a con-
science.Yes indeed, he hasn't," Mrs. O'Flaherty hastily added.
"And, oh, Mother, it would break your heart. When Peg first
met him, she was such a lovely thing, such an innocent girl, so sweet.
And now what is she? Mother, she's damaged goods. She's damaged
goods.And a man doesn't want damaged goods. When you go to the
grocery store, do you want damaged goods, broken eggs, stale bread?
Tell me, do you?"
"I'd break the window of him that sold them to me," said Mrs.
O'Flaherty.
"Well, Mother, it's the same thing, the very same thing when
men go into the market and look for a wife. They don't want women
to be damaged goods either. Mother, do you think for one minute
that my Jim would have wanted me if I went to him and was
damaged goods? I should say not! I was a virgin, Mother, a virgin,
as pure as a flower when he got me. If I wasn't he never would have
had me. No man, Mother, wants damaged goods. And Peg is dam-
aged goods now. That dirty bum ruined her life, ruined my lovely
sister's life. Now, she can never get a decent man. No decent man
will have her. No man will want her because she's damaged goods,"
Lizz said, still gesticulating.
"And to think that I would see the day in the latter end of me
