midnight
In this manner did Mrs Kelly express the various thoughts that ran through her head , as she considered Anty 's affairs ; and if we could analyse the good lady 's mind , we should probably find that the result of her reflections was a pleasing assurance that she could exercise the Christian virtues of charity and hospitality towards Anty , and , at the same time , secure her son 's wishes and welfare , without subjecting her own name to any obloquy , or putting herself to any loss or inconvenience . She determined to put no questions to Anty , nor even to allude to her brother , unless spoken to on the subject ; but , at the same time , she stoutly resolved to come to no terms with Barry , and to defy him to the utmost , should he attempt to invade her in her own territories . After a sound sleep Anty got up , much strengthened and refreshed , and found the two Kelly girls ready to condole with , or congratulate her , according to her mood and spirits . In spite of their mother 's caution , they were quite prepared for gossiping , as soon as Anty showed the slightest inclination that way ; and , though she at first was afraid to talk about her brother , and was even , from kindly feeling , unwilling to do so , the luxury of such an opportunity of unrestrained confidence overcame her ; and , before the three had been sitting together for a couple of hours , she had described the whole interview , as well as the last drunken midnight visit of Barry 's to her own bed-room , which , to her imagination , was the most horrible of all the horrors of the night . Poor Anty . She cried vehemently that morning -- more in sorrow for her brother , than in remembrance of her own fears , as she told her friends how he had threatened to shut her up in a mad-house , and then to murder her , unless she promised him not to marry ; and when she described how brutally he had struck her , and how , afterwards , he had crept to her room , with his red eyes and swollen face , in the dead of the night , and , placing his hot mouth close to her ears , had dreadfully sworn that she should die , if she thought of Martin Kelly as her husband , she trembled as though she was in an ague fit . The girls said all they could to comfort her , and they succeeded in a great degree ; but they could not bring her to talk of Martin .