About noon
She had great difficulty too in inducing Mary to leave her alone to herself . Had that woman the slightest particle of softness in her composition , anything of the tenderness of a woman about her , Feemy would have made a confidant of her , and her present sufferings would have been immeasurably decreased ; but Mary was such an iron creature -- so loud , so hard , so equable in her temper , so impenetrable , that Feemy could not bring herself to tell her tale of woe , which otherwise she would have been tempted to disclose . She had , therefore , the additional labour of keeping her secret from Mary 's prying eyes , and Mary was nearly as acute as Mrs. McKeon . About noon , on Monday , Feemy was horror-struck at being told by Katty that Father John was at the back door asking for her . `` Oh , Katty , tell him to wait awhile ; say I 'm ill , ca n't you -- do , dear ! '' `` Why , Miss , I towld him as how you war up , and betther , thank God , since you war home . '' It was clearly necessary that she should see the priest ; but she insisted on his not being shown in till she had dressed herself ; and she again submitted herself to those agonies which she trusted , for a time , would hide her disgrace , which at last must become known to all .