***

[George] made his will in favour of a second cousin whom he had never seen, but who had a reputation for oddity, principally because he wore a two-foot beard and wrote savage but incomprehensible poems. George liked the sound of him.

***

His hands pouring out tea were soft and smooth, and they were continually lifting a little at the wrists as if to step back and admire their work.

***

"He writes articles about the decline of art, literature and the drama in Ireland, and sighs for the good old days before he was born. So, I imagine, do the editors whom he pesters with this stuff."

***

[This is an amusingly mixed metaphor, imo: the concept of the "best" school turning out the epitome of a gentleman mashed up with the concept of Timbuktu as the epitome of remoteness.]

"Not if he went to school in Timbuctoo, nothing would make a gentleman of him."

***

[Deputy Ghost dept.: A senile woman believes that the friendly ghost of the old squire visits her, and to gain her confidence a police inspector has been given the job of telling her that he is the ghost. But he doesn't want to be a ghost.]

"It will be interesting to be a ghost," said Daly mischievously. "I'd rather like the job myself."

"Do you think she'll allow me to transfer it to you?" asked Mike hopefully.

"Not a chance," said the old man, shaking his head. "She knows me too well."

[A little later]

Mike... was already planning to make [police officer] Colm MacDonagh his deputy ghost.