"No one ever talked about why it is he went to seminary in Rome and then chose a mission as far from Ireland as he could get. Nor did anyone ever say why he and my grandfather were so angry at each other. But it was me."

Gabriel shrugs and finally takes a drink from his glass, lingering over it for a moment. He feels like laughing, but he also thinks he'd sound hysterical so he tries to rein in that particular urge.

"Christ," he says with a faint smile. "Sorry, I-- had no intention of getting particularly confessional. I haven't had nearly enough to drink."