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Updated: June 28, 2025
They buzzed about the Governor, they buzzed about his wife, they buzzed about his dog and about a tame deer, which took grapes from the hands of the guests. An elderly gentleman, sitting alone in a carriage, drove up to the lawn. It was Peter Christian Ballawhaine, looking feebler, whiter, and more splay-footed than before. Philip stepped up to his uncle and offered his arm to alight by.
Kelly the Thief had run hot-foot to inform him. He thought Pete had come to claim maintenance now that his mother was gone. "So she's been telling you the same old story?" he said briskly. At that Pete's face stiffened all at once. "She's been telling me that you're my father, sir." The Ballawhaine tried to laugh. "Indeed!" he replied; "it's a wise child, now, that knows its own father."
To this he replied, with a roll of the head and a peal of laughter, "Have I now? But you'll die for all." Ballajora Chapel had been three months rehearsing a children's cantata entitled "Under the Palms," and building an arbour of palm branches on a platform for Pete's rugged form to figure in; but Cæsar sat there instead. Still, Pete had his six thousand pounds in mortgage on Ballawhaine.
As for carnal transgression, if any were guilty of it, they were to be cut off from the body of believers, for the souls of the righteous must be delivered. "The religion that's going among the Primitives these days is just Popery," said Cæsar. "Let's go back to the warm ould Methodism and put out the Romans." When Pete turned his face from Ballawhaine, he thought first of Cæsar and his mill.
But the Ballawhaine brushed it aside and pushed through to the Governor, to whom he talked incessantly for some minutes of his son Ross, saying he had sent for him and would like to present him to his Excellency. If Philip lacked enjoyment of the scene, if his face lacked heart and happiness, it was not the fault of his host.
"If she's gone with the young Ballawhaine, what for aren't you going to England over and fetching her home?" says I. "And what did Cæsar say?" "'No, says he, 'not a step, says he. 'If she's dead, says he, 'we'll only know it a day the sooner, and if she's in life, it'll be a disgrace to us the longest day we live." "Aw, bolla veen, bolla veen!" said Nancy.
'A thief, d'ye hear me? says the Ballawhaine; 'a thief that's taken every penny I have in the world, and left me a ruined man." "Did he say that?" said Cæsar. "He did, though," said Jonaique. "The ould man was listening from the kitchen-stairs, and young Ross snaked out of the house same as a cur." "And where's he gone to?" said Cæsar. "Gone to the devil, I'm thinking," said Jonaique.
The son would regain all that his father had lost! He had gifts, and he should be brought up to the law; a large nature, and he should be helped to develop it; a fine face which all must love, a sense of justice, and a great wealth of the power of radiating happiness. Deemster? Why not? Ballawhaine? Who could tell? The biggest, noblest, greatest of all Manxmen! God knows!
Lord keep him from the gallows and hell-fire! Oh, it's a refreshing saison. It was God spaking to me by Providence when I tould you to put money on that mortgage. What's the Scripture saying, 'For brass I bring thee goold'? Turn him out, sir, turn him out." "Didn't you tell me that ould Ballawhaine had a polatic stroke?" said Pete. "I did; but he's a big man; let him pay his way," said Cæsar.
Kate had run upstairs in terror, but five minutes afterwards she was on the road, with a face full of distress, and a shawl over head and shoulders. At the bridge she met Kelly, the postman. "Which way have they gone," she panted, "the young Ballawhaine and Philip Christian?"
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