“Who are you spaking about?”
“The villain sentence was passed on to—to—day. He'll swing—swing for the robbery; P——e will. We got him back out of that nest of robbers, the Isle o' Man—o' Man they call it—that he made off to, the villain!”
“Father dear, I'm sorry to see you in this state on sich a day—sich a black day to us. For your sake I am. What will the world say of it?”
“Connor, I'm in great spirits all out, exceptin' for something that I forget, that—that—li—lies heavy upon me. That I mayn't sin, but I am—I am, indeed—for now that we've cotch him, we'll hang the villain up. Ha, ha, ha, it's a pleasant sight to see sich a fellow danglin' from a rope!”
“Father, sit down here, sit down here upon this bad and comfortless bed, and keep yourself quiet for a little. Maybe you'll get better soon. Oh, why did you drink, and us in such trouble?”
“I'll not sit down; I'm very well able to stand,” said he, tottering across the room. “The villain thought to starve me, Connor, but you heard the sentence that was passed on him to-day. Where's Honor, from me? she'll be glad, whin—whin she hears it, and my son, Connor, will too—but he's, he's—where is Connor?—bring me, bring me to Connor. Ah, avourneen, Honor's heart's breaking for him—'t any rate, the mother's heart—the mother's heart—she's laid low wid an achin', sorrowful head for her boy.”
“Father, for God's sake, will you try and rest a little? If you could sleep, father dear, if you could sleep.”
“I'll hang P——e—I'll hang him—but if he gives me back my money, I'll not touch him. Who are you?”
“Father dear, I'm Connor, your own son, Connor.”
“I'll marry you and Una, then. I'll settle all the villain robbed me of on you, and you'll have every penny of it after my death. Don't be keepin' me up, I can walk very well; ay, an' I'm in right good spirits. Sure, the money's got, Connor—got back every skilleen of it. Ha, ha, ha, God be praised! God be praised! We've a right to be thankful—the world isn't so bad afther all.”