Part 43 (2/2)
”Mr. Christian? Well and hearty, and doing wonders, sir.”
”I knew it,” cried Pete, with a resounding laugh.
”Going like a flood, and sweeping everything before him,” said Caesar.
”The rising day with him, is it?” said Pete. ”I always said he'd be the first man in the island, and he's not going to deceave me neither.”
”The young man's been over putting a sight on us times and times--he was up at my Melliah only a week come Wednesday,” said Caesar.
”Man alive!” cried Pete; ”him and me are same as brothers.”
”Then it wasn't true what they were writing in the letter, sir--that your black boys left you for dead?”
”They did that, bad luck to them,” said Pete; ”but I was thinking it no sin to disappoint them, though.”
”Well, well! lying began with the world, and with the world it will end,” said Caesar.
As they pa.s.sed Ballywhaine, Pete shouted into Caesar's ear, above the wind that was roaring in the trees, and scattering the ripening leaves in clouds, ”And how's Dross?”
”That wastrel? Aw, tearing away, tearing away,” said Caesar.
”Floating on the top of the tide, is he?” shouted Pete.
”Maybe so, but the devil is fis.h.i.+ng where yonder fellow's swimming,”
answered Caesar.
”And the ould man--the Ballawhaine--still above the sod?” bawled Pete behind his hand.
”Yes, but failing, failing, failing,” shouted Caesar. ”The world's getting too heavy for the man. Debts here, and debts there, and debts everywhere.”
”Not much water in the harbour then, eh?” cried Pete.
”No, but down on the rocks already, if it's only myself that knows it,”
shouted Caesar.
When they had turned the Sulby Bridge, and come in sight of ”The Manx Fairy,” Pete's excitement grew wild, and he leaped up from his seat and shouted above the wind like a man possessed.
”My gough, the very place! You've been thatching, though--yes, you have.
The street! Holy sailor, there it is! Brownie at you still? Her heifer, is it? Get up, Molly! A taste of the whip'll do the mare no harm, sir.
My sakes, here's ould Flora hobbling out to meet us. Got the rheumatics, has she? Set me down, Caesar. Here we are, man. Lord alive, the smell of the cowhouse. That warm and damp, it's grand! What, don't you know me, Flo? Got your temper still, if you've lost your teeth? My sakes, the haggard! The same spot again! It's turf they're burning inside! And, my gracious, that's herrings roasting in their brine! Where's Grannie, though? Let's put a sight in, Caesar. Well, well, aw well, aw well!”
Thus Pete came home, laughing, shouting, bawling, and bellowing above the tumult of the wind, which had risen by this time to the strength of a gale.
”Mother,” cried Caesar, going in at the porch, ”gentleman here from foreign parts to put a word on you.”
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