 Part 3 Chapter 25 of the Manksman. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Tony Ashworth. The Manksman by Sir Hall Cain. Part 3 Chapter 25. Six Strides of the Horse into the Darkness and Kate's Hysteria was gone. She had been lost to herself the whole day through, and now she possessed herself again. She grew quiet and silent, and even solemn, but Pete rattled on with cheerful talk about the day's doings. At the doors of the houses on the road as they passed, people were standing in the half light to wave them salutations, and Pete sent back his answers in shouts and laughter. Turning the bridge, they saw a little group at the porch of the ginger. There's company waiting for us yonder, said Pete, giving the mayor a touch of a whip. Let us get on, said Kate in a nervous whisper. Oh, let's be neighborly, you know, said Pete. It wouldn't be decent to disappoint people at all. We haul up for a minute, just, and hoof up the time at a gallop. Whoa, lass, whoa, mayor, whoa, boch! As the gig drew up at the indoor, a voice out of the porch cried, Joy to your captain and joy to your lady, and long life and prosperity to your both. And may the Lord give you children and health and happiness to rear them. And may you see your children's children, and may they call you blessed. Classes round, Mrs Kelly, shouted Pete. Go on, please, said Kate in a fretful whisper, and she tugged at Pete's sleeve. The stars came out, the moon gave a peep, The late hay of the car centred sweet odor through the night. Kate shuddered, and Pete covered her shoulders with a rug. Then he began to sing snatches. He sang bits of all the songs that had been sung that night, But kept coming back at intervals to an old man's ditty which begins, Little red bird of the black turf ground, where did you sleep last night? Thus he sang like a great boy as he went rolling down the dark road, And Kate sat by his side and trembled. They came to the town, rattled down the Parliament Street, Passed the courthouse under the trees, turned the sharp angle by the marketplace, And drew up at Elm Cottage in the corner. Home at last cried Pete, and he leapt to the ground. A dog began to bark inside the house. Do you hear him? said Pete. That's the master in charge. The porch door was opened, and a comfortable-looking woman in a widow's cap came out With a lighted candle shaded by her hand. And this is your housekeeper, Mrs. Gorry, said Pete. Kate did not answer. Her eyes had been fixed in a rigid stair on the hindquarters of the horse, Which was steaming in the light of the lamps. Pete lifted her down as he had lifted her up. Then Mrs. Gorry took her by the hand and saying, Mind the step, ma'am, this way, ma'am. Led her through the gate and along the garden path and up to the porch. The porch opened on a square hall, furnished as a sitting-room. A fire was burning, a lamp was lit, the table was laid for supper, And the place was warm and cosy. There, what did you say to that? cried Pete, Coming behind with the whip in his hand. Kate looked around. She did not speak. Her eyes began to fill. Isn't it fit for a dimster's lady, said Pete, Sweeping the whip-handle round the room like a showman? Kate could bear no more. She sank into a chair and burst into a fit of tears. Pete's glowing face dropped in an instant. Dear heart alive, darling, what is it, he said? My poor girl, what's troubling you at all? Tell me now. Tell me, Bach, tell me. It's nothing, Pete, nothing. Don't ask me, said Kate. But still she sobbed as if her heart would break. Pete stood a moment by her side, smoothing her arm with his hand. Then he said, with a crack and a quaver in his great voice, It is hard for a girl, I know that, To lay father and mother and everyone and everything That's been sweet and dear to her since she was a child, And to come to the house of her husband and say, The past has been very good to me. But still and for all, I'm for trusting the future to you. It's hard, darling, I know it's hard. Oh, leave me, leave me, cried Kate, still weeping. Pete brushed his sleeve across his eyes and said, Take her upstairs, Mrs. Gorey, While I'm putting up the mare at the saddle. Then he whistled to the dog which had been watching him From the hearth rug and went out of the house. The handle of the whip dragged after him along the floor. Mrs. Gorey, full of trouble, took Kate to her room. Would she not eat her supper? Then salts were good for headache. Should she bring a bottle from her box? After many fruitless inquiries and nervous protestations, The good soul bad Kate good night and left her. Being alone, Kate broke into yet wild a paroxysms of weeping. The storm cloud which had been gathering had burst at last. It seemed as if the whole wait of the day had been deferred until then. The piled-up hopes of weeks had waited for that hour to be cast down in the sight of her own eyes. It was all over. The fight with fate was done and the frantic merriment with which she had kept down her sense of the place where her blind struggle had left her made the sick recoil more bitter. She thought of Philip and her trouble began to moderate. Somewhere out of the uncrushed part of her womanhood there came one flicker of womanly pride to comfort her. She saw Philip at last from the point of revenge. He loved her. He would never cease to love her. Do what he might to banish the thought of her. She would be with him always. The more surely with him, the more reproachfully and unattainably because she would be the wife of another man. If he could put her away from him in the daytime and in the presence of those worldly aims for which he had sacrificed her, when night came he would be able to put her away no more. He would never sleep but he would see her. In every dream he would stretch out his arms to her but she would not be there and he would awake with sobs and in torment. There was a real joy in this thought although it tore her heart so terribly. She got strength from the cruel comforting and Mrs. Gorry in the room below listening intently heard her crying cease. With her face still shut in both her hands she was telling herself that she had nothing to approach herself with that she could not have acted differently that she had not really made this marriage that she had only submitted to it being swept along by the pitiless tide which was her father and Pete and everybody. She was telling herself too that after all she had done well. Here she lay in close harbor from the fierce storm which had threatened her. She was safe. She was at peace. The room lay still. The night was very quiet within those walls. Kate drew down her hands and looked about her. The fire was burning gently and warming her foot on the sheepskin rug that lay in front of it. A lamp burned low on a table behind her chair. At one side there was a wardrobe of the shape of an old press but with a tall mirror in the door. On the other side there was the bed with the pink curtains hanging like a tent. The place had a strange look of familiarity. It seemed as if she had known it all her life. She rose to look around and then the inner sense leapt to the outer vision and she saw how it was. The room was a reproduction of her own bedroom at home only newer and more luxurious. It was almost as if some ghost of herself had been there while she slept as if her own hand had done everything in a dream of her girlhood where in common things had become grand. Kate's eyes began to fill afresh and she turned to take off her cloak. As she did so, she saw something on the dressing table with a label attached to it. She took it up. It was a little mirror, a hand-glass like her own old one only framed in ivory and the writing on the label ran. Instead of the one that is broke with fond love to Kiri, Pete. Her heart was now bursting furiously. A flood of feeling had rushed over her. She dropped the glass as if it stung her fingers. With both hands she covered her face. Everything in the room seemed to be accusing her. Here the two she had thought only of Philip. Now for the first time she thought of Pete. She had wronged him deeply orfully beyond atonement or hope of forgiveness. He loved her. He had married her. He had brought her to his home to this harbour of safety and she had deceived and betrayed him. She had suffered herself to be married to him while still loving another man. A sudden faintness seized her. She grew dizzy and almost fell. A more terrible memory had come behind. The thought was like ravens flapping their black wings on her brain. She felt her temples beating against her hands. They seemed to be sucking their life out of her heart. Just then the voice of Pete came beating up the echoes between the house and the chapel beyond the garden. Little red bird of the black turf ground, she had just slept last night. She heard him open the garden gate, clash it back, come up the path with an eager step, shut the door of the house and chain it on the inside. Then she heard his deep voice speaking below. Better now, Mrs. Goree? Or better, sir, yes, and quiet enough this ten minutes. Give her time, the boch. Be easy with the like. Be easy. Presently she heard him send off Mrs. Goree for the night and said he should want no supper and she'd be going to bed soon. Then the house became quiet and the smell of tobacco smoke came floating up the stairs. Kate's hot breath on her hands grew damp against her face. She felt herself swooning and she caught hold of the mantelpiece. It cannot be, she thought. He must not come. I will go down to him and say, Pete, forgive me, I am really the wife of another. Then she would tell him everything. Yes, she would confess all now. Oh, she would not be afraid. His love was great. He would do what she wished. She made one step towards the door and was pulled up as by a curb. Pete would say, do you mean that you have been using me as a cloak? Do you ask me to live in this house side by side with you and let no one suspect that we are apart? Then why did you not ask me yesterday? Why do you ask me today too late to choose? No, she could not confess. If confession had been difficult yesterday it was a thousand times more difficult today and it would be a thousand thousand times more difficult tomorrow. Kate caught up the cloak she had thrown aside. She must go away. Anywhere, anywhere, no matter where. That was the one thing left to her. The only escape from the wild tangle of dread and pain. Pete was in the hall. There must be a way out at the back. She would find it. She lowered the lamp and turned the handle of the door. Then she saw a light moving on the landing and heard a soft step on the stairs. It was Pete with a candle coming up in his stocking feet. He stopped midway as if he heard the click of the latch and then went noiselessly down again. Kate closed the door. She would not go. If she left the house that night Pete with suspicion and disgrace. The true secret would never be known. The real offender would never suffer. But the finger of scorn would be raised at the one man who had sheltered and shielded her and he would die of humiliation and blind self-reproach. This reflection restrained her for the moment and when the stress of it was spent she was mastered by a fear that was far more terrible. For good or for all she was now married to Pete and he had the rights of a husband. He had a right to come to her and he would come. It was inevitable. It had to be no boy or girl love now no wooing, no dallying, no denying but a grim reality of life a reality that comes to every woman who is married to a man. She was married to Pete in the eye of the world in the eye of the law she was his and to fly from him was impossible. She must remain. God himself had willed it. As for the shame of her former relation to Philip it was her own secret. God alone knew of it and he would keep it safe. It was the dark chamber of her heart which God only could unlock. He would never unlock it until the day of judgment and then Philip would be standing by her side and she would cast it back upon him and say here's not mine oh God and the great judge of all would judge between them. But she began to cry again like a child in the dark as she threw off her cloak a second time her dress crinkled and she looked down at it and remembered that it was her wedding dress. Then she looked around at the room and remembered that it was her wedding chamber. She remembered how she had dreamt of coming in her bridal dress to her bridal room proud, afraid, tingling with love blushing with joy, whispering to herself this is for me and this and this he has given it for he loves me and I love him and he is mine and I am his and he is my love and my Lord and he is coming to there was a gentle knocking at the door it made her flesh creep the knock came again it went shrieking through and through her Kiri whispered a voice from without she did not stir it's only Pete she neither spoke nor moved there was silence for a moment and then half nervously, half jovially half in laughter, half with emotion as if the heart outside was palpitating the voice came again I'm coming in darling End of Part 3 Chapter 25 Part 4 Chapter 1 of the Manxman this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org The Manxman by Sir Hall Cain Part 4 Chapter 1 Man and Wife Next morning Kate said to herself my life must begin again from today she had a secret that Pete did not share but she was not the first woman who had kept something from her husband when people had secrets which it would hurt others to reveal they ought to keep them close Honor demanded that she should be as firm as a rock in blotting Philip from her soul remembering the promise which Pete had demanded of Philip at the wedding to make their house his home in Ramsey and seeing that Philip must come if only to save appearances she asked herself if she ought to prevent him but no she resolved to conquer the passion that made his presence a danger there was no safety in separation in her relation to Philip she was like the convict who is beginning his life again the only place where he can build up a sure career is precisely there where his crime is known let Philip come she thought she made his room ready she was married it was her duty to be a good wife Pete loved her his love would make it easy they were sitting at breakfast in the hall parlor and she said I should like to be my own housekeeper Pete and Wright too said Pete be your own woman darling not your woman's woman and have Mrs. Gorry for your housemaid to turn her mind from evil thoughts she set to work immediately and visit herself with little duties little economies little cares little troubles but the virtues of housekeeping were just those for which she had not prepared herself her first leg of mutton was roasted down to the proportions of a frizzle chunk and her first pudding was baked to the colour and consistency of a badly burnt brick she did not mend rapidly as a cook but Pete ate of all that his faultless teeth could grind through and laid the blame on his appetite when his digestion failed she strove by other industries to keep alive a sense of her duty as a wife buying rolls of paper at the paper hangers she set about papering every closet in the house the patterns did not join and the paste did not adhere she initialed in worsted the new blanket sent by Granny with a P and a Q and a K intertwined then she overhauled the linen turned out every room twice a week painted every available wooden fixture with paint which would not dry because she had mixed it herself to save a sixpence of stone and forgotten the turpentine Pete held up his hands in admiration at all her failures she had thought it would be easy to be a good wife to a good husband it was hard, hard for anyone hardest of all for her there are the ruins of a happy woman in the bosom of every overindulged wife she could not keep to anything long but every night for a week she gave Pete lessons in reading, writing and arithmetic his reading was laborious his spelling was eccentric his figuring he did on the tips of his heavy fingers and his writing he executed with his tongue and his cheek and his ponderous thumb down on the pen nib what letter is that, Pete, she said pointing with a knitting needle to a page of a book of poems before them Pete looked up in astonishment is it me you're asking, Kitty? if you don't know, I don't know that's a capital M, Pete is it now, said Pete looking at the letter with a searching eye goodness me, the straight it's like the gate of the long meadow and that's a capital A sakes alive, the straight it's like the coupling of the carthouse and that's a B gosh bless me, do you say so but the straight it's like the hoof of a bull though and M-A-B spells Mab Queen Mab, said Kate, going on with her knitting Pete looked up at her with eyes wide open I suppose now, he said, in a voice of pride I suppose you're knowing all the big spells yourself, Kitty not all, sometimes I have to look in the dictionary, said Kate she showed him the book and explained its uses and is it teaching you to spell every word, Kitty, he asked every ordinary word, said Kate my gosh, said Pete, touching the book with awe next day he poured over the dictionary for an hour but when he raised his face it wore a look of skepticism and scorn this spelling book isn't teaching you nothing, darling, he said isn't it, Pete? no, nothing, said Pete here I've been looking for an ordinary word, a very ordinary word and it isn't in what word is it, said Kate, leaning over his shoulder love, said Pete, see, pointing his big forefinger that's where it ought to be and where is it but love begins, L-O, said Kate and you're looking at L-U here it is, L-O-V-E he gave a prolonged whistle, then fell back in his chair looked slowly up and said so you must first know how the word begins, is that it, Kitty? why, yes, said Kate then it's you that's teaching the spelling book, darling so we'll put it back on the shelf for a fortnight Kate read and replied to Pete's correspondence it was plentiful and various letters from heirs to lost fortunes offering shares in return for money to buy them out of chancery from promoters of companies proposing dancing palaces to meet the needs of English visitors from Parsons begging subscriptions to new organs from fashionable ladies asking Pete to open bazaars from preachers inviting him to anniversary tea meetings and saying Methodism was proud of him if anybody wanted money he kissed the Blarney stone and applied to Pete Kate stood between him and the worst of the leeches the best of them he contrived to deal with himself secretly and surreptitiously sometimes there came acknowledgments of charities of which Kate knew nothing then he would shuffle them away and she would try not to see them if I stop him altogether I will spoil him she thought one day the post brought a large envelope with a great seal at the back of it and Kate drew out a parchment deed and began to read the endorsement Memorandum of loan to Caesar Crib that's nothing said Pete snatching the document and stuffing it into his jacket pocket Kate lifted her eyes with a look of pain and shame and humiliation and that was the end of her secretary ship End of Part 4, Chapter 1 Part 4, Chapter 2 of The Manxman This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings were in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org The Manxman by Sir Hall Cain Part 4, Chapter 2 A month after their marriage a man came through the gate with the air of one who was doing a degrading thing The dog which had been spread out lazily in the sun before the porch leapt up and barked furiously Who's this coming up the path with his eyes all round him like a scallop said Pete Kate looked, it's Ross Christian she said with a catch in her breathing Ross came up and Pete met him at the door His face was puffy and pale His speech was soft and lisping yet there looked about the man an air of levity and irony Your dog doesn't easily make friends Peter he said He's like his master sir it's against the principles of his life said Pete Ross laughed a little wants to be approached with consideration does he captain You see he's lived such a long time in the world and seen such a Dale said Pete Ross looked up sharply and said in another tone I've just dropped in to congratulate you on your return home in safety and health and prosperity Mr. Quilliam You're welcome sir said Pete Pete led the way indoors Ross followed about distantly to Kate who was unpicking a dress and took a chair I must not conceal from you however that I have another object in fact a private matter said Ross glancing at Kate the dress rustled in Kate's fingers her scissors dropped onto the table and she rose to go Pete raised his hand my wife knows all my business he said Ross gave out another little chirp of laughter you'll remember what they say of a secret captain too big for one right for two tight for three a man and his wife are one sir so that's two all together said Pete Kate took up the scissors and went on with her work uneasily Ross twisted on his seat and said well I feel I must tell you Peter Quilliam sir said Pete charging a pipe but Ross pretended not to hear only natural perhaps for it in fact it's about our father tongue with me tongue with thee thought Pete lighting up five years ago he made me in a lounge and sent me up to London to study law he believes I've been called to the English bar and in view of this vacant deemstership he wants me admitted to the Manx one Pete's pipe stopped in its puffing well that's impossible said Ross things haven't come with you a to tell you the truth captain on first going up I fell into extravagant company I thought my friends were rich men and I was never a-niggered there was Monty the patron of the fancy the scissors in Kate's hands clicked and stopped and Ross blurted out in fact I've not been called and I've never studied at all Ross squirmed in his chair glancing under his brows at Kate Pete leaned forward and puffed up the chimney without speaking you see I speak freely Peter something compels me well if a man can't reveal his own failings to his own brother Peter don't let's talk about brothers said Pete what am I to do for you lend me enough to help me to do what our father thinks I've done already said Ross and then he added hastily I will give you my note of hand for it they're telling me sir said Pete your notes of hand are as cheap as cowries someone has belied me to you captain but for our father's sake he had set his heart on this deemstership there may still be time for it yes said Pete striking his open hand on the table and better men to fill it Ross glanced at Kate and a smile that was half a sneer across his evil face how nice he said when the great friends of the wife are also the great friends of the husband just so said Pete and then Ross laughed a little and the clicking of Kate's scissors stopped again as to you sir said Pete rising if it's no disrespect you're like the cormorant that chokes itself swallowing its fish headways up the gills are sticking in your gizzard sir only touching Ross' shoulder with something between a pat and a push you shouldn't be coming to your father's son to help you to ram it down as Ross went out Caesar came in that waste-draw's been wanting something said Caesar the tides down on him said Pete always was and always will be he was born at low water and he'll die on the rocks borrowing money eh said Caesar with a searching glance trying to said Pete indifferently then lended sir said Caesar promptly he's not to trust but lended on his airship or lended to the old man at mortgage on Ballowain he's the beesome of fire it'll come to you sir at the father's death and who has more right the shank of Pete's pipe came down from his mouth as he sat for some moments beating out the ash on the jockey bar something in that though he said mechanically but there's another has first claim for all he'll be having the place now if everyone had his own I must be thinking of it I must be thinking of it End of part 4 chapter 2 Part 4 chapter 3 of the Manxman this is a LibriVox recording or LibriVox recordings were in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org The Manxman by Sir Hall Cain Part 4 chapter 3 Philip had left the island on the morning after the marriage he had gone abroad and when they heard from him first he was at Cairo the voyage out had done him good the long steady nights going down the Mediterranean walking the deck alone the soft air, the far off lights thought he was feeling better, calmer anyway he hoped they were settled in their new home and well and happy Kate had to read the letter aloud it was like a throb of Philip's heart made faint, feeble and hardly to be felt by the great distance then she had to reply to it on behalf of Pete tell him to be quick and come out of the land of Egypt and the house of bondage said Pete say there's no manner of sense of a handsome young man living in a country where there isn't a pretty face to be seen on the sunny side of a blanket right that Kiri joins with her love and best wishes and she's busy whitewashing and he'd better have no truck with Pharaoh's daughters the next time they heard from Philip he was at Rome he had suffered from sleeplessness but was not otherwise unwell living in that city was like an existence after death all the real life was behind you but it was not unpleasant to walk under the big moon amid the wrecks of the past he congratulated Mrs. Quilliam on her active occupation work was the same as suffering it was strength and power Kate had to read this letter also it was like a sob coming over the sea give him a merry touch to keep up his pecker said Pete tell him the Romans are terrible jealous chaps and if he gets into a public house for a cup of tea he's to mind and not take the girls on his knee the Romans don't like it the last time they heard from Philip he was in London his old pain had given way he thought he was nearly well again but he had come through a sharp fire the governor had been very good kept open the deemstership by some means also surrounded him with London friends he was out every night nevertheless an unseen force was drawing him home they might see him soon or it might be later he had been six months away but he felt that it had not been all waste and interruption he would return with a new sustaining power this letter could not be answered for it bore no address it came by the night mail with the same day's steamer from England two hours later Mrs. Gorry ran in from an errand to the town saying I believe in my heart I saw Mr. Philip Christian going by on the road when said Pete this minute she answered should woman said Pete the man's in London look here's his letter running his forefinger along the headline London January the 21st that's yesterday see Mrs. Gorry was perplexed but the next night she was out at the same hour on the same errand and came flying into the house with a scared look making the same announcement see for yourself then she cried he's going up the lane by the garden nonsense it's browning you're eating with your barley said Pete and then to Kate behind his hand he whispered wished it's sight she's seeing poor thing and no wonder with her husband leaving her so lately but the third night also Mrs. Gorry returned from a similar errand at the same hour with the same statement I'm sure of it she panted she was now in terror an idea of the supernatural had taken hold of her the woman mains it said Pete and he began to cross question her how was Mr. Christian dressed she hadn't noticed that night but the first night he had worn a coat like an old man's cape which way was he going she couldn't be certain which way tonight but the night before he had gone up the lane between the chapel and the garden had she seen his face at all the first time she had seen it and it was very thin and pale oh I wouldn't to save you sirs said Mrs. Gorry and she fell to crying God bless me but this is mortal strange though said Pete what time was it exactly Jane asked Kate on the minute of ten every night answer Mrs. Gorry is there any difference in time now said Pete between the Isle of Man and London kitty nothing to spake of said Kate Pete scratched his head I must be putting a sight up on black Tom a dirty old trouse God forgive me if he is my grandfather but he knows the Manx yarns about right if it had been mid-summer day now and Philip had been in bed somewhere it might have been the his spirit coming home while he was sleeping to where his heart is the telling of the like anyway Kate read the mystery after her own manner and on the following night at the approach of ten o'clock she went into the parlour of the hall whence a window looked out onto the road the day had been dull and the night was misty a heavy white hand seemed to have come down onto the face of sea and land everything lay still and dead and ghostly Kate was in the dark room trembling but not with fear presently a form that was like a shadow passed under a lamp that glimmered opposite she could see only the outlines of a Spanish cape but she listened for the footsteps and she knew them they came on and paused came up and paused again and then they went past and deadened off and died in the dense night air Kate's eyes were red and swollen when she came back to supper she had promised herself enjoyment of Philip's sufferings there was no enjoyment but only a cry of yearning from the deep place where love calls to love she tried afresh to make the thought of Philip sink to the lowest depth of her being it was hard, it was impossible Pete was forever strengthening the recollection of him of his ways, his look, his voice, his laugh what he said was only the echo of her own thoughts but it was pain and torment nevertheless she felt like crying let me alone, let me alone people in the town began to talk of Mrs. Gorry's mysterious stories Philip will be forced to come now, thought Kate and he came Kate was alone it was afternoon, dinner was over the hearth was swept, the fire was heaped up and the rug was down he entered the porch quietly, tapped lightly at the door and stepped into the house he hoped she was well she answered mechanically he asked after Pete she replied vacantly that he had been gone since morning on some fishing business to peel it was a commonplace conversation brief, cold, almost trivial he spoke softly and stood in the middle of the floor swinging his soft hat against his leg she was standing by the fire with one hand on the mantelpiece and her head half aside looking sideways towards his feet but she noticed that his eyes looked larger than before and that his voice, though so soft had a deeper tone at first she did not remember to ask him to sit and when she thought of it she could not do so the poor little words would have been a formal recognition of all that had happened so terribly that she was mistress in that house and the wife of Pete they were standing so in a silence heart to break harder still to keep up when Pete himself came back like a rush of wind and welcomed Philip with both hands sit boy, sit he cried not that one, this easy one mine? well, if it's mine it's yours not had dinner have you? neither have I any cold mate left kitty? no, fry us a chop then darling Kate had recovered herself by this time and she went out on the serend while she was away Pete rattled on like a mill-race asked about the travels, laughed about the girls and roared about Mrs. Gorry and her ghost of Philip been buying a nicky at Peel today Phil he said, good little boat, a regular clipper oh, I'm going to start on the herrings myself next season sir and what for shouldn't I too many of the Manx ones are giving the fishing the goby there's life in the old dog yet though would be anyway if them rusty caves would be doing anything for the industry they're building piers enough for the trippers but never a breakwater the size of a toothbrush for the fishermen that's reminding me Phil the boys are at me to get you to petition the tinwall court for better harvours they're losing many a pound by not getting out all weathers but if the child doesn't cry the mother will be giving it no breast so remain to school till they think in Douglas spavin wind or population of the heart or something the men are looking to you Phil that's the boy for us they say he stood our friend before and he'll do it again they're saying Philip promised to draw up the petition and then Mrs. Gorry came in and laid the cloth Kate meanwhile had been telling herself that she had not done well where was the satisfaction she had promised herself on the night of her wedding day when she had seen Philip from the height of a great revenge if she allowed him to think that she also was suffering she must be bright she must be gay she must seem to be happy and in love with her husband she returned to the Hall Parlor with a smoking dish and a face all sunshine I'm afraid they're not very good dear she said should said Pete we're not particular Phil and I have roughed it before today she laughed merrily and under pretext of giving orders disappeared again but she had not belived the food she had set on the table the mutton was badly fed badly killed badly cut and above all badly cooked to eat it was an ordeal Philip tried hard not to let Pete see how he struggled Pete fought valiantly to conceal his own efforts the perspiration began to break out on their foreheads Pete stopped in the midst of some wild talk to glance up at Philip Philip tore away with knife and fork and answered vaguely then Pete looked searchingly around rose on tiptoe when stealthily to the kitchen door came back caught up a piece of yellow paper from the sideboard whipped the chops into it from his own plate and then from Philips and crammed them into his jacket pocket no good hurting anybody's feelings said he and then Kate reappeared smiling finished already she said with an elevation of pitch ha ha laughed Pete two hungry men Kate you'd rather keep us a week than a fortnight eh Kate stood over the empty dish with a look of surprise Pete winked furiously at Philip Philip's eyes wandered about the tablecloth she isn't knowing much about a hungry man's appetite is she Phil but said Kate but she stammered what's become of the bones Pete scratched his chin through his beard the bones oh the bones oh no we're not eating the bones at all then with a rush as his eyes kindled but the dog you see course we always give the bones to the dog Dempster's dead on bones Dempster was lying at the moment full length under the table snoring audibly Mrs. Gorry cleared the cloth and Kate took up her sewing and turned towards the sideboard has anyone seen my pattern she asked Patton said Pete diving into his jacket pocket do you say Patton he muttered rummaging at his side is this it an out came the yellow paper crumpled and greasy which had gone in with the chops bless me the stupid a man is now I took it for a pipe light Kate's smile vanished and she fled out to hide her face then Pete whispered to Philip let's take a slew round to the plough they were leaving the house on that errand when Kate came back to the hall just taking a little walk here he said Pete they're telling me it's good wonderful after dinner for a weight digestion of the chest and he coughed repeatedly and smote his resounding breast wait a moment and I'll go with you said Kate there was no help for it Kate's shopping took them in the direction of the plough old Mrs. Beatty the innkeeper was at the door as they passed and when she saw Pete approaching on the inside of the three she said aloud meaning no mischief your bread and cheese and porter are ready as usual Captain End of Part 4 Chapter 4 Part 4 Chapter 5 of The Manxman this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings were in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org The Manxman by Sir Hall Cain Part 4 Chapter 5 The man was killing her to be his spoiled and adored wife knowing she was unworthy of his love and tenderness was not happiness it was grinding misery bringing death into her soul if he had blamed her for her incompetence if he had scolded her for making his home cheerless nay if he had beaten her she could have borne with life and taken her outward sufferings for her inward punishment she fell into fits of hysteria sat whole hours listless with her feet on the fender Pete's conduct exasperated her as time went on and developed the sweetness of Pete the man grew more and more distasteful to her and she broke into fits of shrewishness Pete hung his head and reproached himself she wasn't to mind if he said things he was only a rough fellow then she burst into tears and asked him to forgive her and he was all cock a hoop in a moment like a dog that is coaxed after it has been beaten her sufferings reached a climax she became conscious that she was about to become a mother this affected her with terrible fears she went back to that thought of a possible contingency which had torn her with conflicting feelings on the eve of her marriage it was impossible to be sure the idea might be no more than a morbid fancy born of her unhappiness of a secret love of Philip of a secret repugnance for Pete the inadequate, the uncouth, the uncongenial but nevertheless it possessed her with the force of an overpowering conviction it grew upon her day by day it sat on her heart like a nightmare the child that was to be born to her was not the child of her husband In spite of Pete's invitations Philip came rarely he was full of excuses work, fresh studies, the governor, his aunt Pete said course and certainly and wouldn't trust until Philip began to be ashamed and one evening he came looking stronger than usual with a more sustaining cheerfulness and plumped into the house with the words I've come at last to stay the night said Pete well yes said Philip that's lucky and unlucky too for I'm this minute for peel with two of the boys to fetch round my nicky by the night tide but you'll stay and keep the wife company and I'll be back first tide in the morning you'll be obliged to him won't you Kate he cried pitching his voice over his shoulder and then in a whisper she's a bit down at Wiles and what wonder and her so near but you'll see you'll see and he winked and nodded knowingly there was no harking back no shearing off on the score of modesty before Pete's large faith Kate looked as if she would cry mercy mercy but when she saw the same appeal on Philip's face she was stung Pete went off and then Kate and Philip sat down to tea while tea lasted it was not hard to fill the silences with common places after it was over she brought him a pipe and they lapsed into difficult pauses Philip puffed vigorously and tried to look happy Kate struggled not to let Philip see that she was ill at ease every moment their imagination took a new turn he began to read a book and while they sat without speaking she thought it was hardly nice of him to treat her with indifference when he spoke she thought he was behaving with less politeness than before he went over to the piano they sang a part song oh who will owe the down so free their voices went well enough together but they broke down the more they tried to forget the past the more they remembered it he twiddled the backs of his fingertips over the keyboard she swung on one foot and held to the candle bracket while they talked of Pete that seemed to fortify them against the scouts of passion Pete was their bulwark it was the old theme but played as a tragedy not as a comedy now it is delightful to see you settle in this beautiful home he said isn't it beautiful she answered you ought to be very happy why should I not be happy with a little laugh why indeed a home like a nest and a husband that worships you she laughed again because she could not speak speech was thin gauze laughter was rolling smoke so she laughed and laughed what a fine-hearted creature he is said Philip isn't he said Kate education and intellect don't always go together any wife might love such a husband said Kate so simple so natural so unsuspicious but that was coming to quarters too close so they fell back on silence the silence was awful the power of it was pitiless if they could have spoken the poorest common places the spell might have dissolved Philip thought he would rise but he could not do so Kate tried to turn away but felt herself rooted to the spot with faces aside they remain some moments where they were as if a spirit had passed between them Mrs. Gorry came in to lay the supper and then Kate recovered herself she got back her power of laughter and laughed at everything he was not deceived she loves me still said the voice of his heart he hated himself for the thought but it haunted him with a merciless persistence he remembered the evening of the wedding day and the imploring look she gave him on going away with Pete and he returned to the idea that she had been married under the compulsion of her father Caesar the avaricious hypocrite he told himself it would be easy to kindle a new fire on the warm hearth as she laughed and he looked into her beautiful eyes and caught the nervous twitch of her mouth he felt something of the old thrill the old passion the old unconditional love of her who loved him in spite of all and merely because she must but no had he spent six months abroad for nothing he would be strong he would be loyal if need be he would save this woman from herself at last Kate lit a candle and said I must show you to your room she talked cheerily going upstairs on the landing she opened the door of the room above the hall and went into it and drew down the blind she was still full of good spirits said perhaps he had no night-shirt so she had left out one of Pete's hoping he would find it big enough and laughed again he took the candle from her at the threshold and kissed the hand that had held it she stood a moment quivering like a colt then she bounded away there was the clash of a door somewhere beyond and Kate was in her own room kneeling before the bed with her face buried in the counterpane to stifle the sobs that might break through the walls under all her likeness in spite of all her laughter the old tormenting thought had been with her still should she tell him? could he understand? would he believe? if he realized the gravity of the awful position in which she was soon to be placed would he make an effort to extricate her? and if he did not, would not, could not should not she hate him forever after? then the old simple love the pure passion came back upon her at the sight of his face at the touch of his hand at the sound of his voice oh for what might have been what might have been Pete's nicky came into harbour with the morning tide and the three breakfasted together as Kate moved heavily in front of the fire Pete crowed, cooed and scattered wise winks round the table more milk, mammy, he whimpered and then he imitated all kinds of baby-prattle after breakfast the men smoked and Kate took up her sowing she was occupying herself with the little labours so pretty, so full of delicate humour and delicious joy which usually opened a new avenue for a woman's tenderness Philip's eyes fell on her and she dropped below into her lap the tiny piece of white linen she was working on Pete saw this, stole to the back of her chair over her shoulder, snatched the white thing out of her fingers held it out stretched in his ponderous hands and roared like a smithy bellows it was a baby shirt never mind, darling, he coaxed as the colour leapt to Kate's face Philip must be a sort of a father to the boy some day a godfather anyway, so he won't mind seeing his little shift we must be calling him Philip too what do you say, Kirrie? Philip, is it agreed? End of Part 4, Chapter 6 Part 4, Chapter 7 of the Manxman This was a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings were in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org The Manxman by Sir Hall Cain Part 4, Chapter 7 As the time drew near the conviction deepened upon her that she could not be confined in her husband's house Being there at such a crisis like living in a volcanic land one false step, one passionate impulse and the very earth under her feet would split I must go home for a while, Pete, she said Of course you must, said Pete Nobody liked the old angel when her girls that way Pete took her back to her mother's in the gig driving very slowly and lifting her up and down as tenderly as if she had been a child She breathed freely when she left Elm Cottage But when she was settled in her old bedroom at the Manx Ferry she realized that she had only stepped from misery to misery So many memories live like ghosts there Memories of innocent slumbers and of gleeful awakenings amid the twittering of birds and the rattling of gravel The old familiar place The little room with the poor little window looking out on the orchard The poor little bed with its pink curtains like a tent The sweet old blankets, the wash basin, the press the blind with the same old pattern the sheepskin rug underfoot the whitewash scrows overhead everything the same, but oh God how different Let me look at myself in the glass, Nancy, she said and Nancy gave her the hand glass which had been cracked the morning after the Malia She pushed it away peevishly What's the use of a thing like that, she said Pete haunted the house day and night There was no bed for him there and he was supposed to go home to sleep but he wandered away in the darkness over the karak to the shore and in the gray of morning he was at the door again bringing the cold breath of the dawn into the house with the long whisper around the doorjar How's she going on now? The women bundled him out bodily and then he hung about the roads like a dog disowned If he heard a sigh from the dairy loft he sat down against the gable and groaned Granny tried to comfort him Don't be taking on so boy It'll be all joy soon, she said and you'll be having the child to show for it But Pete was bitter and rebellious Who's wanting the child anyway, said he It's only herself I'm wanting and she's leaving me Oh Lord, she's leaving me God forgive me, he muttered Oh good God, forgive me, he groaned It isn't fair though, Lord knows it isn't fair he mumbled hoarsely At last Nancy Joe came out and took him in hand in earnest Look here, Pete, she said If you're wanting to kill the woman and middling quick too you'll go on the way you're going But if you don't, you'll be taking to the road and you won't be coming back till you're wanted This settled Pete's restlessness The fishing had begun early that season and he went off for a night to the herrings Kate waited long and the women watched her with trembling It's a week or two early, said one The weather's warm, said another The bogey millish She's a bit soon, said Granny There was less of fear in Kate's own feelings Do women often die, she asked The proportion is small, said the doctor Half an hour afterwards she spoke again Does the child sometimes die? Well, I've known it to happen but only when the mother has had a shock lost her husband, for example She lay tossing on the bed, wishing for her own death hoping for the death of the unborn child dreading its coming, lest she should hate and loathe it At last came the child's first cry that cry out of silence that had never broken on the air before but was henceforth to be one of the world's voices for laughter and for weeping, for joy and for sorrow to her who had born it into life Then she called to them to show her the baby She did so, bringing it up with soft cooings and foolish words She searched the little wrinkle face with a frightened look then put up her arms to shut out the sight and cried, take it away and turn to the wall Her vague fear was of certainty now The child was the child of her sin She was a bad woman Yet there is no shame, no fear, no horror but the pleading of a newborn babe can drown its clamour The child cried again and the cruel battle of love and dread was won for motherhood The mother heart awoke and swelled She had got her baby at all events It was all she had for all she had suffered but it was enough and a dear and precious prize Are you sure it is well, she asked, quite quite well Doesn't this little face look as if its mammy had been crying, no? Did no, said Granny, but as bonny a baby as ever was born The women were scurrying up and down giggling on the landings, laughing on the stairs and saying hush at their own noises as they crept into the room In a fretful whimper the child was still crying and Granny was telling it with many wags of the head and in a mighty stern voice that they were going to have none of its complaining now that it had come at last and Kate herself, with hands clasped together was saying in a soft murmur like a prayer God is very good and the doctor is good too God is good to give us doctors My quiet and I'll come back in an hour or two said Dr. Milkreist from halfway through the door Dear heart of life, what will the father say? cried Granny, and then the whole place broke into that smile of surprise which comes to every house after the twin angels of life and death have brooded long over its roof tree and have gone at length before the face of a little child End of Part 4, Chapter 7 Part 4, Chapter 8 of The Manxman This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings were in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org The Manxman by Sir Hall Cain Part 4, Chapter 8 When Pete came up to the key in the raw sunshine of early morning John the Clark, mounted on a barrel was selling by auction the night's take of the boats Of news for you, Mr. Quilliam, he cried as Pete's boat with half sail set dropped down the harbour Pete brought two, leapt ashore and went up to where John at the end of the jetty surrounded by a crowd of buyers in little spring carts was taking bids for the fish One moment, Captain, he cried across his outstretched arm at the end whereof was a herring with gills still opening and closing Ten maize of this sort for the last lot well fed, alive and kicking How much for them? Five shillings? Thank you And three? Five and three It's in it yet boys Only five and three and six, thank you It'll do no harm at five and six Six shillings, all done at six and six All done at six and six Seven shillings shouted somebody with a voice like a folk horn There any the cages said John dropping to the ground And now Captain Quilliam will go and wet the youngster's head Pete went up to Salby like an avalanche shouting his greetings to everybody on the way But when he got near to the ferry he wiped his steaming forehead and held his panting breath and pretended not to have heard the news How's the poor girl now? He asked in a meek voice trying to look powerfully miserable and playing his part splendidly for thirty seconds Then the women made eyes at each other and looked wondrous knowing and nodded sideways at Pete and clucked and chuckled saying Look at him, he doesn't know anything does he? Of course not woman, these men creatures are no use for nothing Out of a man's way cried Pete with a roar and he made a rush for the stairs Nancy blocked him at the foot of them with both hands on his shoulders You'll be quiet then she whispered You're always a reasonable man Pete and she's wonderful wake Promise you'll be quiet To be like a mouse said Pete and he whipped off his long sea boots and crept on tiptoe into the room There she lay with the morning light on her and a face as white as the quilt that she was plucking with her long fingers Thank God for a living mother and a living child said Pete in a broken gurgle and then he drew down the bed clothes a very little and there too was the child and the pillow of her other arm Then do what he would to be quiet he could not help but make a shout He's there, yes he is he is though, joy, joy The women were down on him like a flock of geese out of this sir if you can't behave better Excuse me ladies said Pete humbly I'm not in the habit of babies A bit excited you see mistress Nancy ma'am couldn't help putting a bull of a roar out not being used to the like then turning back to the bed Oh kitty the beauty it is though and the big as big as my fist already and the fat it's as fat as a blue bottle and the straight well not so very straight neither but the complexion at him now give him to me kitty give him to me the young rascal let me have a hold of him anyway him indeed listen to the man said Nancy it's a girl Pete said Granny lifting the child out of the bed a girl is it said Pete doubtfully well he said with a wag of the head thank God for a girl then with another and more resolute wag yes thank God for a living mother and a living child if it is a girl and he stretched out his arms to take the baby Aisy now Pete Aisy said Granny holding it out to him is it Aisy broke they are Granny said Pete a good spirit looked out of his great boyish face come to your old daddy you little sandpiper God bless me kitty the weight of him though this child's a quarter of a hundred if he's an ounce here's I'll go bail he is look at him Guy Heng Granny did you ever see the like now it's absolute perfection kitty I couldn't have had a better one if I'd chiced it where's that Tom Hommie now the bleeding little billy goat he was bragging outrageous about his new baby saying he wouldn't part with it for two of the best cows in his cowhouse this will flaw him I'm thinking what's that you're saying mistress Nancy mom no good for nothing am I you were right Granny it'll be all joy soon you were saying and have him with a child to chow for it I put on my stocking inside out on Monday ma'am I'm in luck says I and so I was look at that now he's shaking his little fist at his father he is though this child knows me oh you're clever Nancy but no nonsense at all mistress Nancy ma'am nothing will persuade me but this child knows me do you hear the man said Nancy he he and he and he it's a girl I'm telling you a girl a girl a girl well well a girl then a girl will make it to Pete with determined resignation he's desaved said Granny it was a boy who was wanting poor fellow but Pete scoffed at the idea a boy never no no a girl for your life I'm all for girls myself hey kitty always was and now I've got two of them the child began to cry and Granny took it back and rocked it faced downwards across her knees goodness me the voice at him said Pete it's a skipper he's born for a harbour master anyway the child slept and Granny put it on the pillow turned lengthwise at Kate's side quiet as a Jenny Wren now said Pete look at the boch smiling in his sleep just like a baby mermaid on the egg of a dogfish but where's the old man at all has he seen it we must have it in the papers the Times yes and the Tizer too the beloved wife of Mr. Captain Peter Quilliam of a boy a girl I mean or the wonder they'll be all the island over everybody getting to know newspapers are like women terrible bad for keeping secrets what will Phillips say but haven't you a toothful of anything Granny gin for the ladies Nancy goodness me the house is handy what time was it wait don't tell me it was five o'clock this morning wasn't it yes God bless me I knew it I watered to the very minute or he'll rise in the world and die at the top of the tide how did I know when the child was born mum as easy as easy we were lying adrift of Cronkner Erie Lay looking up for daylight by the fisherman's clock only light enough to see the black of your nail now all at once I heard a baby's cry on the waters it's the nameless child the very cushion sings out one of the boys up with the cloud says I and when we were hauling the nets and down on our knees saying a bit of a prayer as usual God bless my newborn child says I and God bless my child's mother too I says and God love and protect them always and keep and preserve myself as well there was a low moaning from the bed air give me air open the door Kate Gasp the room is getting too hot for us at Granny come there's one too many of us here said Nancy out of it and she swept Pete from the bedroom with her apron as if he had been a drove of ducks Pete glanced backward from the door and a cloak that was hanging on the inside of it brushed his face God bless her he said in a low tone God bless and reward her for going through this for me then he touched the cloak with his lips and disappeared a moment later his curly black pole came stealing round the door jam halfway down like the head of a big boy Nancy in a whisper put the tongs over the cradle it's a pity to tempt the fairies and granny I wouldn't leave it alone to go out to the cowhouse the little people are shocking bad for changing Kate with her face to the wall listened to him with an aching heart as Pete went down the doctor returned she's hardly so well said the doctor better not let her nurse the child bring it up by hand it will be best for both so it was arranged that Nancy should be made nurse to go to Elm Cottage and that Mrs. Gorry should come in her place to Solby throughout four and twenty hours thereafter Kate tried her utmost to shut her heart to the child at the end of that time being left some minutes alone with the little one she was heard singing to it in a sweet low tone Nancy paused with the long brush in her hand in the kitchen and granny stopped at her knitting in the bar that's something like now said Nancy poor thing poor Kiri what wonder if she was a bit out of her head the boch and her not well since her wedding they crept upstairs together at the unaccustomed sounds and found Pete whom they had missed outside the bedroom door half doubled up and holding his breath to listen Hush said he'd less with his tongue than with his mouth which he pursed out to represent the sound then he whispered she's filling all the room with music listen it's as good as fairy music in Glen Tramman and it's the little fairy itself that's ticing it out of her next day Philip came and nothing would serve for Pete but that he should go up to see the child the only fill he said through the doorway dragging Philip into Kate's room after him for the familiarity that a great joy permits breaks down conventions Kate did not look up and Philip tried to escape he's got good news for himself too said Pete there to be making him Dempster a month tomorrow then Kate lifted her eyes to Philip's face and all the glory of success withered under her gaze he stumbled downstairs and hurried away there was the old persistent thought she loves me still but it was working now in the presence of the child with how great a difference when he looked at the little downy face a new feeling took possession of him her child hers there might have been his also had his bargain been worth having was any promotion in the world to be set against one throb of Pete's simple joy one gleam of the auroral radiance that lights up a poor man's home when he is first a father one moment of divine partnership in the babe that is fresh from God three weeks later Pete took his wife home and sees his gig everything was the same as when he brought her save that within the shawls with which she was wrapped about the child now lay with its pink eyelids to the sky and its flat white bottle against her breast it was a beautiful spring morning and the young sunlight was on the sallies of the Karak and the gold of the roadside gorse Pete was as silly as a boy and he chirped and croaked all the way home like every bird and beast of heaven and earth when they got to Elm Cottage she lifted his wife down as tenderly as if she had been the babe she had in her arms he was strong and she was light and he half helped half carried her to the porch door Nancy was there to take the child out of her hands and as she did so Pete back at the horse's head cried that's the last bit of furniture the house was waiting for Nancy what's a house without a child just a room without a clock clock indeed said Nancy clocks are stopping but this one's for going like a mill don't be tempting the night man Nancy cried Pete but he was full of childlike delight Kate stepped inside the fire burned in the hall parlour the fire irons shone like glass there were sprigs of fuchsia bud in the ornaments on the chimney piece everything was warm and cheerful and home like she sat down without taking off her hat why can't I be quiet and happy she thought why can't I make myself love him and forget but she was like one who traversed a desert under the sea a vast submerged Sahara over her head was all her life with all her love and all her happiness the things around her were only the ghostly shadows cast by them End of Part 4, Chapter 8 Part 4, Chapter 9 of The Manxman This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings were in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org The Manxman by Sir Hall Cain Part 4, Chapter 9 The more Kate realised that she was in the position of a bad woman she struggled to be a good one she flew to religion as a refuge there was no belief in her religion no faith, no creed, no mystical transports but only fear and shame and contrition it was fervent enough nevertheless on Sunday morning she went to the Christians on Sunday afternoon to church on Sunday evening to the Wesleyan Chapel and on Wednesday night to the Mission House of the Primitives her catholicity did not please her father he looked into her quivering face and asked if she had broken any commandment in secret she turned pale and answered no Pete followed her wherever she went and seeing this some of the baser-sword among the religious people began to follow him they abused each other badly in their effort to lay hold of his money bags you'll never go over to Yonder lot said one they're holding to election a soul-destroying doctrine a respectable man can't join himself to Cowley's gang said another they're denying original sin and aren't a apath better than infidels Pete took the measure of them all down to the watch-pockets of their waistcoats you remind me said he when you were gate on your doctrines of the caffers out at Kimberley if one of them found an old hat in the compound that some white man had thrown away they'd light a campfire after dark and hold a regular tinwall court on it there they'd be squatting round on their haunches with nothing to be seen of them but their eyes and their teeth and there'd be as many questions as the catechism who found it says one where did he find it says another if he hadn't found it who else would have found it that's how they'd be going till two in the morning and the fire dead out and a lot of them squealing away same as monkeys in the dark they found an old hat with a hole in it not worth a hapeny piece bless for me they cried but still and for all you gave to the widow and lend to the Lord you practice the religion you don't believe in Captain Quillian there's a pair of us then said Pete for you believe in the religion you don't practice but Caesar got Pete at last in spite of his skepticism the time came for the annual camp meeting Kate went off to it and Pete followed like a big dog at her heels the company assembled at Salby Bridge and marched through the village to a revival chorus they stopped at a field of Caesars in the Glen it was last year's Melia field and Caesar mounted a cart which had been left there to serve as a pulpit then they sang again and breaking up into many companies went off into little circles that were like gorse rings on the mountains after that they reassembled to the strains of another chorus and gathered afresh about the cart for Caesar's sermon it dealt with the duty of sinless perfection there were evil men and happy sinners in the island these days who were telling them it was not good to be faultless in this life because virtue begot pride and pride was a deadly sin there were others who were saying that because a man must repent in order to be saved to repent he had to sin doctrines of the devil don't listen to them could a man in the household of faith live one second without committing sin of course he could one minute certainly one hour no doubt of it and if a man could live one hour without sin he could live one day, one week, one month, one year nay a whole lifetime in getting thus far Caesar had worked himself into a perspiration and he took off his coat, hung it over the cartwheel and went on in his shirt sleeves let them make no excuses for backsliders it was a trick of the devil to deal with you and forget to pay strap, the price it was an old rule and a good one that if any were guilty of the sins of the flesh they should be openly punished in this world that their sins might not be counted against them in the day of the Lord Caesar threw off his waistcoat and finished with a passionate exultation calling upon his hearers to deliver themselves of secret sins if oratory is to be judged of by its effects Caesar's sermon was a great aeration he began amid the silence of his own followers and swore of a little group of his enemies who lounged on the outside of the crowd to cast ridicule on the swadler and the public and preacher but it ended amid loud exclamations of praise and supplications from all his hearers sighing and groaning and the bodily clutching of one another by the arm in paroxysms of fear and rapture when Caesar's voice died down like a wave of the sea he went up from the grass to pray and before the first prayer had ended the second was begun meantime the penitents had begun to move inward through the throng and they fell weeping and moaning on their knees about the card Kate was among them and when she took her place Pete still held by her side a strong shuddering passed over her shoulders and her wet eyes were on the grass Pete took her hand and feeling how it trembled her eyes also filled above their head Caesar was towering with fiery eyes and face of flame in a momentary pause between two prayers he tossed his voice up into him the people joined him at the second bar and then the wailing of the penitents was drowned in a general shout of the revival tune if some poor wandering child of thine have spurned today the voice divine now Lord the gracious work begin let him no more lie down in sin Kate sobbed aloud poor vessel of human passions tossed about tormented by the fire that was consuming her as the penitents grew calmer they rose one by one to give their experience of Satan and salvation at length Caesar seized his opportunity and said and now brother Quillian will give us his experience Pete rose from Kate's side with tearful eyes amid a babble of jubilation most of it facetious be of good cheer Peter be not afraid I've not much to tell said Pete only a story of backsliding before I earned enough to carry me up country I worked a month at Cape Town with the boats my master was a pious old Dutchman getting the name of Jan one Saturday night a big ship lost her anchor outside and on Sunday morning 40 pounds was offered for finding it all the boatmen went out except Jan six days shelled their labors as he but the seventh is a Sabbath Pete's address was here punctuated by loud cries of thanksgiving all day long he was seeing the boats beating up the bay so to keep out of temptation he was going up to the bedroom and pulling the blinds and getting down on his knees and wrestling like mad and something out of heaven was saying to him it's the Lord's Day Janney they'll not get a hapeth neither did they but when Jan's watch said 12 o'clock midnight the pair of us were going off like rockets well we hadn't been 10 minutes on the water before our grapplings had hold of that anchor there were loud cries of glory Jan was shouting the Lord has put us atop of it as straight as the lid of a tapot great cries of hallelujah but when we came ashore we found Jan's watch was 20 minutes fast and that was the end of the old man's religion that day the word went round that both Pete and Kate had been converted their names were entered in class and they received their quarterly tickets End of part 4 chapter 9 Part 4 chapter 10 of the Manxman this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org The Manxman by Sir Hall Cain Part 4 chapter 10 next morning Kate set out to church for her churching her household duties had lost their interest by this time and she left Nancy to cook the dinner Pete had volunteered to take charge of the child this he began to do by establishing himself with his pipe and an armchair by the cradle and looking steadfastly down into it until the little one awoke then he rocked it, rummaged his memory for a nursery song to quiet it and smoked and sang together a frog he would a wooing go kitty alone, kitty alone puff puff a wonderful likely sort of a bow kitty alone and I puff puff puff the sun was shining in at the doorway and a man's shadow fell across the cradle head it was Philip Pete put his mouth out into the form of an unspoken hush and Philip sat down in silence while Pete went on with his smoke and his song but when her husband Rat came home kitty alone, kitty alone pray who's been here since I've been gone kitty alone and I puff puff Pete had got to the middle of the verse about the worthy gentleman when the low wine in the cradle lengthened to a long breath and stopped gone off at last God bless it said Pete and how's yourself Philip and how goes the petition with his head on his hand Philip was gazing absently into the fire and he did not hear how goes the petition said Pete it was that I came to speak of said Philip sorry to say it has had no effect but a bad one it has only drawn attention to the fact that Max Fisherman pay no harbour dues and right to said Pete the harbours are our fathers harbours and were freed to us 40 years ago nevertheless said Philip the dues are to be demanded the governor has issued an order then we'll rise against it every fisherman in the island said Pete and when they're making a demster you'll back us up in the tinwall court take care Pete take care said Philip then Kate came in from church and Pete welcomed her with a shout Philip rose and bowed in silence the marks of the prayers of the week were on her face but they had brought her no comfort she had been constantly promising herself consolation from religion but every fresh exercise of devotion had seemed to tear open the wound from which she bled to death she removed her cloak and stepped to the cradle the child was sleeping peacefully but she convinced herself that it must be unwell her own hands were cold and moist and when she touched the child she thought his skin was clammy presently her hands became hot and dry and when she touched the child again she thought his forehead was feverish I'm sure she's ill she said should love said Pete no more ill than I am but to calm her fears he went off for the doctor the doctor was away in the country and was not likely to be back for hours Kate's fears increased every time she looked at the child she applied to it the symptoms of her own condition my child is dying I'm sure it is she cried nonsense darling said Pete only an hour ago it was looking up as imprinted as a tom-tid at last a new terror seized her and she cried my child is dying unbaptised well we'll soon mend that love said Pete I'll be going off for the person and he caught up his hat and went out he called on person Quiggin who promised to follow immediately then he went on to Solby to fetch Caesar and Granny and some others having no fear for the child's life and some hope of banishing Kate's melancholy by the merriment of a christening feast meanwhile Philip and Kate were alone with the little one saving the intervals of Nancy's coming and going between the hall and the kitchen she was restless and full of expectation starting at every sound at every step he could see that she had gone whole nights without sleep and was passing through an existence that was burning itself away do what he would to explain her sufferings as the common results of childbirth he could not help resolving them in the old flattering solution she was paying the penalty of having married the wrong man and she was to blame whatever the compulsion put upon her she ought to have withstood it there was no situation in life from which it was not possible to escape had he not found a way out of a situation essentially the same thus a certain high pride in his own conduct took possession of him even in the presence of Kate's pain but his tenderness fought with his self-righteousness he looked at her piteous face and his strength almost ebbed away she looked up into his eyes and affection of pity almost overwhelmed him once or twice she seemed about to say something but she did not speak and he said little yet it wanted all his resolution not to take her in his arms and comfort her not to mingle his tears with hers not to tell her of six months spent in vain in the effort to wipe her out of his heart not to whisper of cheerless days and of nights made desolate with the repetition of her name but no he would be stronger than that it was not yet too late to walk the path of honour he would stand no longer between husband and wife Pete came back bringing Granny and Caesar the person arrived soon after them Kate was sitting with the child in her lap and brooding over it like a bird above its nest the child was still sleeping the sleep of health and innocence but the mother's eyes were wild boch boch said Granny and she kissed her daughter Kate made no response Nancy Jo grew red about the eyelids and began to blow her nose here's the person darling whispered Pete and Kate rose to her feet the company rose with her and stood in a half circle before the fire it was now between daylight and dark and the firelight flashed in their faces are the godfather and godmother's present the person asked Mr Christian will stand godfather person and Nancy and Granny will be godmother's Nancy took the child out of Kate's arms and the service for private baptism began with the tremendous words dearly beloved for as much as all men are conceived and born in sin the person stopped Kate had staggered and almost fallen Pete put his arm around her to keep her up and then the service went on presently the person turned to Philip with a softening voice and an inclination of the head the sour in the name of this child renounced the devil and all his works the vain pomp and glory of the world with all covetous desires of the same and the carnal desires of the flesh so that thou wilt not follow nor be led by them and Philip answered in a firm low voice I renounced them all the person took the child from Nancy named this child Nancy looked at Kate but Kate who was breathing violently gave no sign Kate whispered Pete Kate of course Catherine said Nancy and in that name the child was baptized Dr Milkreist came in as the service ended Granny held little Catherine up to him and he controlled his face and looked at her there's not much amiss with the child he said I knew it shouted Pete but perhaps the mother is a little weak and nervous he added quietly course she is the boch cried Pete let us see more companies of the doctor she shelled said Pete if that doesn't do send her away for a while I will fresh scenes fresh society out of the island by preference I'm willing she'll come back another woman I'll put up with the same one said Pete and while the company laughed he flung open the door and cried come in and half a dozen men who have been waiting outside they entered with shy looks because of the presence of great people now for a pull of joch Nancy cried Pete not too much excitement either said the doctor with that warning he departed the person went with him Philip had slipped out first unawares to anybody Granny carried little Catherine to the kitchen and bathed her before the fire Kate was propped up with pillows in the armchair in the corner then Nancy brought the ale and Pete welcomed it with a shout Caesar looked alarmed and rose to go the drinks your own sir said Pete stop and taste it but Caesar couldn't stay it would scarcely be proper you don't christen your first grand-aughter every day said Pete enjoy yourself while you're alive sir you'll be a long time dead Caesar disappeared but the rest of the company took Pete's counsel and began to make themselves comfortable the last christening I was at was yesterday said John the Clarke it was Christian Killip's little one before she was married and it took the water same as any other child the last christening I was at was my own said Black Tom when I was made an inheritor but I've never inherited yet that's true enough said a asthmatic voice from the back stairs well the last christening I was at was at Kimberley said Pete and I was the parson myself that day yes though parson Pete and godfather and godmother as well and the baby was Pete Quilliam too oh it was no laughing matter at all there's always a truck of women about a compound hanging on to the boys like birds dirty little trousers of a rule but human creatures for all one of them had a child by somebody and then she came to die and couldn't take rest because it hadn't been christened it wasn't the parson for 50 miles anywhere and it was night time too and the woman was stretched by the campfire and sinking what's to be done says the men I'll do it says I and I did one of the fellows got a breakfast can of water out of the river and I dipped my hand in it what's the name says I but the poor soul was too far gone for spaking so I gave the child my own name though I didn't know the mother from Noah's aunt and the big chap standing round bare-headed began to blubber like babies I baptized the Pete Quilliam in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Ghost amen then the girl died happy and easy and what for shouldn't she the words were the same and the water was the same and if the hand wasn't as clean as usual maybe him that's above wouldn't bother about the difference Kate got up with a flush on her cheeks the room had become too close Pete helped her into the parlor where a bright fire was burning then propped and wrapped her up afresh and at her own entreaty returned to his guests the company had increased by this time and there were women and girls among them they went on to sing and to play and at last to dance Kate heard them through the closed door between the hall and the parlor their merriment came to her at intervals Pete put in his head brimming over with laughter and cried in a loud whisper did you hear that Kate it's rich at length Philip came too with his hat in one hand and a cardboard box in the other the godfather's present to little Catherine he said Kate opened the lid and drew out a child's hood in scarlet plush you're very good she said vacantly don't let us talk of goodness he answered and he turned to go wait she folded I have something to say to you shut the door end of part 4 chapter 10 part 4 chapter 11 of the Manxman this was a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings were in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the Manxman by Sir Hall Cain part 4 chapter 11 Philip turned pale what is it he asked she tried to speak but at first she could not are you unhappy Kate he folded can't you see she answered he sat down by the fire and leaned his face on his hands yes we have both suffered he said in a low tone why did you let me marry him Philip raised his head how could I have hindered you how do you ask me how she spoke with some bitterness but he answered quietly I tried Kate but I could do nothing you seem determined do what I would to prevent to delay to stop your marriage all together the more you hasten than hurried it then I thought to myself well perhaps it is best she is trying to forget and forgive and begin again what right have I to stand in her way haven't I wronged her enough already a good man offers her his love and she is taking it let her do so if she can God help her I may suffer but I am nothing to her now let me go my way she put her arms on the table and hid her face in them oh I cannot bear it she said he rose to his feet slowly if it is my presence here that hurts you Kate I will go away it has been but a painful pleasure to come and I have been forced to take it you will acquit me of coming of my own choice Kate but I will not torment you I will go away and never come again she lifted her face and said in a passionate whisper take me with you he shook his head that's impossible Kate you are married now your husband loves you dearly he is a better man than I am a thousand thousand times do you think I don't know what he is she cried throwing herself back that's why I can't live with him it's killing me I tell you I can't bear it she cried rising to her feet haven't I tried to make myself love him haven't I tried to be a good wife I can't I can't he never speaks but he torments me nothing can happen but it cuts me through and through I can't live in this house the walls are crushing me the ceiling is falling on me the air is stifling me I tell you I shall die if you do not take me out of it take me Philip take me take me she called him by the arm imploringly but he only dropped his head down between both hands saying in a deep thick voice hush Kate hush I cannot and I will not you are mad to think of it then she sank down into the chair again breathless and inert and sobbing deep low sobs the sound of dancing came from the hall with cries of hooch and the voice of Pete shouting hit the floor with heel and toe till heaven helped the boards below yes I am mad it will be she said in a hard way I thought of that this morning when I crossed the river coming home from church it would soon be over there I thought no more trouble no more dreams no more waking in the night to hear the breathing of the one beside me and the voice out of the darkness crying Kate what are you saying interrupted Philip well you needn't think I'm a bad woman because I ask you to take me away from my husband if I were that out perhaps and live on here and pretend to forget many a woman does they say and I'm not afraid that he will ever find me out either I have only to close my lips and he will never know but I shall know Philip Christian she said with a defiant look into his eyes as he raised them her reproaches hurt him less than her piteous entreaties and in a moment she was sobbing again oh what can God do but let me die he would when the child came but he did not and then am I a wicked woman after all I prayed that he would take my innocent baby anyway but she dashed the tears away in anger at her weakness and said I'm not a bad woman Philip Christian and that's why I won't live here any longer there is something you have never guessed and I have never told you but I must tell you now for I can keep my secret no longer he raised his head with a noise in his ears that was like the flapping of wings in the dark your secret gate how happy I was she said perhaps I was to blame I loved you so and was so fearful of losing you perhaps you thought of all that had passed between us as something that would go back and back as time went on and on but it has been coming the other way ever since yes and as long as I live and as long as the child lives a voice quivered like the string of a bow and stopped he rose to his feet the child Kate did you say the child she did not answer at once and then she muttered with her head down didn't I tell you there was something you had never guessed and is it that he said in a fearful whisper yes you are sure you are not deceiving yourself this is not hysteria no you mean that the child yes his questions had come in gasps like short breakers out of a rising sea her answers had fallen like the minute gun above it then in the silence Pete's voice came through the wall he was singing a rough old ditty it was to coven gardens I chance for to go to see some of the prettiest flowers which in the gardens grow Nancy came in with a scuttle of coals a little one's asleep she said going down on her knees at the fire she had left the door jar and Pete's song was rolling into the room the first was lovely Nancy so delicate and fair the other was a virgin and she did Laurel's wear Granny bathed her and she's like a little angel in the cot there said Nancy and dear heart alive Granny says I the straight she's like her father when she's sleeping Nancy brushed the hearth and went off and as she closed the door Pete's voice abed out Philip's lips trembled his eyes wandered over the floor he grew very pale he tried to speak and could not all his self pride was overthrown in the moment the honour in which he had tried to stand erect as in a suit of armour was stripped away unwittingly he had been laying up an account with nature he had forgotten that a sin has consequences nature did not forget she had kept her own reckoning he had struggled to believe that after all he was a moral man a free man but nature was a stern a moralist she had chained him to the past she had held him to himself he was still by the fire with his head down did you know this before you were married to Pete he asked without looking up hadn't I wronged him enough without that she answered but did you think of it as something that might perhaps occur and if I did what then if you had told me Kate nothing and nobody should have come between us no he said in a decisive voice not Pete nor all the world and wasn't it your own duty to remember was it for me to come to you and say Philip something may happen I'm frightened was this the compulsion that had driven her into marriage with the wrong man was it all hysteria could she be sure in any case she could not think this awful thought and continue to live with her husband you are right he said with his head still down you cannot live here any longer this life of deception must end then you will take me away Philip I must God forgive me I must I thought it would be sin but that was long ago it will be punishment if I had known before and I have been coming here time and again and once dreamt and then only an hour ago the oath that it's baptism oh God her tears were flowing again but a sort of serenity had fallen on her now forgive me she whispered I tried to keep it to myself you could not keep it you ought never to have kept it so long the finger of God himself ought to have burnt it out of you he spoke harshly and she felt pain but there was a secret joy as well I'm ruining you Philip she said leaning over him we are both drifting to ruin Catherine he answered hoarsely he was an abandoned hulk with anchorage gone and no hand at the helm broken, blind, rolling to destruction I can offer you nothing Kate nothing but a hidden life a life in the dark if you come to me you will leave a husband who worships you for one to whom your life can never be joined you will exchange a life of respect by the side of a good man for a life of humiliation a life of shame how can it be otherwise now it is too late, too late don't think of that Philip if you love me there can be no humiliation and no shame for me in anything I love you dear I cannot help but love you only love me a little Philip just a little dearest and I will never care no I will never never care what ever happens that devotion swept down all his scruples his throat thickened his eyes grew dim she put one arm tenderly on his shoulder I will follow you wherever you must go she said you are my real husband Philip and always have been we will love one another and that will make up for everything there is nothing I will not do to make you forget if you must go away far away no matter where I will go with you and the child as well I am very poor I will work with you but he did not seem to hear her as he crouched with buried face by the fire and in the silence Pete's muffled voice came again through the wall singing his rugged ditty I am not engaged to any young man I solemnly do swear for I may not be a virgin and still the laurels wear unconsciously their hands touched and their fingers intertwined it will break his heart he muttered she only grasped his hand the closer and crouched beside him they were like two guilty souls at the altar steps listening to the cheerful bell that swings in the tower for the happy world outside the door opened with a bang and Pete rolled in heaving with laughter did you think it was an earthquake Philip he shouted or a blackbird a bit tipsy eh bless me man it's good of you though sitting up in the chimney there same as on a good old jack door keeping the poor wife company when her selfish old husband is flirting his tail like a stone chat the company's going now kitty will they say good night to you no? have it as you like boch they're looking tired anyway Dempster the boys are asking when the ceremony is coming off and will you come home to Ramsey that night but sakes alive man your eye is splashed with blood as bad as the egg of a robin in his suffering and degradation Philip felt as if he wished the earth to open and swallow him bloodshot is it he said it's nothing the ceremony I'm to take the oath tomorrow at three o'clock at the special council in Douglas yes I'll come back to Belure for the night driving eh? yes six o'clock maybe perhaps seven to eight that's alright mortal inquisitive the boys are though it's in the breed of these banks ones you know laxie way now I'll drive by St John said Philip with a look of wondrous wisdom and a knowing wink at Kate across Philip's back Pete went out then there was much talking in low tones in the hall and on the paths outside the house Philip understood what it meant he glanced back at the door leaned over to Kate and said in a whisper without looking into her eyes the carriage shall come at half past seven it will stand for a moment in the parsonage lane and then drive back to Douglas by way of laxie his face was broken and ugly with shame and humiliation as she saw this she thought of her confession and it seemed odious to her now but there was an immense relief in the feeling that the crisis was over Pete was shouting at the porch good night all good night good night came back in many voices he came in muffled up to the throat however am I to get back to Solby and your father gone these two hours she said not him said Pete coming behind with one eye screwed up and a finger to his nose the old man's been on the back stairs all night listening and watching wonderful his barks tremendous but his bite isn't worth mentioning and then a plaintive voice came from the hall saying are you never coming home mother? I'm worn out waiting for you a little patch of youth had blossomed in granny since the baby came good night Pete she cried from the gate and many happy returns of the christening day one was enough for yourself mother said Caesar and then his voice went rumbling down the street Philip had come out into the hall your time enough yet said Pete a glass first? no? I've sent over to the mitre for your mare there she is I've got her foot on the path I must be seeing you off anyway where's that lantern at all they stepped out Pete held the light while Philip mounted and then he guided him under the deep shadow of the old tree to the road fine night for a ride Phil listen that's the churning of the night jar going up to Belour Glen well good night good night and God bless you old fellow Kate inside heard the deaden sound Philip's good night the crunch of the mare's hoofs on the gravel and the clink of the bit in her teeth then the porch door closed with a hollow vibration like that of a vault the chain rattled across it and Pete was back in the room what a night we've had of it and now to bed end of part four chapter 11 part four chapter 12 of the Maxman this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings were in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the Maxman by Sir Hall Cain part four chapter 12 Kate was up early the next morning but Pete was stirring before her as soon as he had heard the news of Philip's appointment he had organised a drum and brass band to honour the day of the ceremony the brass had been borrowed from Laxie but the drum had been bought by Pete let's have a good sizeable drum said he something with a voice in it not a bit of a toot going off with a pop like bladder rack the parchment was three feet across the steel rings rounded were like the hoops of a dog-card and the black drumsticks according to Pete were like the bullet heads of two niggers John Ake Jelly played the clarinet and John The Widow played the trombone but the drum was the leading instrument Pete himself played it he pounded it, boomed it, thundered it while he did so his eyes blazed with rapture a big heroic soul spoke out of the drum for Pete with the strap over his shoulder he did not trouble much about the tune when the heart leapt inside his breast down came the nigger heads onto the mighty protuberance in front of it and surely that was the end and aim of all music the band practised in the cabin which Pete had set up for a summer house in the middle of his garden they met at daybreak that morning for the last of their rehearsals and being up before their morning meal they were constrained to smoke and drink as well as play this they did out of a single pipe and a single pot which each took up from the table in turn as it fell to his part to have a few bars rest while their muffled melody came to the house through the wooden walls and the dense smoke Kate was cooking breakfast eating carefully for she was calmer than usual and felt relieved of the load that had oppressed her but once she leaned her head on the mantel shelf while stooping over the frying pan and looked vacantly into the fire and once she raised herself up from the tablecloth of the sound of the drum and pressed her hand hard on her brow the child awoke in the bedroom above and cried Nancy Jo went flip-flapping upstairs and brought her down much clucking and cackling Kate took the child and fed her from a feeding bottle which had been warming on the oven top she was very tender with the little one kissing all its extremities in the way the women have worrying its legs and putting its feet into her mouth Pete came in hot and perspiring and Kate handed the child back to Nancy hold hard cried Pete don't take her off yet give me a hold of her the little rogue my sailor what a child it is though look at that now she's got a grip of my thumb what a fist to be sure she's lying in my hand like a meg did you stick a piece of dough on the wall at your last baking Nancy just as well to keep the evil eye off cool she's going at regular same as the tired of a summer's day bye jing kitty I didn't think there was so much fun in babies Kate seated at the table was pouring out the tea and a sudden impulse seized her that's the way she said first the wife is everything but the child comes and then goodbye to the mother who brought it no by gosh said Pete the child is 18 carat gold for the mother's sake but the mother is diamonds for sake of the child if I lost that little one kitty it would be like losing the half of you losing indeed said Nancy who's talking about losing does she look like it bless her little heart take her into the kitchen Nancy said Kate going to have a rare do today said Pete over a mouthful I'm off for Douglas to see Phillip made Dempster coming home with himself by way of St. John's it's all a range woman boys to meet the carriage by Kirk Chrysler's air at 7 o'clock smart then out I'm getting laying hold of the drum the band is striking up and we're bringing him into Ramsey Triumphant oh we'll be doing grand said Pete blowing over the rim of his saucer John the Clark is tremendous on the trombones and there's no baiting genetic with the clarinet the man is music to his little backbone the town will be coming out too and the fishermen shouting like one man we're bound to let the governor see we made it a friend's a friend say I and we're for bucking up for the man that's bucking up for us and when he goes to the tin rule court there it'll be locked on the shore and the measles with some of them if the old governor's got a tongue like a file Phillips got a tongue like a scythe he'll mow them down no harbour dues says he till we've a reasonable hope of harbour improvements build your embankments for your trippers in Douglas if you like but don't ask the fishermen to pay for them Pete wiped his mouth and charged his pipe it'll be a rare old dust but we're not thinking of ourselves only though oh no if there wasn't nothing doing we would be giving him a little tune for all coming home Dempster Pete lit up my sailor it'll be a proud man I'll be this day kitty didn't I always say it he'll be the first Manksman living says I had times and times and he's not going to deceive me neither Kate was in fear lest Pete should look up into her face catching sight of a rent in the cloth of his coat she whipped out her needle and began to stitch it up bending closely over it what an eye woman's got now said Pete that was the steel of the drum ragging me sideways when I was a bit excited bless me kitty there won't be a rag left at me when I get through this apron they're terrible on clothes his drums he was puffing the smoke through her hair as she knelt below him well he deserves it all my sakes the years I've known him him and me have been same as brothers yes have we ever since I was a slip of a boy in jackets and we went nesting on more gold head together and getting married hasn't been making no difference when a man marries he shortened sail usually and pitches out some ballast but not me at all you're taking a chill kitty no shuddering anyway shoot this dress is like paper you should be having warmer things under it don't be going out today darling but tonight about 25 minutes better than seven just open the door and listen we'll be a gate of it then like mad and when you're hearing the drum booming you'll be saying to yourself Pete's there and going it for all he knows oh Pete Pete cried Kate and she dropped back at his feet why what's this at all said Pete you've been very very good to me Pete and if I never see you again you'll think the best of me will you not she had an impulse to tell all she could hardly resist it he smoothed the black ripples of her hair back from her forehead and said tenderly she's not so well today that's it her eyes are bubbling like the laver then allowed with a laugh never see me again eh I'm not willing to share you with heaven yet though but I'll have to be doing as the doctor was saying sending you to England Ava I will now I will he said lifting his big finger threateningly she slid backwards to the ground but at the next moment was landed on Pete's breast my poor little Kirrie not willing to stay with me eh she'll be as smart as ever soon she drew away from him with shame and self-reproach mingle with that old feeling of personal repulsion which she could not conquer then the gate of the garden clicked and Ross Christian came up the path he's sticking to me as tight as a limpid said Pete Mr. Quilliam said Ross I come from my father this time deed man said Pete he's a little press for money and Mr. Peter Christian sends to me he thought you might like to lend on mortgage on Ballowane Ross stammered and started well yes certainly as you say on Ballow to think to think muttered Pete he gazed vacantly before him for a moment and then said sharply I've no time to talk of it now sir I'm off to Douglas but if you like to stop a while and talk of it with Mrs. Quilliam I'll be hearing everything when I come back good day Kate take care of my wife good day Nancy look after my two girls while I'm away and Kitty Bach whispering mind you send to Robbie Clukas the draper