[The Dead Boxer by William Carleton]@TWC D-Link bookThe Dead Boxer CHAPTER VIII 14/15
Where's my son? Still, still, bad as I am, an' bad as he is, isn't he my child? Amn't I his mother? put his hand in mine, and let me die as a mother 'ud wish!" Never could there be a more striking contrast witnessed than that between the groups then present; nor a more impressive exemplification of the interposition of Providence to reward the virtuous and punish the guilty even in this life. "Lamh Laudher More," said she, "I once attempted to stab you, only for preventin' your relation from marryin' a woman that you knew Andy Hart had ruined.
You disfigured my face in your anger too; that an' your preventing my marriage, an' my character bein' lost, whin it was known what he refused to marry me for, made me swear an oath of vengeance against you an' yours.
I may now ax your forgiveness, for I neither dare nor will ax God's." "You have mine--you have all our forgiveness," replied the old man; "but, Nell, ax God's, for it's His you stand most in need of--ax God's!" Nell, however, appeared to hear him not. "Is that your hand in mine, avick ?" said she, addressing her son. "It is--it is," said the son.
"But, mother, I didn't, as I'm to stand before God, aim the blow at you, but at Rody." "Lamh Laudher!" said she, forgetting herself, "I ax your forgive----." Her head fell down before she could conclude the sentence, and thus closed the last moments of Nell M'Collum. After the lapse of a short interval, in which Lamh Laudher's daughter received back her money, the certificate, and the gospel, her brother discovered that Rody was the person who had, through Ellen Neil, communicated to him the secret that assisted him in vanquishing the Dead Boxer, a piece of information which saved him from prosecution.
The family now returned home, where they found Meehaul Neil awaiting their arrival, for the purpose of offering his sister's hand and dowry to our hero.
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