I knew you would want to persuade me against what I'm doin'--an' that
was why I bound myself this mornin' by an oath."
The mother, who had been detained a few minutes behind them, now
entered, and on hearing that he had refused to decline the battle,
exclaimed--
"Who says that Lamh Laudher Oge won't obey his mother? Who dare say it?
Wasn't he ever and always an obedient son to me an' his father? I won't
believe that lie of my boy, no more than I ever believed a word of' what
was sed against him. _Shawn Oge aroon_, you won't refuse me, _avillish_.
What 'ud become of me, _avich ma chree_, if you fight him? Would you
have the mother's heart broken, an' our roof childless all out? We
lost one as it is--the daughter of our heart is gone, an' we don't know
how--an' now is your father an' me to lie down an' die in desolation
widout a child to shed a tear over us, or to put up one prayer for our
happiness?"
The young man's eyes filled with tears; but his cheek reddened, and he
dashed them hastily aside.
"No, my boy, my glorious boy, won't refuse to save his mother's heart
from breakin'; ay, and his gray-haired father's too--he won't kill us
both--my boy won't,--nor send us to the grave before our time!"
"Mother," said he, "if I could I--Oh! no, no. Now, it's too late--if I
didn't fight him, I'd be a perjured man. You know," he added, smiling,
"there's something in a Lamh Laudher's blow, as well as in the Dead
Boxer's.
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