He proposed to go back to
Donovan's to inquire for him, and was about to proceed there when Phelim
made his appearance, dressed in his own tender apparel only. His face
was three inches longer than usual, and the droop in his eye remarkably
conspicuous.
"No fear of him," said the father, "here's himself. Arrah, Phelim, what
became of you last night? Where wor you?"
Phelim sat down very deliberately and calmly, looked dismally at his
mother, and then looked more dismally at his father.
"I suppose you're sick too, Phelim," said the father. "My head's goin'
round like a top."
"Ate your breakfast," said his mother; it's the best thing for you."
"Where wor you last night, Phelim?" inquired the father.
"What are you sayin', ould man?"
"Who wor you wid last night?"
"Do, Phelim," said the mother, "tell us, aroon. I hope it wasn't out you
wor. Tell us, avourneen?"
"Ould woman, what are you talking about?"
Phelim whistled "_ulican dim oh_," or, "the song of sorrow." At length
he bounced to his feet, and exclaimed in a loud, rapid voice:--"_Ma
chuirp an diouol!_ ould couple, but I'm robbed of my ten guineas by Sam
Appleton!"
"Robbed by Sam Appleton! Heavens above!" exclaimed the father.
"Robbed by Sam Appleton! _Gra machree_, Phelim! no, you aren't!"
exclaimed the mother.
"_Gra machree_ yourself! but I say I am," replied Phelim; "robbed clane
of every penny of it!"
Phelim then sat down to breakfast--for he was one of those happy mortals
whose appetite is rather sharpened by affliction--and immediately
related to his father and mother the necessity which Appleton's
connection had imposed on him of leaving the country; adding, that while
he was in a state of intoxication, he had been stripped of Appleton's
clothes; that his own were left beside him; that when he awoke the next
morning, he found his borrowed suit gone; that on searching for his own,
he found, to his misery, that the ten guineas had disappeared along with
Appleton, who, he understood from his father, had "left the neighborhood
for a while, till the throuble he was in 'ud pass over.
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