G K Chesterton

The Ball and The Cross G K Chesterton

The story begins with a glimpse into a flying ship which is hovering above the earth with two passengers, Professor Lucifer who is an inventor and Father Michael, a monk who is old, happy, intelligent and quite good at defending the Catholic Faith against heresy. The professor has kidnapped the old monk (to improve him) and after an argument drops him over St. Paul's Cathedral in London. Atop the dome of St. Paul's is a large sculpture of a ball with a cross on top of it. Evan MacIan, a Roman Catholic, notices an article hanging in the window of The Atheist, a local newspaper. He reads the piece which is extremely disparaging to the Blessed Mother and is outraged. He grabs a rock and breaks the window of the shop which is owned by James Turnbull who also happens to be the editor of the periodical. A disturbance occurs and both Scotsmen are brought before the authorities. Before their release, MacIan swears to duel Turnbull if it is the last thing he ever does.