'That's the Affini-ety Table,' says he, 'but have 'ee ever made to
yourself a graven image?' 'Lord, no,' I says, 'I leaves that
nigglin' work to the I-talians.' 'Have 'ee honoured your father an'
your mother?' 'They took damgood care about that,' says I.
'Well, then, have 'ee ever coveted your neighbour's wife?' 'No,' I
says, 'I never could abide the woman.' 'Come, come,' says he, 'did
'ee ever commit murder upon a man?' 'That's a leadin' question from
a magistrate,' I says; 'but I don't mind ownin', as man to man, that
I never did.' 'Then,' says he, 'the sooner you pitch-to and larn the
better.'"
"The bloodthirsty old termigant!"
"'Twas the way of us all in the year 'seventy-nine," the old man
admitted modestly. "A few throats up or down--Lord bless 'ee!--we
talked of it as calm as William Oke might talk of killin' a pig!
And, after all, what's our trade here to-night but battery and
murder?"
"But 'tisn' the French we'm expectin'," urged Oke, whose mind moved
slowly.
"'Tis the same argyment with these billies from Troy. Troy an' Looe.
What's between the two in an ordinary way? A few miles; which to a
thoughtful mind is but mud and stones, with two-three churches and a
turnpike to keep us in mind of Adam's fall. Why, my own brother
married a maid from there!"
"'Tis the Almighty's doin'," said Sergeant Pengelly; "He's
hand-in-glove with King George, and, while that lasts, us poor
subject fellows have got to hate Bonyparty with all our heart and
with all our mind and with all our soul and with all our strength,
for richer for poorer, till death us do part, and not to be afraid
with any amazement.
Pages:
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96