"
SIR THOMAS.
"Those thy words are well enough,--very well, very good, wise,
discreet, judicious beyond thy years. But then that SAILING comes
in an awkward, ugly way across me,--that CATHAY, that TARTARUS!
"Have a care! Do thou nothing rashly. Mind! an thou stealest my
punt for the purpose, I send the constable after thee or e'er thou
art half way over."
WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE.
"He would make a stock-fish of me an he caught me. It is hard
sailing out of his straits, although they be carefully laid down in
most parishes, and may have taken them from actual survey."
SIR SILAS.
"Sir, we have bestowed on him already well-nigh a good hour of our
time."
Sir Thomas, who was always fond of giving admonition and reproof to
the ignorant and erring, and who had found the seeds (little
mustard-seeds, 't is true, and never likely to arise into the great
mustard-tree of the Gospel) in the poor lad Willy, did let his heart
soften a whit tenderer and kindlier than Master Silas did, and said
unto Master Silas, -
"A good hour of our time! Yea, Silas! and thou wouldst give HIM
eternity!"
"What, sir! would you let him go?" said Master Silas. "Presently we
shall have neither deer nor dog, neither hare nor coney, neither
swan nor heron; every carp from pool, every bream from brook, will
be groped for.
Pages:
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57