"
Now his worship did mean the two witnesses, Joseph and Euseby; and,
sooth to say there be many worse. But William had them not in his
eye; his thoughts were elsewhere, as will be evident, for he went on
thus:-
"--if ever I forget or desert thee, or ever cease to worship {193a}
and cherish thee, my Hannah!"
SIR SILAS.
"The madman! the audacious, desperate, outrageous villain! Look-ye,
sir! where he flung the Holy Gospel! Behold it on the holly and box
boughs in the chimney-place, spreaden all abroad, like a lad about
to be whipped!"
SIR THOMAS.
"Miscreant knave! I will send after him forthwith!
"Ho, there! is the caitiff at hand, or running off?"
Jonas Greenfield the butler did budge forward after a while, and
say, on being questioned, -
"Surely, that was he! Was his nag tied to the iron gate at the
lodge, Master Silas?"
SIR SILAS.
"What should I know about a thief's nag, Jonas Greenfield?"
"And didst thou let him go, Jonas,--even thou?" said Sir Thomas.
"What! are none found faithful?"
"Lord love your worship," said Jonas Greenfield; "a man of
threescore and two may miss catching a kite upon wing. Fleetness
doth not make folks the faithfuller, or that youth yonder beats us
all in faithfulness.
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