He was a large fierce-looking fellow and his body, on which the
flame of the fire glittered, was nearly covered with red hair. I never
saw such a sight. As I passed they glared at me and talked violently in
their Paddy Gwyddel, but did not offer to molest me. I hastened down the
hill, and right glad I was when I found myself safe and sound at my house
in Llangollen, with my money in my pocket, for I had several shillings
there, which the man across the hill had paid me for the work which I had
done.'
* * * * *
Now, a tinker is his own master, a scholar is not. Let us suppose the
best of scholars, a schoolmaster, for example, for I suppose you will
admit that no one can be higher in scholarship than a schoolmaster; do
you call his a pleasant life? I don't; we should call him a
school-slave, rather than a schoolmaster. Only conceive him in blessed
weather like this, in his close school, teaching children to write in
copy-books, 'Evil communication corrupts good manners.' . . . Only
conceive him, I say, drudging in such guise from morning till night,
without any rational enjoyment but to beat the children. Would you
compare such a dog's life as that with your own--the happiest under
heaven--true Eden life, as the Germans would say,--pitching your tent
under the pleasant hedgerow, listening to the song of the feathered
tribes, collecting all the leaky kettles in the neighbourhood, soldering
and joining, earning your honest bread by the wholesome sweat of your
brow--making ten holes--hey, what's this? what's the man crying for?
* * * * *
'Did you speak, Don Jorge?' demanded the archbishop.
Pages:
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88