You see he
vanished through the door in your form, which is a symbol of your fate,
unless you mend your life. Oh! I noticed how he trembled when I gave him
the good book. Would any Christian, think you, my dear Betty, write in a
Bible in this way; unless it might be the matter of births and deaths,
and such lawful chronicles?"
The washerwoman was pleased with the softness of her lover's manner, but
dreadfully scandalized at his insinuation. She, however, preserved her
temper, and with the quickness of her own country's people, rejoined,
"And would the divil have paid for the clothes, think ye?--aye, and
overpaid."
"Doubtless the money is base," said the sergeant, a little staggered at
such an evidence of honesty in one of whom, as to generals, he thought
so meanly. "He tempted me with his glittering coin, but the Lord gave me
strength to resist."
"The goold looks well; but I'll change it, anyway, with Captain Jack,
the day. He is niver a bit afeard of any divil of them all!"
"Betty, Betty," said her companion, "do not speak so disreverently of
the evil spirit; he is ever at hand, and will owe you a grudge, for your
language."
"Pooh! if he has any bowels at all, he won't mind a fillip or two from a
poor lone woman; I'm sure no other Christian would.
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