The Adventures Harry Richmond — Volume 8 by George Meredith
page 54 of 81 (66%)
page 54 of 81 (66%)
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good: just enough o' taking it easy; that's good: a appetite for your
dinner, and your ale or your Port, as may be the case; good, number three. Add on a tired pipe after dark, and a sound sleep to follow, and you say good morning to the doctor and the parson; for you're in health body and soul, and ne'er a parson 'll make a better Christian of ye, that I'll swear.' As if anxious not to pervert us, he concluded: 'That's what I think, gentlemen.' Temple and I talked of the ancient raptures of a first of May cricketing- day on a sunny green meadow, with an ocean of a day before us, and well- braced spirits for the match. I had the vision of a matronly, but not much altered Janet, mounted on horseback, to witness the performance of some favourite Eleven of youngsters with her connoisseur's eye; and then the model of an English lady, wife, and mother, waving adieu to the field and cantering home to entertain her husband's guests. Her husband! Temple was aware of my grief, but saw no remedy. I knew that in his heart he thought me justly punished, though he loved me. We had a long sitting with Captain Welsh, whom I found immoveable, as I expected I should. His men, he said, had confessed their sin similarly to the crab in a hole, with one claw out, as the way of sinners was. He blamed himself mainly. 'Where you have accidents, Mr. Richmond, you have faults; and where you have faults aboard a ship you may trace a line to the captain. I should have treated my ship's crew like my conscience, and gone through them nightly. As it is, sir, here comes round one of your accidents to tell me I have lived blinded by conceit. That is my affliction, my young friend. The payment of the money is no more so than |
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