Farina by George Meredith
page 42 of 141 (29%)
page 42 of 141 (29%)
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pluck: I serve in the Kaiser's army, under my lord: the Kaiser will be
here in three days. If you 're of that mind then, I doubt little you may get posted well: but, look again! there's a ripe brew yonder. Marry, you may win your spurs this night even; who knows?--'S life! there's a tall fellow joining those two lurkers.' 'Can you see into the murk shadow, Sir Squire?' 'Ay! thanks to your Styrian dungeons, where I passed a year's apprenticeship: "I learnt to watch the rats and mice At play, with never a candle-end. They play'd so well; they sang so nice; They dubb'd me comrade; called me friend!" So says the ballad of our red-beard king's captivity. All evil has a good: "When our toes and chins are up, Poison plants make sweetest cup" as the old wives mumble to us when we're sick. Heigho! would I were in the little island well home again, though that were just their song of welcome to me, as I am a Christian.' 'Tell me your name, friend,' said Farina. 'Guy's my name, young man: Goshawk's my title. Guy the Goshawk! so they called me in my merry land. The cap sticks when it no longer fits. Then |
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