"The markiss, sir? Yes, sir, his gardener, Mr. Fergus, took the best
prize for strawberries and green peas. You'll understand that those
airly tates were from seedlings of my own--that's where their great
merit lies, and why they were first. They gave Blakis the cottagers'
prize for lettuce; that I uphold was wrong. Said I, 'Those lettuce heads
that poor Raby shows air the biggest ever I set my eyes on,' 'Swan,'
says Mr. Tikey, 'we must encourage them that has good characters.'
'Well, now, if you come to think, sir,' says I, 'it's upwards of ten
years since Raby stole that pair of boots,' and I say (though they was
my boots) that should be forgot now, and he should have the cottagers'
prize, but stealing never gets forgiven."
"Because it's such an inconvenient vice to those that have anything to
lose," said Miss Christie.
"Yes, that's just it, ma'am. You see the vices and virtues have got
overhauled again, and sorted differently to suit our convenience.
Stealing's no worse _probly_ in the eyes of our Maker than lying and
slandering; not so bad, mayhap, as a deep _sweer_.
Pages:
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156