Of course he thought
Casabianca's was the noblest life that perished there; there could be no
two opinions about that; it never occurred to him that the moral of the
poem was that young people cannot begin too soon to exercise discretion
in the obedience they pay to their Papa and Mamma. Oh, no! the only
thought in his mind was that he should never, never have been like
Casabianca, and that Casabianca would have despised him so much, if he
could have known him, that he would not have condescended to speak to
him. There was nobody else in the ship worth reckoning at all: it did
not matter how much they were blown up. Mrs Hemans knew them all and
they were a very indifferent lot. Besides Casabianca was so good-looking
and came of such a good family."
And thus his small mind kept wandering on till he could follow it no
longer, and again went off into a doze.
CHAPTER XXX
Next morning Theobald and Christina arose feeling a little tired from
their journey, but happy in that best of all happiness, the approbation
of their consciences. It would be their boy's fault henceforth if he
were not good, and as prosperous as it was at all desirable that he
should be.
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