human
Bank the fires, eh? he growled.
gpt
Not put them out? I should suppose you would have wanted them drowned out in a flood of tears of repentance for letting them burn.
human
No! You are you, and the fires are warming--when they are kept under control. You're fighting the harder for your patient's life because the fight's a hard one. But when you let the Devil fan the flame--
gpt
That's what I'm doing, is it? That ever I should have lived to hear you use a phrase like that! But it's a true one, I admit it. I've let his Satanic Majesty have his own way with me, and bade him welcome, too. I may again, when I get away from you. But--well--I know you're right. I--I'll try to bank the fires, little wife. Only don't expect too much.
human
Red, said she,--and it was not at all the sort of rejoinder he might have expected after his concession,--
gpt
Woodpile? He was clearly puzzled.
human
Why, there's plenty of wood in the cellar, you know, if you want fires. You can't be suffering for them, this weather?
gpt
No, but I wish there were a woodpile there. Did you think you wouldn't need one any more after you were married? You should have laid in a double supply.
human
But, what for? Oh!-- Light dawned upon him.
gpt
Somebody's told you how I used to whack at it.
human
Yes, and I saw you once myself, only I didn't know what put the energy into your blows. It was a splendid safety-valve. Red,--send for a load of wood to-day, please!
gpt
In July! You hard-hearted little wretch! Do you want me reduced to a pulp?
human
Better that than burning like a bonfire. And better than running the Imp sixty miles an hour. That doesn't help you,--it merely helps your arch enemy fan the flames.
gpt
Bless you, you've put him to rout for the moment at least, and that's more than any other human soul has ever done for mine, before.