human
My sarvice to you, old gentleman,
gpt
This is old Tom, sir,
human
Art thou, indeed? Jacob, thou didst not tell me that he had been curtailed of his fair proportions, and I was surprised. Art thou then Dux?
gpt
Yes, interrupted young Tom, who had come from forward,
human
Take care you don't _buy goose_, for your imperance, sir,
gpt
A forward boy,
human
Yes, replied Tom
gpt
I'm generally forward.
human
Art thou forward in thy learning? Canst thou tell me Latin for goose?
gpt
To be sure, replied Tom;
human
Brandy.
gpt
Brandy! exclaimed the Dominie.
human
Nay, child, it is _anser_.
gpt
Then I was right, replied Tom.
human
You had your _answer_!
gpt
The boy is apt.
human
He is apt to be devilish saucy, old gentleman; but never mind that, there's no harm in him.
gpt
This, then, is young Tom, I presume, Jacob?
human
Yes, sir, replied I.
gpt
You have seen old Tom, and young Tom, and you have only to see Tommy.
human
Want to see Tommy, sir? cried Tom.
gpt
Here, Tommy, Tommy!
human
said the Dominie, musing aloud. But Tommy had now made his appearance, and Tom, in his mischief, had laid hold of the tail of the Dominie's coat, and shown it to the dog. The dog, accustomed to seize a rope when it was shown to him, immediately seized the Dominie's coat, making three desperate tugs at it. The Dominie, who was in one of his reveries, and probably thought it was I who wished to direct his attention elsewhere, each time waved his hand, without turning round, as much as to say,
gpt
I am busy now.
human
Haul and hold, cried Tom to the dog, splitting his sides, and the tears running down his cheeks with laughing. Tommy made one more desperate tug, carrying away one tail of the Dominie's coat; but the Dominie perceived it not, he was still
gpt
O, England, dear England, bright gem of the ocean, Thy valleys and fields look fertile and gay, The heart clings to thee with a sacred devotion, And memory adores when in far lands away.
human
Truly it did delight mine ear, and from such-- and, continued the Dominie, looking down upon old Tom--
gpt
Why, old gentleman, I don't sing with my _legs_,
human
Nay, good _Dux_, I am not so deficient as not to be aware that a man singeth from the mouth; yet is thy voice mellifluous, sweet as the honey of Hybla, strong--
gpt
As the Latin for goose, finished Tom.
human
Come, father, old _Dictionary_ is in the doldrums; rouse him up with another stave.
gpt
I'll rouse you up with the stave of a cask over your shoulders, Mr Tom. What have you done with the old gentleman's swallow-tail?
human
Leave me to settle that affair, father: I know how to get out of a scrape.
gpt
So you ought, you scamp, considering how many you get into; but the craft are swinging and heaving up. Forward there, Jacob, and sway up the mast; there's Tom and Tommy to help you.
human
Are there whirlpools here?
gpt
Whirlpools! replied young Tom, who was watching and mocking him;
human
A dozen _ships_! exclaimed the Dominie, turning to Tom;
gpt
Never saw them afterwards,
human
How little did I dream of the dangers of those so near me, said the Dominie, turning away, and communing with himself.
gpt
So they do, father, don't they, sometimes? observed Tom, leering his eye at his father.
human
That's all I've understood of his speech.
gpt
They are at their wit's end,
human
Mind the end of your wit, master Tom,
gpt
Pray, sir, what's the use of speech, sir?
human
Thou asketh a foolish question, boy. We are endowed with the power of speech to enable us to communicate our ideas.
gpt
That's exactly what I thought, sir. Then pray what's the use of your talking all that gibberish, that none of us could understand?
human
I crave thy pardon, child; I spoke, I presume, in the dead languages.
gpt
If they're dead, why not let them rest in their graves?
human
Good; thou hast wit. (_Cluck, cluck_.)
gpt
Yet, child, know that it is pleasant to commune with the dead.
human
Is it? then we'll put you on shore at Battersea churchyard.
gpt
Silence, Tom. He's full of his sauce, sir--you must forgive it.
human
Nay, it pleaseth me to hear him talk; but it would please me more to hear thee sing.