human
Sing Number 68, `Shall we gather at the river?' I'm very fond of that hymn.
gpt
Amen and
human
Thank God
gpt
Yes, comrades, we shall gather there, said the sergeant, after a brief pause,
human
If ye're thinkin' o' askin' me to pray, broke in the alarmed Scotsman,
gpt
Quite right, Sutherland--quite right. I had no intention of asking you to pray, replied Hardy, with a faint smile.
human
What I want you to do is to draw out my will for me.
gpt
Oh! I'm quite willin' to do that,
human
You see, continued the sergeant,
gpt
That's a wise-like sentiment,
human
Now, as you write a capital hand, and know how to express yourself on paper, continued Hardy,
gpt
I'm wullin' to try, serjint, and ac' the legal adviser--amytoor-like, ye ken.
human
Thank you. Can you come to-morrow morning?
gpt
No, serjint, I canna, because I've to start airly the morn's mornin' wi' a pairty to meet the Scots Gairds comin' back frae Tamai, but the moment I come back I'll come to ye.
human
That will do--thank you. And now, Gaspard, what's the news from England? I hear that a mail has just come in.
gpt
News that will make your blood boil,
human
It would take a good deal of powerful news to boil the little blood that is left in me,
gpt
Well, I don't know. Anyhow it makes mine boil. What d'you think of McNeill's brave defence being represented in the papers as a disaster?
human
You don't mean that!
gpt
Indeed I do. They say that it was a disaster! whereas it was a splendid defence under singularly adverse circumstances! They say that General McNeill permitted himself to be surprised! If he had tried to carry out his instructions to the full extent, it would indeed have been such a surprise that the surprising thing would have been if a single man of us had returned alive to tell the tale--as you and I know full well. The truth is, it was the fault of the Intelligence Department that nearly wrecked us, and it was McNeill's prudence and our pluck that saved us, and yet these quill-drivers at home--bah!
human
He's a wee thing roosed! remarked Sutherland, with a good-humoured yet slightly cynical grin.
gpt
But guid-nicht to ye, ma man. Keep up hert an' I'll come an' draft yer wull i' the mornin'.