human
Oho, Lionel! quoth the elder friend;
gpt
Thespian and classical,--worth seeing, no doubt. Then turning to a grave cobbler in leathern apron, who was regarding with saturnine interest the motley figures ranged in front of the curtain as the Drumatis Persona, he said,
human
You seem attracted, sir; you have probably already witnessed the performance.
gpt
Yes, returned the Cobbler;
human
You speaks truly and cleverly, sir. But if old folks do always say that things are worse than they were, ben't there always summat in what is always said? I'm for the old times; my neighbour, Joe Spruce, is for the new, and says we are all a-progressing. But he 's a pink; I 'm a blue.
gpt
You are a blue? said the boy Lionel;
human
I don't understand.
gpt
Young 'un, I'm a Tory,--that's blue; and Spruce is a Rad,--that's pink! And, what is more to the purpose, he is a tailor, and I'm a cobbler.
human
Aha! said the elder, with much interest;