human
Thou art unwise, Henry Morton, to desire to sacrifice this holy cause to thy friendship for an uncircumcised Philistine, or thy lust for a Moabitish woman.
gpt
I neither understand your meaning, Mr Balfour, nor relish your allusions, replied Morton, indignantly;
human
Confess, however, the truth, said Balfour,
gpt
If you mean, that I would willingly terminate this war without any bloody victory, and that I am more anxious to do this than to acquire any personal fame or power, you may be, replied Morton,
human
And not wholly wrong, answered Burley,
gpt
Certainly, replied Morton;
human
I am too much obliged to Major Bellenden not to wish to be of service to him, as far as the interest of the cause I have espoused will permit. I never made a secret of my regard for him.
gpt
I am aware of that, said Burley;
human
This is not the case, answered Morton;
gpt
Ay, but, continued Burley,
human
I have since had proof, of the strongest nature, that such a report was spread in the garrison by that wily and grey-headed malignant, partly to prevail on the soldiers to submit to a diminution of their daily food, partly to detain us before the walls of his fortress until the sword should be whetted to smite and destroy us.
gpt
And why was not the evidence of this laid before the council of war?
human
To what purpose? said Balfour.
gpt
Why need we undeceive Kettledrummle, Macbriar, Poundtext, and Langcale, upon such a point? Thyself must own, that whatever is told to them escapes to the host out of the mouth of the preachers at their next holding-forth. They are already discouraged by the thoughts of lying before the fort a week. What would be the consequence were they ordered to prepare for the leaguer of a month?
human
But why conceal it, then, from me? or why tell it me now? and, above all, what proofs have you got of the fact?
gpt
There are many proofs,