"Hold your profaneness!" exclaimed Robin, with a solemnity so opposed to
his actual character as to be absolutely ludicrous: "Springall, thou
hast had too much already; let us depart in peace."
"A curse on me if I do--peace me no peace."
"I tell you what," interrupted Robin, with resolute spitefulness, "if
you swear, I'll lodge information against you."
"Ah! ah! ah!" shouted several of the party, "Robin Hays turned preacher!
Old Noll has sent the breath of holiness before him to supply his place,
and made a sudden convert of the Ranger!"
"I entreat you most meekly to be silent; if not for my sake, for your
own. My brethren, you know not----"
"That here comes the black jack," interrupted Springall; "and here's to
the health--But Cavaliers----"
"We are not Cavaliers," interrupted Robin, in his turn; "as I hope for
mercy, we are not Cavaliers:--hard--honest--pains-taking Commonwealth
citizens are we; but not, I say not," and he elevated his voice to its
highest pitch, "not Cavaliers."
"The devil's in the cards, and knaves are trumps," exclaimed Springall;
"nevertheless I'll have my toast, and here it is.--Come, up
standing,--'The fairest maid in Shepey, Barbara Iverk! and may she soon
be a wife'----"
"To whom?" inquired Robin bitterly.
"To whoever can win and wear her," replied Springall. "Come, come,
Master Bob, you're mazed by some devilry or other; the wind's in your
teeth; you've been sailing against a norwester, or have met with a witch
on a broomstick the other side of this old oak: Serves an oak right to
wither up--why wasn't it made into a ship? But here's to Barbara Iverk,
the fair maid of Shepey!"
"The fair maid of Shepey!" repeated Grimstone, after drinking the toast.
"That title ought to be given to the mistress, not the maid; and I care
not if I wind up the evening with a cup of Canary to the health of Lady
Constance----"
"Peace, sir!" exclaimed the stranger, who had heretofore taken no note
of their rioting: "I shall offer chastisement to any man who profanes
that Lady's name at a vulgar revel."
"Adad! and adad, young sir, ye're a game one! What's in any woman, that
a man can't name her? Flesh is flesh! and as to distinctions--we are all
members of a Commonwealth! so I say a stoup of Canary to the Lady----"