And as for tobacco, I have fifteen
sticks of it.' That was fairly successful indeed; yet a man of his
superiority, and with a less obtrusive policy, might, who knows? have
got the length of half a crown. A man who prides himself upon
persuasion should learn the persuasive faculty of silence, above all
as to his own misdeeds. It is only in the farce and for dramatic
purposes that Scapin enlarges on his peculiar talents to the world at
large.
Scapin is perhaps a good name for this clever, unfortunate Alick; for
at the bottom of all his misconduct there was a guiding sense of
humour that moved you to forgive him. It was more than half a jest
that he conducted his existence. 'Oh, man,' he said to me once with
unusual emotion, like a man thinking of his mistress, 'I would give
up anything for a lark.'
It was in relation to his fellow-stowaway that Alick showed the best,
or perhaps I should say the only good, points of his nature. 'Mind
you,' he said suddenly, changing his tone, 'mind you that's a good
boy. He wouldn't tell you a lie. A lot of them think he is a scamp
because his clothes are ragged, but he isn't; he's as good as gold.
Pages:
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104