Alack, and woe is me! The sins that he and his
friends will commit this very night will cry to Heaven against us
for our shameful delay! When shall our great work of cleansing
the sanctuary be finished, if we proceed at this puny rate?"
"I see the deed must be done, then," said I, "and, since it is so, it
shall be done. I will arm myself forthwith, and from the midst of
his wine and debauchery you shall call him forth to me, and there
will I smite him with the edge of the sword, that our great work
be not retarded."
"If thy execution were equal to thy intent, how great a man you
soon might be!" said he. "We shall make the attempt once more;
and, if it fail again, why, I must use other means to bring about
my high purposes relating to mankind. Home and make ready. I
will go and procure what information I can regarding their
motions, and will meet you in disguise twenty minutes hence, at
the first turn of Hewie's Lane beyond the loch."
"I have nothing to make ready," said I, "for I do not choose to go
home. Bring me a sword, and we may consecrate it with prayer
and vows, and, if I use it not to the bringing down of the wicked
and profane, then may the Lord do so to me, and more also!"
We parted, and there was I left again to the multiplicity of my
own thoughts for the space of twenty minutes, a thing my friend
never failed in subjecting me to, and these were worse to contend
with than hosts of sinful men.
Pages:
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256