United States or Saint Lucia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
A half hour passed, and a long shadow fell across the marble. Michael looked up to see his patron, Lorenzo, standing beside him. The boy glanced from the fine, keen face of the Medici to the marble mask of the old faun in front of him. "Well, sirrah," said Lorenzo, half seriously, half in jest, "what wilt thou be up to next?"
He was fain, however, to make some Demur, and to Complain, in his usual piteous manner, of being so amerced. "Suppose you had been sentenced to Five Hundred Blows of a Stick, sirrah," 'twas thus he put the case to me, logically enough, "would you have expected me to pay for thee in carcase, as now I am paying for thee in Purse?" "Circumstances alter cases," interposes Mr. Hodge in my behalf.
While the men had been dismounting and Pembroke was giving his orders Archie had proceeded up the hill with the hound. The path was exceedingly steep and difficult. "Do not hurry, sirrah," Pembroke called; "hold in your hound till the others join you." But Archie paid no attention to the shout, but kept up the steep path at the top of his speed.
''Tis a regiment, sirrah, said Saxon sternly. 'Colonel Saxon's regiment of Wiltshire foot, which I have the honour to command. 'I beg your Colonelship's pardon, 'cried the clerk nervously, edging away from the swarthy-faced soldier. 'I have heard speak of your Colonelship, and of your doings in the German wars.
I shook my head. "Read it." He stared at it vacantly, turning it now this way, now that. "Did you forget how to read when you forgot all else?" I said sternly. He read, and the color rushed into his face. "It is your freedom," I said. "You are no longer man of mine. Begone, sirrah!" He crumpled the paper in his hand. "I was mad," he muttered. "I could almost believe it," I replied. "Begone!"
At one of these times, I remember, when he had beaten me in that manner, he commanded me, as he commonly did at such times, to go to my chamber, which I did, and he followed me to the bottom of the stairs. Being come thither, he gave me a parting blow, and in a very angry tone said: "Sirrah, if ever I hear you say 'thou' or 'thee' to me again, I'll strike your teeth down your throat."
"If ye handle yew bow and apple shaft no better than ye do oaken cudgel, I wot ye are not fit to be called yeomen in my country; but if there be any man here that can shoot a better shaft than I, then will I bethink me of joining with you." "Now by my faith," said Robin, "thou art a right saucy varlet, sirrah; yet I will stoop to thee as I never stooped to man before.
When the operation was concluded, the boy used to exclaim, "Jump up, good dog;" and Pincher, bounding off the table, would shake himself to life again. Sirrah, fortunately for his fame, possessed a master in James Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd, well able to recount his history.
"Well, you dyvour bankrupt," was the first word, "have you brought me my rent?" "No," answered my gudesire, "I have not; but I have brought your honour Sir Robert's receipt for it." "How, sirrah? Sir Robert's receipt! You told me he had not given you one." "Will your honour please to see if that bit line is right?"
If we come near enough to the King's men on this trip south, the gibbet shall have its own, and a Plantagenet dog shall taste the fruits of his own tyranny," then glancing up and realizing that Spizo, the Spaniard, had been a listener, the old man, scowling, cried: "What said I, sirrah? What didst hear?" "Naught, My Lord; thou didst but mutter incoherently," replied the Spaniard.
Word Of The Day