Page 749 - ULYSSES

Ulysses

of a proper breeding: while for such that, having lost all
forbearance, can lose no more, there remained the sharp
antidote of experience to cause their insolency to beat a
precipitate and inglorious retreat. Not but what he could

feel with mettlesome youth which, caring nought for the
mows of dotards or the gruntlings of the severe, is ever (as
the chaste fancy of the Holy Writer expresses it) for eating
of the tree forbid it yet not so far forth as to pretermit
humanity upon any condition soever towards a
gentlewoman when she was about her lawful occasions.
To conclude, while from the sister’s words he had
reckoned upon a speedy delivery he was, however, it must
be owned, not a little alleviated by the intelligence that the
issue so auspicated after an ordeal of such duress now
testified once more to the mercy as well as to the bounty
of the Supreme Being.
Accordingly he broke his mind to his neighbour, saying
that, to express his notion of the thing, his opinion (who
ought not perchance to express one) was that one must
have a cold constitution and a frigid genius not to be
rejoiced by this freshest news of the fruition of her
confinement since she had been in such pain through no
fault of hers. The dressy young blade said it was her
husband’s that put her in that expectation or at least it

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