Page 15 - Green Butterfly Book 1
P. 15
Date:
“H’m,—er—ahem!” said the Mayor. “You mean that little joke of mine; of course that was a joke.” (You see it is always harder to pay for a thing when you no longer need it.)
“I do not joke,” said the Piper, very quietly; “my thousand guineas, if you please.”
“Oh, come, now,” said the Mayor, “you know very well it wasn’t worth sixpence to play a little tune like that; call it one guinea, and let it go at that.”
“A bargain is a bargain,” said the Piper; “for the last time,— will you give me my thousand guineas?”
“I’ll give you a pipe of tobacco, something good to eat, and call you lucky at that!” said the Mayor, tossing his head.
Then the Piper’s mouth grew strange and thin, and sharp blue and green lights began dancing in his eyes, and he said to the Mayor very softly, “I know another tune than that I played; I play it to those who play me false.”
“Play what you please! You can’t frighten me! Do your worst!” said the Mayor, making himself big.
unit
13
1
