Page 146 - The snake's pass

134 — the snake's pass. "
" Surr, there can be only one harram to a girrul from
a gintleman," he laid his hand on my arm, and said
this impressively—whatever else he may have ever said
—
in jest, he was in grim earnest now "an' that's whin
he's a villain. Ye wouldn't do the black thrick, and
"
desave a girrul that thrusted ye ?
" No, Andy, no ! God forbid ! I would rather go
to the highest rock on some island there beyond,
where the surf is loudest, and throw myself into the
sea, than do such a thing. No ! Andy, there are lots
of men that hold such matters lightly, but I don't
think I'm one of them. Whatever sins I have, or may
ever have upon my soul, I hope such a one as that
will never be there."
All the comment Andy made was, " I thought so !
Then the habitual quizzical look stole over his face again,
and he said:
"There does be some that does fear Braches iv Pro-
mise. Mind ye, a man has to be mighty careful on the
subject, for some weemin is that 'cute, there's no bein'
up to them."
Andy's sudden change to this new theme was a little
embarrassing, since the idea leading to it—or rather
preceding it—had been one purely personal to myself;
but he was off, and I thought it better that he should
go on.
!
" Indeed " said I.
" Yes, surr. Oh, my ! but they're 'cute. The first
thing that a girrul does when a man looks twice at