"Ah! so us have--so us have," came the response.
"And you carn't get rid of him," continued the speaker.
"Not of oursel's," ejaculated a fervent voice at the end of the room,
"but the Lord will help us."
The old preacher turned on him almost fiercely:--
"But th' Lord woan't," he shouted; "doan't 'ee reckon on that, lad. Ye've
got him an' ye've got ta keep him. Ye carn't get rid of him. Th' Lord
doan't mean 'ee to."
Here there broke forth murmurs of angry disapproval, but the old fellow
went on, unheeding:--
"It arn't good for 'ee to get rid of him. Ye've just got to hug him
tight. Doan't let him go. Hold him fast, and--LAM INTO HIM. I tell 'ee
it's good, healthy Christian exercise."
We had been discussing the subject with reference to our hero. It had
been suggested by Brown as an unhackneyed idea, and one lending itself,
therefore, to comparative freshness of treatment, that our hero should be
a thorough-paced scamp.
Jephson seconded the proposal, for the reason that it would the better
enable us to accomplish artistic work. He was of opinion that we should
be more sure of our ground in drawing a villain than in attempting to
portray a good man.
MacShaughnassy thirded (if I may coin what has often appeared to me to be
a much-needed word) the motion with ardour.
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