William Shakspeare.

“‘And yet ye kill time when ye can, and are uneasy when ye cannot.’”

Whereupon did Sir Thomas say, aside unto himself, but within my hearing, —

“Faith and troth! he must have had a head in at the window here one day or other.”

William Shakspeare.

“‘This sin cryeth unto the Lord.’

Sir Thomas.

“He was wrong there.  It is not one of those that cry; mortal sins cry.  Surely he could not have fallen into such an error! it must be thine; thou misunderstoodest him.”

William Shakspeare.

“Mayhap, sir!  A great heaviness came over me; I was oppressed in spirit, and did feel as one awakening from a dream.”

Sir Thomas.

“Godlier men than thou art do often feel the right hand of the Lord upon their heads in like manner.  It followeth contrition, and precedeth conversion.  Continue.”

William Shakspeare.

“‘My brethren and children,’ said the teacher, ’whenever ye want to kill time call God to the chase, and bid the angels blow the horn; and thus ye are sure to kill time to your heart’s content.  And ye may feast another day, and another after that—­’”

Then said Master Silas unto me, concernedly,

“This is the mischief-fullest of all the devil’s imps, to talk in such wise at a quarter past twelve!”

But William went straight on, not hearing him,

“’—­upon what ye shall, in such pursuit, have brought home with you.  Whereas, if ye go alone, or two or three together, nay, even if ye go in thick and gallant company, and yet provide not that these be with ye, my word for it, and a powerfuller word than mine, ye shall return to your supper tired and jaded, and rest little when ye want to rest most.’”

“Hast no other head of the Doctor’s?” quoth Sir Thomas.

“Verily none,” replied Willy, “of the morning’s discourse, saving the last words of it, which, with God’s help, I shall always remember.”

“Give us them, give us them,” said Sir Thomas.

“He wants doctrine; he wants authority; his are grains of millet,—­ grains for unfledged doves; but they are sound, except the crying.

“Deliver unto us the last words; for the last of the preacher, as of the hanged, are usually the best.”

Then did William repeat the concluding words of the discourse, being these:-

“’As years are running past us, let us throw something on them which they cannot shake off in the dust and hurry of the world, but must carry with them to that great year of all, whereunto the lesser of this mortal life do tend and are subservient.’

Sir Thomas, after a pause, and after having bent his knee under the table, as though there had been the church-cushion, said unto us, —

“Here he spake through A glass, darkly, as blessed Paul hath it.”