I need not say that
fasting was observed with all the rigors of the Church; and that those
of the servants of the Lady Rowena were looked upon with most favor
whose hair-shirts were the roughest, and who flagellated themselves with
the most becoming perseverance.
Whether it was that this discipline cleared poor Wamba's wits or cooled
his humor, it is certain that he became the most melancholy fool in
England, and if ever he ventured upon a pun to the shuddering poor
servitors, who were mumbling their dry crusts below the salt, it was
such a faint and stale joke that noboby dared to laugh at the innuendoes
of the unfortunate wag, and a sickly smile was the best applause he
could muster. Once, indeed, when Guffo, the goose-boy (a half-witted
poor wretch), laughed outright at a lamentably stale pun which Wamba
palmed upon him at supper-time, (it was dark, and the torches being
brought in, Wamba said, "Guffo, they can't see their way in the
argument, and are going TO THROW A LITTLE LIGHT UPON THE SUBJECT,") the
Lady Rowena, being disturbed in a theological controversy with Father
Willibald, (afterwards canonized as St. Willibald, of Bareacres, hermit
and confessor,) called out to know what was the cause of the unseemly
interruption, and Guffo and Wamba being pointed out as the culprits,
ordered them straightway into the court-yard, and three dozen to be
administered to each of them.
Pages:
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436