"I tell thee
that tongue of thine is not the shortest limb about thee, and I
prophesy that it will bring thee into disgrace with Father
Francis, as once about the black-eyed Syrian wench. But here
comes the horn. Be active a bit, man, wilt thou, and just force
open his teeth with the haft of thy dudgeon-dagger."
"Hold, hold--he is conformable," said Tomalin; "see, see, he
signs for the goblet--give him room, boys! OOP SEY ES, quoth the
Dutchman--down it goes like lamb's-wool! Nay, they are true
topers when once they begin--your Turk never coughs in his cup,
or stints in his liquoring."
In fact, the dervise, or whatever he was, drank--or at least
seemed to drink--the large flagon to the very bottom at a single
pull; and when he took it from his lips after the whole contents
were exhausted, only uttered, with a deep sigh, the words, ALLAH
KERIM, or God is merciful. There was a laugh among the yeomen
who witnessed this pottle-deep potation, so obstreperous as to
rouse and disturb the King, who, raising his finger, said
angrily, "How, knaves, no respect, no observance?"
All were at once hushed into silence, well acquainted with the
temper of Richard, which at some times admitted of much military
familiarity, and at others exacted the most precise respect,
although the latter humour was of much more rare occurrence.
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