o
him." Yes, those are the things you have said of you when Hana is the
speaker. As for my old vixen, she wouldn't let as much fall from her
mug in the course of a century, I'll warrant! [_Violent shaking under
the blanket._] Then she asked me to pass into the inner room to rest
awhile. So in we went to the inner room, hand in hand. And then she
brought out wine and food, and pressed me to drink, so that what with
drinking one's self, and passing the cup to her, and pressing each
other to drink, we kept feasting until quite far into the night, when
at her suggestion another room was sought and a little repose taken.
But soon day began to break, and I said I would go home. Then Hana
exclaimed:--

"Methought that when I met thee, dearest heart!
I'd tell thee all that swells within my breast:--
But now already 'tis the hour to part,
And oh! how much still lingers unexpress'd!

Please stay and rest a little longer!" "But no!" said I, "I must get
home. All the temple-bells are a-ringing." "And heartless priests they
are," cried she, "that ring them! Horrid wretches to begin their
ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong, when it is still the middle of the
night!" But for all her entreaties, and for all my own regrets, I
remembered that "meeting is but parting," and,

Tearing me loose, I made to go; farewell!
Farewell a thousand times, like ocean sands
Untold! and followed by her distant gaze
I went; but as I turn'd me round, the moon,
A slender rim, sparkling remain'd behind,
And oh! what pain it was to me to part!

[_He sheds tears._] And so I came home. Oh! isn't it a pity? [_Weeping
again._] Ah well! out of my heart's joy has flamed all this long
history, and meanwhile you must be very uncomfortable. Take off that
"abstraction blanket." Take it off, for I have nothing more to tell
you. Gracious goodness! what a stickler you are! Well, then! I must
pull it off myself. I _will_ have it off, man! do you hear me?

[_He pulls off the blanket, and up jumps his wife._

WIFE.--Oh! how furious I am! Oh! how furious I am! To hoax me and go
off to Hana in that manner!

HUSBAND.--Oh! not at all, not at all! I never went to Hana. I have
been performing my devotions, indeed I have.

WIFE.--What! so he means to come and tell me that he has been
performing his devotions? and then into the bargain to talk about
"things the old vixen would never have let drop"! Oh! I'm all ablaze
with rage! H