Seeing the customs inspector was about to take more than an
hour--besides, he had a disagreeable phiz--I preferred to wait at a
tavern.
Captain
Your yen for brew always gets the best of you. Does wine command you
always?
Spruce
Everyone has his weakness, sir.-- As you are well aware. It's the bad
example more than the brew that puts me down the wrong road. I'd
really like to live a clean life--
Captain
Why do you always keep bad company, then?
Spruce
I've made several efforts to avoid it--all in vain. I like you a lot
and I don't want to leave you.
Captain
What's that, scoundrel?
Spruce
Sir, an ancient custom of speaking my mind gives me the right. My case
is like your own. I've seen you drunk more than once in a tavern, and
many's the time I had to help you home to bed. I've never scolded you
much about these little escapades--we ought not to mention other
people's infirmities-- Forget them, since they forget ours.
Captain
I'll forgive you for liking your bottle--if I thought that was your
only vice--but your penchant for one sin carries you on to a thousand
others. You have a strange passion for gambling.
Spruce
Oh, if I gamble a little it's only to spend the time while you are
spending the night in certain black gambling dens.
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