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Payne, Dutton

"Mistress Penwick"

"
"But hast well served, thou canst not deny. It has made thee the sweet
innocent bud thou art, and we will enshrine its shade, though it hath
no soul to join it hereafter, and I will resort to vulgar frankness,
employed by the truculent commonplace, and say we live in an age of
swaggering, badgering, immoral-begotten, vice-ridden, irreligious
decrepitude--" Katherine made a hissing noise with her teeth, as if
she had been suddenly and severely pricked by a pin, then put up her
hands and stopped her ears--this day, Mistress Penwick thou shalt know
the character of thy King--Nay, thou shalt know. I will tell thee that
'twill poison thy mind of one of so great station--"
"Wouldst thou assail his morals, Janet?"
"'Tis impossible to assail that a man hath not."
"Then 'twould be a field for sweet mission to teach him morals."
"And wouldst thou delegate thyself to such an office?"
"Aye, why not?"
"Because he would steal thy knowledge ere thou hadst found his heart,
and thou wouldst find thyself insolvent of virtue.


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