I injure and revile him, I stir up strife between him and his.
I envy him his new clothes, I laugh when he loses, weep when he smiles,
So live I loveless, and my brest boils so bitter is my gall.'
"Then, when Repentance bids him be sorry,—
"'I am sori,' quod Envy, 'I never am other than sori.'
"Think of that terrible picture, when ye are tempted to envy the fortune of others, 'I am never other than sori.' Do not let envy take up its dwelling-place in your hearts. Read Holy Writ, rather, and consider that such as have riches and joy on this earth have received their reward, but that ours is for all eternity."
When he had done speaking the young man on whom the poor priest's eyes had been fixed in a kind of special appeal leaned across the table, and holding out a strong sinewy hand, said:—
"I am Richard Meryl, and I fear I have been among the envious ones; but by the Mother of Christ thou dost speak well, and I shall do my best to hearken unto thee.
"And yet," he added, with an engaging smile, as Annys wrung his hand heartily, "and yet it is hard to be other than sorry while Covetousness and Greed rule the land and crush us poor folk like corn beneath the stone."
"Ay!" returned Annys, "I would have ye none other than sorry for that—but sorry to some purpose. What good will it do to rise up and rule the land for a day? Shall we not rather by patience and fortitude hold what we gain for unborn generations, so that our children's children need not fight the great fight over again, but may start where we leave off?"