“Jack!” reproved his father.
“Sir, of all things in this world, there is nought I do loathe and despise like to a Puritan!”
“There is a worse thing than reckoning a laugh to be sin, Jack,” said Sir Thomas gravely; “and that is, reckoning sin a thing to laugh at.”
“And wherefore dost loathe a Puritan, quotha?” demanded Rachel. “Be they so much better than thou?”
“There be no gentlemen amongst them, Aunt Rachel,” suggested Blanche mischievously.
“They set them up for having overmuch goodness,” answered Jack in a disgusted tone.
“Prithee, Jack, how much goodness is that?” his Aunt Rachel wished to know.
“Over Jack’s goodness,” whispered Blanche.
“There is not one that is not a coward,” resumed Jack, ignoring the query. “As for Feversham yonder, I can tell why he would not go.”
“Why?” said Feversham, looking up.