"Isn't dinner a bother? Meals in general too. Brother Juniper, that's the one who didn't speak for six months and played see-saw with the children—well, he once was left alone and he was told to see he cooked some food when the others returned, and he agreed, but when they were gone he thought it was a lot of trouble so much food cooking, so he went begging for food and made a big fire, and borrowed big pots and put all the food he got into it. Fowls with their feathers on, and eggs with their shells, and the fire was so big that he had to tie a plank on his body to get near the pots. Then at last he rang the bell and all the brothers came, expecting great things, and he said, 'Eat well, for I have cooked enough for a fortnight, and then we can all go to prayer and think no more about food.'"
"I hope they enjoyed it!" said Sir Evas absently. He was thinking of his wife.
"It says so quaintly that, 'there is not a pig in all the land of Rome so famished as to have eaten it!' But he got a wigging from the General!"
This chimed in with Sir Evas' thoughts.
"I daresay he deserved it! Fowls with their feathers on can't be very digestible."
"Anyhow he was right about the time we waste over our meals! Do you know, uncle, you are rather like Brother Amazialbene."
"Good heavens, what a name! Didn't your Brother shorten it ever?"
"No, you see they had time then. Anyhow, he possessed the virtues of patience and obedience, for if he were beaten for the whole day long, he would never murmur nor complain with a single word!"
"I don't think I should take the beating so easily! But I want to say, Toney, that you are giving away your money right and left rather too freely. There's moderation in all things, my dear child."
"Dear old ducky. It's just perfect to hear you! I'm only afraid of not being able to get rid of it all, but I mean to try."