"Look here, Mosey," said Thompson slowly: "I'd rather—so help me God—
I'd rather cut my own throat than do a trick like that.
Are n't you frightened of bringing a curse on yourself?"
"I ain't (adj.) fool enough to believe in curses," replied Mosey— his altered tone nevertheless belying his bravado.
"Simply because you don't keep your eyes open," retorted Thompson. "Is n't it well known that a grog-seller's money never gets to his children? Is n't it well known that if you mislead a woman, a curse'll follow you like your shadow? Isn't it well known that if you're disobedient to your parents, something'll happen to you? Is n't it well known that Sabbath-breaking brings a curse on a man that he can't shake off till he reforms? Now you stole that horse in the dirtiest way; and stealing—well, anything except grass or water—brings as heavy a curse as anything you can do. Mark my words."
"The Jackdaw of Rheims is a case in point," remarked Willoughby aside to me.
"Well," said Price emphatically, and qualifying every word that would bear qualification, "so fur as workin' on Sundays goes, I'm well sure I allus worked on Sundays, an' I'm well sure I allus will; an' I'm well sure 'ere ain't no cuss on me. Why, I dunno what the (complicated expletive) a cuss is! I'll get a blanket fer to lay on," he added; "this ground's sorter damp." And he went across to his wagon.
"He's got a curse on him as big as Mount Macedon, and he does n't know it," muttered Thompson.
"Bearing out the prophecy," said I aside to Willoughby, "that the sinner, being a hundred years old, shall be accursed."
"You ought to show him a bit more respect, Mosey," remarked Cooper gravely.
"Well, to tell you the truth," replied Mosey frankly,
"I got no patience with the ole bunyip. Can't suffer fools, no road."
"Well, I don't want to be shovin' in my jor, but I'd take him to be more rogue than fool," suggested Bum.