“Ah, Bang,” drawled out Paul, “jests are good, being well-timed; what can you mean by that face of yours now, since the fighting is all over?”
My curiosity fairly overcame my good manners, and I moved round more amidships, so as to command a view of both parties, as they sat opposite each other at the narrow table.
Bang still held his peace for another minute; at length, in a very solemn tone, he said, “Gentlemen, do you ever say your prayers?” I don’t know if I mentioned it before, but Aaron had a most musical deep mellow voice, and now it absolutely thrilled to my very soul.
Wagtail and Paul looked at him, and then at each other, with a most absurd expression—between fear and jest—between crying and laughing but gave him no answer.
“Are you, my lads, such blockheads as to be ashamed to acknowledge that you say your prayers?”
“Ah,” aid Gelid, “why, ah no—not—that is”
“Oh, you Catholics are all so bigoted,—I suppose we should cross ourselves, eh?” said Wagtail hastily.
“I am a Catholic, Master Wagtail,” rejoined Bang—“better that than nothing. Before sunrise, we may both have proved the truth of our creeds, if you have one; but if you mean it as a taunt, Wagtail, it does discredit to your judgment to select such a moment, to say nothing of your heart. However, you cannot make me angry with you, Pepperpot, you little Creole wasp, do as you will.” A slight smile here curled Aaron’s lip for an instant, although he immediately resumed the solemn tone in which he had previously spoken.—“But I had hoped that two such old friends, as you both have been to me, would not altogether have made up their minds in cold blood, if advertised of their danger, to run the chance of dying like dogs in a ditch, without one preparatory thought towards that tremendous Being, before whom we may all stand before morning.”
“Murder!” quoth Wagtail, fairly frightened; “are you really serious, Aaron? I did not—would not, for the world, hurt your feelings in earnest, my dear; why do you desire so earnestly to know whether or not I ever say my prayers?”
“Oh, don’t bother, man,” rejoined Bang, resuming his usual friendly tone; “you had better say boldly that you do not, without any roundaboutation.”