Renewed ecstacies of Mr. Justice Shallow. His worship had always considered a ragged man a most laughable object. But the matter had never been represented to him in such a truly ridiculous light as by his facetious guest.
“Ha! ha! ha! You can do it, Sir, you can do it. I commend you well. Francis Feeble.”
“Here, Sir.”
“What trade art thou, Feeble?” Sir John asked.
“A woman’s tailor, Sir.”
“Shall I prick him. Sir?”
“You may; but if he had been a man’s tailor, he would have pricked you.”
Feeble was approved and pricked. He was the only one who appeared to submit to the operation without wincing. Feeble proved the most valiant ninth part of a recruit on record. He appeared delighted with his prospects. The only drawback to his military ardour and satisfaction was a regret that Wart could not be permitted to accompany him. This makes it difficult to decide whether Wart was his bosom friend or his mortal enemy.
“I would Wart might have gone, Sir,” quoth Feeble.
“I would thou wert a man’s tailor,” replied the Captain, “that thou might’st mend him and make him fit to go. I cannot put him to a private soldier that is the leader of so many thousands. Let that suffice, most forcible Feeble.”