"What command? In the Bible! Sandie, do you think those Sunday commands are to be taken just as they stand—to mean just so? and shut one stupidly up in the house for all day Sunday except when one is going in procession to church?"
"You know," said Mr. Shubrick, "I am like the centurion in the Bible, 'a man under authority,' having other men under me; 'and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come and he cometh.' I know nothing about orders that are not to be obeyed."
"And is that the way you would rule your house?" said Christina, half pouting.
"I should leave that to you," he answered smiling. "It is enough for me to rule my ship. The house would be your care."
"Would it? Does that mean that you expect always to be a sailor?"
"It is my profession. A man must do something."
"If he must. But not if he has no need to do anything?"
The young officer looked at her with a considerative sort of gravity, and inquired if she could respect a lazy man.
"No, and you never would be lazy, or could be lazy," she said, laughing. "But surely there are things enough to be done on shore."
"Things enough. The question for every one is where he can do most."