126
TOMLINSON
‘I see no worth in the hobnailed mirth or the jolthead jest ye did
‘That I should waken my gentlemen that are sleeping three on a grid.’
Then Tomlinson looked back and forth, and there was little grace,
For Hell-Gate filled the houseless Soul with the Fear of Naked Space.
‘Nay, this I ha’ heard,’ quo’ Tomlinson, ‘and this was noised abroad,
‘And this I ha’ got from a Belgian book on the word of a dead French lord.’
—‘Ye ha’ heard, ye ha’ read, ye ha’ got, good lack! And the tale begins afresh—
‘Have ye sinned one sin for the pride o’ the eye or the sinful lust of the flesh?’
Then Tomlinson he gripped the bars and yammered ‘Let me in—
‘For I mind that I borrowed my neighbour’s wife to sin the deadly sin.’
The Devil he grinned behind the bars, and banked the fires high:
‘Did ye read of that sin in a book?’ said he; and Tomlinson said ‘Ay!’
‘That I should waken my gentlemen that are sleeping three on a grid.’
Then Tomlinson looked back and forth, and there was little grace,
For Hell-Gate filled the houseless Soul with the Fear of Naked Space.
‘Nay, this I ha’ heard,’ quo’ Tomlinson, ‘and this was noised abroad,
‘And this I ha’ got from a Belgian book on the word of a dead French lord.’
—‘Ye ha’ heard, ye ha’ read, ye ha’ got, good lack! And the tale begins afresh—
‘Have ye sinned one sin for the pride o’ the eye or the sinful lust of the flesh?’
Then Tomlinson he gripped the bars and yammered ‘Let me in—
‘For I mind that I borrowed my neighbour’s wife to sin the deadly sin.’
The Devil he grinned behind the bars, and banked the fires high:
‘Did ye read of that sin in a book?’ said he; and Tomlinson said ‘Ay!’
