Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno.djvu/174

The Fourth arrived, and punctual Paul
Came, with his legal friend, at noon.
I thought it best! said he, 'to call:
One cannot settle things too soon.'
Poor Peter shuddered in despair:
His flowing locks he wildly tore:
And very soon his yellow hair
Was lying all about the floor.

The legal friend was standing by,
With sudden pity half unmanned:
The tear-drop trembled in his eye,
The signed agreemeent in his hand:
But when at length the legal soul
Resumed its customary force,
'The Law,' he said, 'we can't control:
Pay, or the Law must take its course!'

Said Paul 'How bitterly I rue
That fatal morning when I called!
Consider, Peter, what you do!
You won't be richer when you're bald!
Think you, by rending curls away,
To make your difliculties less?
Forbear this violence, I pray:
You do but add to my distress!