My immediate call among these
men in arms, arises from my being tutor to the young officer, to whom
you are surrendered prisoners."
"And did you," said the indignant Eustace, among other things, "teach
him craft and falsehood."
"I have still to learn those Satanical arts," returned Barton, "and
therefore could not teach them."
"Were they then," resumed Eustace, "innate properties in his mind?
Though little more than my own age, he is a master in the science of
dissimulation. He practised upon my fears; I mean, my fears for these
dear girls, and wormed from my confiding folly a disclosure of my
parentage, and my wishes. He promised to serve us. I trusted to his
word; and he performs it by rivetting our chains beyond hope of
liberation."
"While life endures," returned Barton, "hope and fear successively
eclipse each other. Yet a wise man should remember both are casualties,
which may give colour to his future fortunes. We must allow the enraged
lion to chafe, but lest his roarings should terrify these tender lambs,
and drive them out among beasts of prey, an old watch-dog will crouch
beside them, and assuage their alarms.
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