Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno.djvu/173

XI] 'But this is April!' Peter said.
 * 'The First of April, as I think.

Five little weeks will soon be fled:
 * One scarcely will have time to wink!

Give me a year to speculate—
 * To buy and sell—to drive a trade—

Said Paul ' I cannot change the date.
 * On May the Fourth it must be paid'

'Well, well!' said Peter, with a sigh.
 * 'Hand me the cash, and I will go.

I'll form a Joint-Stock Company,
 * And turn an honest pound or so!

'I'm grieved; said Paul, 'to seem unkind:
 * The money shall of course be lent:

But, for a week or two, I find
 * It will not be convenient!

So, week by week, poor Peter came
 * And turned in heaviness away;

For still the answer was the same,
 * 'I cannot manage it to-day!

And now the April showers were dry—
 * The five short weeks were nearly spent—

Yet still he got the old reply,
 * 'It is not quite convenient!'

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