Page:Long pack, or, A shot with Copenhagen (2).pdf/6

 Well, I would not let him stay on any account, and behold, he is gone off and left his pack." "And what is the great matter in that?" said Richard. "I will wager a penny he will look after it, before it shall look after him." "But, oh Richard, I tremble to tell you! We are all gone, for it is a living pack." "A living pack!" said Richard, staring at Alice, and letting his chops fall down. Richard had just lifted his flail over his head to begin threshing a sheaf; but when he heard of a living pack, he dropped one end of the hand-staff to the floor, and leaning on the other, took such a look at Alice. He knew long before that Alice was beautiful; he knew that ten years before, but he never took such a look at her in his life. "A living pack!" said Richard. "Why the woman is mad without all doubt." "Oh, Richard! come away. Heaven knows what is in it! but I saw it moving so plainly as I see you at present. Make haste, and come away Richard." Richard did not stand to expostulatcexpostulate [sic] any longer, nor even to put on his coat, but followed Alice into the house, assuring her by the way, that it was nothing but a whim, and of a pieccpiece [sic] with many of her phantasies. "But" added he, "of all the foolish ideas that ever possessed your brain, that is the most unfeasible, unnatural, and impossible. How can a pack, made up of napkins, and muslins, and corduroy breeches, perhaps, ever become alive? It is even worse than to suppose a horse's hair will turn an eel." So saying, he lifted the candle out of the jug, and turning about, never stopped till he had laid his hand on the pack. He