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TWO foot-companions once in deep discourse | |
Tom, says the one, Let s go and steal a horse. | |
Steal! says the other in a huge surprise, | |
He that says I m a thief, I say he lies. | |
Well, well, replies his friend, No such affront! | 5 |
I did but ask ye. If you wont, you wont. | |
So they jogged on, till in another strain | |
The querist moved to honest Tom again: | |
Suppose, says he, for suppositions sake | |
(Tis but a supposition that I make!) | 10 |
Suppose that we should filch a horse, I say? | |
Filch? filch? quoth Tom, demurring by the way, | |
That s not so bad as downright theft, I own, | |
But yetmethinks,twere better let alone. | |
It soundeth something pitiful and low. | 15 |
Shall we go filch a horse, you say? Why, no! | |
I ll filch no filching;and I ll tell no lie: | |
Honesty s the best policy, say I! | |
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Struck with such vast integrity quite dumb, | |
His comrade paused. At last, says he, Come, come, | 20 |
Thou art an honest fellow, I agree. | |
Honest and poor.Alas, that should not be! | |
And dry into the bargain! And no drink! | |
Shall we go nim a horse, Tom? What dost think? | |
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How clear are things when liquor s in the case! | 25 |
Tom answers quick, with casuistic grace, | |
Nim? yes, yes, yes! Let s nim, with all my heart. | |
I see no harm in nimming, for my part. | |
Hard is the case, now I look sharp into t, | |
That honesty should trudge i th dirt afoot! | 30 |
So many empty horses round about, | |
That honesty should wear its bottoms out! | |
Besides, shall honesty be choked with thirst? | |
Were it my Lord Mayors horse, I d nim it first! | |
And, by the bye, my lad, no scrubby tit! | 35 |
There is the best that ever wore a bit | |
Not far from hence.I take ye, quoth his friend, | |
Is not yon stable, Tom, our journeys end? | |
Good wits will jump; both meant the very steed, | |
The top o the country both for shape and breed. | 40 |
So to t they went, and with a halter round | |
His feathered neck they nimmed him off the ground. * * * * * | |
Twixt right and wrong how many gentle trimmers | |
Will neither steal nor filch, but will be plaguy Nimmers! | |
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