“And how should a man?”

“Oh, we know very well that a man has a soul.”

“How do you know it?”

“We know very well.”

“Would you take your oath of it, brother—­your bodily oath?”

“Why, I think I might, Jasper!”

“Did you ever see the soul, brother?”

“No, I never saw it.”

“Then how could you swear to it?  A pretty figure you would make in a court of justice, to swear to a thing which you never saw.  Hold up your head, fellow.  When and where did you see it?  Now upon your oath, fellow, do you mean to say that this Roman stole the donkey’s foal?  Oh, there’s no one for cross-questioning like Counsellor P . . .  Our people when they are in a hobble always like to employ him, though he is somewhat dear.  Now, brother, how can you get over the ’upon your oath, fellow, will you say that you have a soul?’”

“Well, we will take no oath on the subject; but you yourself believe in the soul.  I have heard you say that you believe in dukkerin; now what is dukkerin {286} but the soul science?”

“When did I say that I believed in it?”

“Why, after that fight, when you pointed to the bloody mark in the cloud, whilst he you wot of was galloping in the barouche to the old town, amidst the rain-cataracts, the thunder, and flame of heaven.”

“I have some kind of remembrance of it, brother.”

“Then, again, I heard you say that the dook of Abershaw rode every night on horseback down the wooded hill.”

“I say, brother, what a wonderful memory you have!”

“I wish I had not, Jasper, but I can’t help it; it is my misfortune.”

“Misfortune! well, perhaps it is; at any rate it is very ungenteel to have such a memory.  I have heard my wife say that to show you have a long memory looks very vulgar; and that you can’t give a greater proof of gentility than by forgetting a thing as soon as possible—­more especially a promise, or an acquaintance when he happens to be shabby.  Well, brother, I don’t deny that I may have said that I believe in dukkerin, and in Abershaw’s dook, which you say is his soul; but what I believe one moment, or say I believe, don’t be certain that I shall believe the next, or say I do.”

“Indeed, Jasper, I heard you say on a previous occasion, on quoting a piece of song, that when a man dies he is cast into the earth, and there’s an end of him.”

“I did, did I?  Lor’, what a memory you have, brother!  But you are not sure that I hold that opinion now.”

“Certainly not, Jasper.  Indeed, after such a sermon as we have been hearing, I should be very shocked if you held such an opinion.”

“However, brother, don’t be sure I do not, however shocking such an opinion may be to you.”

“What an incomprehensible people you are, Jasper.”

“We are rather so, brother; indeed, we have posed wiser heads than yours before now.”