"
"An' know ye where he is now?" the tinker inquired.
"No; but I know it is he to whom you gave the boots at Christmas
time."
"Hush, boy," said Darrel, in a whisper, his hand raised.
He crossed to the bench, returning quickly and drawing his chair in
front of the young man.
"Once upon a time," he whispered, sitting down and touching the
palm of his open hand with the index finger of the other, "a youth
held in his hand a cup, rare an' costly, an' it was full o'
happiness, an' he was tempted to drink. 'Ho, there, me youth,'
said one who saw him, 'that is the happiness of another.' But he
tasted the cup, an' it was bitter, an' he let it fall, an' the
other lost his great possession. Now that bitter taste was ever on
the tongue o' the youth, so that his own cup had always the flavour
o' woe."
The tinker paused a moment, looking sternly into the face of the
young man.
"I adjure thee, boy, touch not the cup of another's happiness, or
it may imbitter thy tongue. But if thou be foolish an' take it up,
mind ye do not drop it."
"I shall be careful--I shall neither taste nor drop it," said Trove.
"God bless thee, boy! thou'rt come to a great law--who drains the
cup of another's happiness shall find it bitter, but who drains the
cup of another's bitterness shall find it sweet.
Pages:
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228