Three or six would be all the same, only for a little bit of business I
want to get through. Sir William's orders would include the abandonment
of my business."
"The less done the better. Then I do not see why Sir William should
limit you to six months."
"I think that three will nearly suffice."
"A man does not want to die, I suppose," said Merton.
"There are various ways of looking at that question," replied the
squire. "Many men desire the prolongation of life as a lengthened period
of enjoyment. There is, perhaps, something of that feeling with me; but
when you see how far I am crippled and curtailed, how my enjoyments are
confined to breathing the air, to eating and drinking, and to the
occasional reading of a few pages, you must admit that there cannot be
much of that. A conversation with you is the best of it. Some want to
live for the sake of their wives and children. In the ordinary
acceptation of the words, that is all over with me. Many desire to live
because they fear to die. There is nothing of that in me, I can assure
you. I am not afraid to meet my Creator. But there are those who wish
for life that their purposes of love, or stronger purposes of hatred,
may be accomplished. I am among the number.
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