Friday

[incandescens]

There comes a point at which one has to say; no, I'm not going to get any more work done, I'm tired, I'm going to sleep.

Really.

---

The Man In The Golden Mask

[...]

The pair of bravos felt no great surprise
To find two men inside instead of one
One said, "Now we know how our master lies,
We'll make him pay us triple when we're done."
Athos spoke then. "Good servants, pleasant night;
Your duties here are bounden to be light.
For I am old, and my friend is a priest:
And neither of us wants too grand a feast;
But we shall drink a bit, and then some sup;
Go to the cellars, bring some bottles up."
The henchmen paused on hearing Athos's tone;
One said, "What matters it he's not alone.
They'll dispatch straight. But I've a jest in mind:
Let's go downstairs and bring their final wine."
The other said, "You're right. 'Twill not be hard,
And make them drowsy, put them off their guard."
Any old soldier knows a porter's way;
They brought the wine, and glasses on a tray.
Athos toasted Aramis, and sighed.
"It is near midnight. Do you hear the chimes
That call the ghosts with whom we used to ride?"
"Ghosts soon enough," one of the bravos said,
"Let's now be quick, and strike these slow men dead."
Then Athos fixed them with a steady eye
And said, "We are most grateful. Stay a bit:
My friend believes he caught the scent of pie
Out of your kitchen. Bring us some of it."
His voice was calm, so easy in command,
That ere the bravos quite could understand
Just why, they had gone through the kitchen door.
"This is not what our master paid us for!"

[...]

-- John M Ford