Everybody speaks ill of us both, and
everybody is glad to see both of us again."
"Yes, Jasper, but there is some difference between men and cuckoos;
men have souls, Jasper!"
"And why not cuckoos, brother?"
"You should not talk so, Jasper; what you say is little short of
blasphemy. How should a bird have a soul?"
"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 oaths on the subject; but you yourself
believe in the soul. I have heard you say that you believe in
dukkerin; now what is dukkerin 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.
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