“Mind, Alexander!⁠ ⁠… the proverb says, ‘Be slow to promise, but having promised, keep it!’ ”

“Yes, that’s so. It will be safe.”

I have seldom experienced a more joyful feeling than I had when I left him.

I have omitted to say that during our talk I had offered to give him some leaflets on drink and some booklets. [A man in a neighbouring village posted up one of those same leaflets on the wall outside his house lately, but it was pulled down and destroyed by the policeman.] He thanked me, and said he would come and fetch them in the dinner-hour.