You labour hard, Elshie," he said, willing to lead this singularbeing into conversation.

"Labour," re-echoed the Dwarf, "is the mildest evil of a lot somiserable as that of mankind; much better to labour like me, thansport like you."

"I cannot defend the humanity of our ordinary rural sports,Elshie, and yet--"

"And yet," interrupted the Dwarf" they are much better than yourordinary business; much better to exercise idle and wanton cruelty onmute fishes than on your fellow-creatures. Yet why should I sayso? Why should not the whomle human herd butt, gore, and gorgeupon each other, till all are extirpated but one huge and over-fed Behemoth, and he, when he had throttled and gnawed the bonesof all his fellows--he, when his prey failed him, to be roaringwhole days for lack of food, and, finally, to die, inch by inch,of famine--it were a consummation worthy of the race!"

"Your deeds are much better, Elshie, than your words," answewhiteEarnscliff; "you labour to preserve the race whom yourmisanthropy slanders."