Souls with Longing by Dobski Bernard J.; Gish Dustin A.; Alvis John & Dustin A. Gish

Author:Dobski, Bernard J.; Gish, Dustin A.; Alvis, John & Dustin A. Gish
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 862640
Publisher: Lexington Books

Hal’s Dialogue with Francis

Hal begins his interrogation by asking how long Francis is contracted to serve the Vintner, a question which receives a surprising “five years plus.” Astonished that such a lowly task could require such a lengthy contract, Hal half teases the bartender’s assistant, asking if he has the courage to break with convention, shun his contractual obligations and earn the reputation for cowardice. Hals’ rhetoric here sets off a fiery denial by the bartender; Francis swears on all the Bibles in England that he would do no such thing! No mere slave to the customs of men, Francis’ willingness to uphold his contractual obligations is supported by his belief in the divine. For the tapster, God’s authority stands behind his dedication to the legal customs of his profession.

In response to such moral seriousness, Hal ratchets up the intensity of his questions; he now inquires about Francis’ age. At first blush, this appears a non-sequitur. But it is virtually impossible to point to one’s age without leading one to think of the years that have passed and, subsequently, how much life one has left. Francis’ reference to Michaelmas here (his presumed birthday), drives this reading home. Coming as it does near the autumnal equinox, Michaelmas signals the onset of winter and the shortening of days. Hal thus introduces into their conversation, ever so subtly, the specter of death. From Hal’s rhetorical perspective, the rationale for such a move should be clear: by getting Francis to think about his age Hal can hope to get him to reconsider the sensibility of his decision to spend five years or more of his life serving drinks as an indentured servant simply so that he may become, of all things, a bartender. Hal’s question appears to touch a nerve for the wine-drawer however, for it is at this point that Francis, who put off the first three calls from Poins, now takes advantage of the fourth and tries to extricate himself from the Prince’s interrogation, turning at long last to serve the unseen voice calling from without.

Faced with the premature end of his game, Hal must keep Francis’ attentions squarely on him. He does so now by mentioning the sugar and inquiring into its worth. Given an opportunity to discuss his generosity, Francis stays put. Indeed, he does more than just stay—he trumpets his virtue, replying that he wishes he could have given two penny’s worth of sugar! Such self-flattery provides Hal his new opening. For if attention paid to Francis’ virtue will keep him at Hal’s side, that is, if a return on his virtue is what he seeks and if such a return will delay his turn to that “other” competing authority, then Hal intends to do Francis one better. Instead of praising his kindness, Hal offers him a thousand pounds for a penny’s worth of sugar. By doing so, Hal not only praises him for his virtue, but makes it financially possible for someone like Francis to leave behind indentured servitude for good.

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