Their anxiety grew and their excitement augmented with every fleeting moment, until my fears were aroused and I began to have misgivings that in their present condition they might break recklessly loose from all considerations of prudence and buy a whole fleet of ships to sail in instead of hiring a single one for an hour, as quiet folk are wont to do.

I trembled to think of the ruined purses this day's performances might result in.
I could not help reflecting bodingly upon the intemperate zeal with which middle-aged men are apt to surfeit themselves upon a seductive folly which they have tasted for the first time.

And yet I did not feel that I had a right to be surprised at the state of things which was giving me so much concern.

These men had been taught from infancy to revere, almost to worship, the holy places whereon their happy eyes were resting now.

For many and many a year this very picture had visited their thoughts by day and floated through their dreams by night.