You mustn't stand about. Come home with me to dinner.' 'No.' More shakes his head. 'I would rather be blown around on the river and go home hungry. If I could trust you only to put food in my mouth – but you will put words into it.
In the excerpt from "Wolf Hall" by Hilary Mantel, a character is invited to dinner but firmly declines the offer. He prefers the discomfort of being on the river without food over accepting the invitation, suggesting a mistrust regarding the host's intentions.
This refusal highlights his concerns about being manipulated through conversation, indicating that he values his autonomy and is wary of emotional or verbal entanglements that might accompany the meal.
