but，then，hiswaysandmanners!-IconfessIdonotlikethem，andthattheygivemenolittleuneasiness-IknowthathekeptverystrangecompanywhenhewasinIreland；peopleofevilreport，ofwhomterriblethingsweresaid-horse-witchesandthelike。I
　　questionedhimonceortwiceuponthematter，andeventhreatenedhim，butitwasofnouse；heputonalookasifhedidnotunderstandme，aregularIrishlook，justsuchaoneasthoserascalsassumewhentheywishtoappearallinnocenceandsimplicity，andtheyfullofmaliceanddeceitallthetime。I
　　don’tlikethem；theyarenofriendstooldEngland，oritsoldking，Godblesshim!Theyarenotgoodsubjects，andneverwere；
　　alwaysinleaguewithforeignenemies。WhenIwasintheColdstream，longbeforetheRevolution，IusedtohearenoughabouttheIrishbrigadeskeptbytheFrenchkings，tobeathorninthesideoftheEnglishwheneveropportunityserved。OldSergeantMeredithoncetoldmethatinthetimeofthePretendertherewerealways，inLondonalone，adozenoffellowsconnectedwiththesebrigades，withtheviewofseducingtheking’ssoldiersfromtheirallegiance，andpersuadingthemtodeserttoFrancetojointhehonestIrish，astheywerecalled。Oneofthesetraitorsonceaccostedhimandproposedthemattertohim，offeringhandfulsofgoldifhecouldinduceanyofhiscomradestogoover。Meredithappearedtoconsent，butsecretlygaveinformationtohiscolonel；
　　thefellowwasseized，andcertaintraitorouspapersfounduponhim；hewashangedbeforeNewgate，anddiedexultinginhistreason。HisnamewasMichaelNowlan。ThateversonofmineshouldhavebeenintimatewiththePapistIrish，andhavelearnttheirlanguage!’
　　’Buthethinksofotherthingsnow，’saidmymother。
　　’Otherlanguages，youmean，’saidmyfather。’Itisstrangethathehasconceivedsuchazestforthestudyoflanguages；nosoonerdidhecomehomethanhepersuadedmetosendhimtothatoldpriesttolearnFrenchandItalian，and，ifIrememberright，youabettedhim；but，asIsaidbefore，itisinthenatureofwomeninvariablytotakethepartofthesecond-born。Well，thereisnoharminlearningFrenchandItalian，perhapsmuchgoodinhiscase，astheymaydrivetheothertongueoutofhishead。Irish!why，hemightgototheuniversitybutforthat；buthowwouldhelookwhen，onbeingexaminedwithrespecttohisattainments，itwasdiscoveredthatheunderstoodIrish？Howdidyoulearnit？theywouldaskhim；howdidyoubecomeacquaintedwiththelanguageofPapistsandrebels？Theboywouldbesentawayindisgrace。’
　　’Beundernoapprehension，Ihavenodoubtthathehaslongsinceforgottenit。’
　　’Iamgladtohearit，’saidmyfather；’for，betweenourselves，I
　　lovethepoorchild；ay，quiteaswellasmyfirst-born。Itrusttheywilldowell，andthatGodwillbetheirshieldandguide；I
　　havenodoubtHewill，forIhavereadsomethingintheBibletothateffect。Whatisthattextabouttheyoungravensbeingfed？’
　　’Iknowabetterthanthat，’saidmymother；’oneofDavid’sownwords，“Ihavebeenyoungandnowamgrownold，yetneverhaveI
　　seentherighteousmanforsaken，orhisseedbeggingtheirbread。“’
　　Ihaveheardtalkofthepleasuresofidleness，yetitismyownfirmbeliefthatnooneeveryettookpleasureinit。Mereidlenessisthemostdisagreeablestateofexistence，andbothmindandbodyarecontinuallymakingeffortstoescapefromit。Ithasbeensaidthatidlenessistheparentofmischief，whichisverytrue；butmischiefitselfismerelyanattempttoescapefromthedrearyvacuumofidleness。Therearemanytasksandoccupationswhichamanisunwillingtoperform，butletnoonethinkthatheisthereforeinlovewithidleness；heturnstosomethingwhichismoreagreeabletohisinclination，anddoubtlessmoresuitedtohisnature；butheisnotinlovewithidleness。Aboymayplaythetruantfromschoolbecausehedislikesbooksandstudy；but，dependuponit，heintendsdoingsomethingthewhile-togofishing，orperhapstotakeawalk；andwhoknowsbutthatfromsuchexcursionsbothhismindandbodymayderivemorebenefitthanfrombooksandschool？Manypeoplegotosleeptoescapefromidleness；theSpaniardsdo；and，accordingtotheFrenchaccount，JohnBull，the’squire，hangshimselfinthemonthofNovember；buttheFrench，whoareaverysensiblepeople，attributetheactionAUNEGRANDE
　　ENVIEDESEDESENNUYER；hewishestobedoingsomething，saythey，andhavingnothingbettertodo，hehasrecoursetothecord。
　　Itwasforwantofsomethingbettertodothat，shortlyaftermyreturnhome，Iappliedmyselftothestudyoflanguages。BytheacquisitionofIrish，withthefirstelementsofwhichIhadbecomeacquaintedunderthetuitionofMurtagh，Ihadcontractedacertainzestandinclinationforthepursuit。YetitisprobablethathadIbeenlaunchedaboutthistimeintosomeagreeablecareer，thatofarmsforexample，forwhich，beingthesonofasoldier，Ihad，aswasnatural，asortofpenchant，Imighthavethoughtnothingmoreoftheacquisitionoftonguesofanykind；but，havingnothingtodo，Ifollowedtheonlycoursesuitedtomygeniuswhichappearedopentome。
　　Soitcametopassthatoneday，whilstwanderinglistlesslyaboutthestreetsoftheoldtown，Icametoasmallbook-stall，andstopping，commencedturningoverthebooks；Itookupatleastadozen，andalmostinstantlyflungthemdown。Whatweretheytome？
　　Atlast，comingtoathickvolume，Iopenedit，andafterinspectingitscontentsforafewminutes，Ipaidforitwhatwasdemanded，andforthwithcarriedithome。
　　Itwasatessaraglotgrammar；astrangeoldbook，printedsomewhereinHolland，whichpretendedtobeaneasyguidetotheacquirementoftheFrench，Italian，LowDutch，andEnglishtongues，bymeansofwhichanyoneconversantinanyoneoftheselanguagescouldmakehimselfmasteroftheotherthree。IturnedmyattentiontotheFrenchandItalian。Theoldbookwasnotofmuchvalue；Iderivedsomebenefitfromit，however，and，conningitintensely，attheendofafewweeksobtainedsomeinsightintothestructureofthesetwolanguages。AtlengthIhadlearntallthatthebookwascapableofinformingme，yetwasstillfarfromthegoaltowhichithadpromisedtoconductme。’IwishIhadamaster!’I
　　exclaimed；andthemasterwasathand。Inanoldcourtoftheoldtownlivedacertainelderlypersonage，perhapssixty，orthereabouts；hewasrathertall，andsomethingofarobustmake，withacountenanceinwhichbluffnesswassingularlyblendedwithvivacityandgrimace；andwithacomplexionwhichwouldhavebeenruddy，butforayellowhuewhichratherpredominated。Hisdressconsistedofasnuff-colouredcoatanddrabpantaloons，theformerevidentlyseldomsubjectedtotheannoyanceofabrush，andthelatterexhibitinghereandtherespotsofsomethingwhich，ifnotgrease，boreastrongresemblancetoit；addtothesearticlesanimmensefrill，seldomofthepurestwhite，butinvariablyofthefinestFrenchcambric，andyouhavesomeideaofhisdress。Hehadratheraremarkablestoop，buthisstepwasrapidandvigorous，andashehurriedalongthestreets，hewouldglancetotherightandleftwithapairofbigeyeslikeplums，andonrecognisinganyonewouldexaltapairofgrizzledeyebrows，andslightlykissatawnyandunglovedhand。Atcertainhoursofthedaybemightbeseenenteringthedoorsoffemaleboarding-schools，generallywithabookinhishand，andperhapsanotherjustpeeringfromtheorificeofacapaciousbackpocket；andatacertainseasonoftheyearhemightbeseen，dressedinwhite，beforethealtarofacertainsmallpopishchapel，chantingfromthebreviaryinveryintelligibleLatin，orperhapsreadingfromthedeskinutterlyunintelligibleEnglish。SuchwasmypreceptorintheFrenchandItaliantongues。’Exulsacerdos；vonebanishedpriest。IcameintoEnglandtwenty-fiveyearago，“mydear。“’
　　CHAPTERXV
　　MonsieurDante-Condemnedmusket-Sporting-Sweetrivulet-TheEarl’sHome-Thepool-Thesonorousvoice-Whatdostthouread？-
　　Manofpeace-ZoharandMishna-Money-changers。
　　SoIstudiedFrenchandItalianunderthetuitionofthebanishedpriest，towhosehouseIwentregularlyeveryeveningtoreceiveinstruction。Imadeconsiderableprogressintheacquisitionofthetwolanguages。IfoundtheFrenchbyfarthemostdifficult，chieflyonaccountoftheaccent，whichmymasterhimselfpossessedinnogreatpurity，beingaNormanbybirth。TheItalianwasmyfavourite。
　　’Vousserezunjourungrandphilologue，moncher，’saidtheoldman，onourarrivingattheconclusionofDante’sHell。
　　’IhopeIshallbesomethingbetter，’saidI，’beforeIdie，orI
　　shallhavelivedtolittlepurpose。’
　　’That’strue，mydear!philologist-onesmallpoordog。Whatwouldyouwishtobe？’
　　’Manythingssoonerthanthat；forexample，Iwouldratherbelikehimwhowrotethisbook。’
　　’Quoi，MonsieurDante？Hewasavagabond，mydear，forcedtoflyfromhiscountry。No，mydear，ifyouwouldbelikeonepoet，belikeMonsieurBoileau；heisthepoet。’
　　’Idon’tthinkso。’
　　’How，notthinkso？Hewroteveryrespectableverses；livedanddiedmuchrespectedbyeverybody。T’other，onebaddog，forcedtoflyfromhiscountry-diedwithnotenoughtopayhisundertaker。’
　　’Wereyounotforcedtofleefromyourcountry？’
　　’Thatverytrue；butthereismuchdifferencebetweenmeandthisDante。Hefledfromcountrybecausehehadonebadtonguewhichheshookathisbetters。Iflybecausebeneficegone，andheadgoing；
　　notonaccountofthebadnessofmytongue。’
　　’Well，’saidI，’youcanreturnnow；theBourbonsarerestored。’
　　’Ifindmyselfverywellhere；notbadcountry。IlestvraiquelaFranceseratoujourslaFrance；butallaredeadtherewhoknewme。
　　Ifindmyselfverywellhere。Preachinpopishchapel，teachschismatic，thatisProtestant，childtonguesandliterature。I
　　findmyselfverywell；andwhy？BecauseIknowhowtogovernmytongue；nevercallpeoplehardnames。Mafoi，ilyabeaucoupdedifferenceentremoietcesacredeDante。’