Page:Walter Scott - The Monastery (Henry Frowde, 1912).djvu/45

 suddenly finds himself a scholar when he came to teach, and nothing was left for me but to pick up as much of his conversation as I could, for the benefit of the next company. I told, indeed, Allan Ramsay's story of the Monk and Miller's Wife, in order to retreat with some honour under cover of a parting volley. Here, however, my flank was again turned by the eternal stranger.

'You are pleased to be facetious, sir,' said he; 'but you cannot be ignorant that the ludicrous incident you mentioned is the subject of a tale much older than that of Allan Ramsay.'

I nodded, unwilling to acknowledge my ignorance, though, in fact, I knew no more what he meant than did one of my friend David's post-horses.

'I do not allude,' continued my omniscient companion, 'to the curious poem published by Pinkerton from the Maitland Manuscript, called the Fryars of Berwick, although it presents a very minute and amusing picture of Scottish manners during the reign of James V; but rather to the Italian novelist, by whom, so far as I know, the story was first printed, although unquestionably he first took his original from some ancient fabliau.'

'It is not to be doubted,' answered I, not very w ell understanding, however, the proposition to which I gave such unqualified assent.

'Yet,' continued my companion, 'I question much, had you known my situation and profession, whether you would have pitched upon this precise anecdote for my amusement.'

This observation he made in a tone of perfect good humour. I pricked up my ears at the hint, and answered as politely as I could, that my ignorance of his condition and rank could be the only cause of my having stumbled on anything disagreeable; and that I was most willing to apologize for my unintentional offence, so soon as I should know wherein it consisted.

'Nay, no offence, sir,' he replied; 'offence can only exist where it is taken. I have been too long accustomed