you see, as a Parliament cove might say, speechifying from a barrel to a set of flats, whom he means to sell. Come, what do you think of the plan?" "It's a very ingenious one," said I. "A'n't it?" said the landlord. "The folks in this neighbourhood are beginning to call me old fool, but if they don't call me something else, when they sees me friends with the brewer, and money in my pocket, my name is not Catchpole. Come, drink your ale, and go home to the young gentlewoman." "I am going," said I, rising from my seat, after finishing the remainder of the ale. "Do you think she'll have any objection?" said the landlord. "To do what?" said I. "Why, to fight cross." "Yes, I do," said I. "But you will do your best to persuade her?" "No, I will not," said I. "Are you fool enough to wish to fight fair?" "No," said I, "I am wise enough to wish not to fight at all." "And how's my brewer to be paid?" said the landlord. "I really don't know," said I. "I'll change my religion," said the landlord. CHAPTER XII.--ANOTHER VISIT FROM THE MAN IN BLACK: HIS ESTIMATE OF MEZZOFANTE. One evening Belle and myself received another visit from the man in black. After a little conversation of not much importance, I asked him whether he would not take some refreshment, assuring him that I was now in possession of some very excellent Hollands which, with a glass, a jug of water, and a lump of sugar, were heartily at his service; he accepted my offer, and Belle going with a jug to the spring, from which she was in the habit of procuring water for tea, speedily returned with it full of the clear, delicious water of which I have already spoken. Having placed the jug by the side of the man in black, she brought him a glass and spoon, and a teacup, the latter containing various lumps of snowy-white sugar: in the meantime I had produced a bottle of the stronger liquid. The man in black helped himself to some water, and likewise to some Hollands, the proportion of water being about two-thirds; then adding a lump of sugar, he stirred the whole up, tasted it, and said that it was good. "This is one of the good things of life," he added, after a short pause. "What are the others?" I demanded. "There is Malvoisia sack," said the man in black, "and partridge, and beccafico." "And what do you say to high mass?" said I. "High mass!" said the man in black; "however," he continued, after a pause, "I will be frank with you; I came to be so; I may have heard high mass on a time, and said it too; but as for any predilection for it, I assure you I have no more than for a long High Church sermon." "You speak a la Margutte?" said I. "Margutte!" said the man in black, musingly. "Margutte?" "You have read Pulci, I suppose?" said I. "Yes, yes," said the man in black, laughing; "I remember." "He might be rendered into English," said I, "something in this style:--