"What Nonsense you learned Men sometimes talk!" pursues _Father_. "I--wanted at Court, quotha! Fancy a dozen starving Men with one roasted Pig betweene them;--do you think they would be really glad to see a Thirteenth come up, with an eye to a small Piece of the Crackling? No; believe me, there is none that Courtiers are more sincerelie respectfull to than the Man who avows he hath no Intention of attempting to go Shares; and e'en him they care mighty little about, for they love none with true Tendernesse save themselves." "We shall see you at Court yet," says _Erasmus_. Sayth _Father_, "Then I will tell you in what Guise. With a Fool's Cap and Bells. Pish! I won't aggravate you, Churchman as you are, by alluding to the Blessings I have which you have not; and I trow there is as much Danger in taking you for serious when you are onlie playful and ironicall as if you were _Plato_ himself." Sayth _Erasmus_, after some Minutes' Silence, "I know full well that you holde _Plato_, in manie Instances, to be sporting when I accept him in very Deed and Truth. _Speculating_ he often was; as a brighte, pure Flame must needs be struggling up, and, if it findeth no direct Vent, come forthe of the Oven's Mouth. He was like a Man shut into a Vault, running hither and thither, with his poor, flickering Taper, agonizing to get forthe, and holding himself in readinesse to make a Spring forward the Moment a Door should open. But it never did. 'Not manie Wise are called.' He had clomb a Hill in the Darke, and stoode calling to his Companions below, 'Come on, come on! this Way lies the East; I am avised we shall see the Sun rise anon.' But they never did. What a Christian he woulde have made! Ah! he is one now. He and _Socrates_--the Veil long removed from their Eyes--are sitting at _Jesus'_ Feet. _Sancte Socrates, ora pro nobis!_" _Bessie_ and I exchanged Glances at this so strange Ejaculation; but the Subjeckt was of such Interest, that we listened with deep Attention to what followed.