"Excepting moonlight nights, when the venison is in season," said his

guest.

"'Exceptis excipiendis'" replied the hermit, "as our old abbot taught me

to say, when impertinent laymen should ask me if I kept every punctilio

of mine order."

"True, holy father," said the knight; "but the devil is apt to keep

an eye on such exceptions; he goes about, thou knowest, like a roaring

lion."

"Let him roar here if he dares," said the friar; "a touch of my cord

will make him roar as loud as the tongs of St Dunstan himself did. I

never feared man, and I as little fear the devil and his imps. Saint

Dunstan, Saint Dubric, Saint Winibald, Saint Winifred, Saint Swibert,

Saint Willick, not forgetting Saint Thomas a Kent, and my own poor

merits to speed, I defy every devil of them, come cut and long

tail.--But to let you into a secret, I never speak upon such subjects,

my friend, until after morning vespers."

He changed the conversation; fast and furious grew the mirth of the

parties, and many a song was exchanged betwixt them, when their revels

were interrupted by a loud knocking at the door of the hermitage.

The occasion of this interruption we can only explain by resuming the

adventures of another set of our characters; for, like old Ariosto, we

do not pique ourselves upon continuing uniformly to keep company with

any one personage of our drama.




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