Your Dane is a good joker and a hearty bottle companion." "In that the Englishman surpasseth all! If I were to relate their powers of living in this manner, dear friends, ye would discredit me.

That which I have seen often, seemeth impossible even to myself.

'Tis a gloomy abode, and one that we of Italy little like, in common." "Name it not in comparison with Holland--wert ever in Holland, friends?
didst ever enjoy the fashion of Amsterdam and the Hague?
I remember to have heard a young Roman urge a friend to pass a winter there; for the witty rogue termed it the beau-ideal of the land of petticoats!" The three old Italians, in whom this sally excited a multitude of absurd recollections and pleasant fancies, broke out into a general and hearty fit of laughter.

The sound of their cracked merriment, echoing in that gloomy and solemn room, suddenly recalled them to the recollection of their duties.

Each listened an instant, as if in expectation that some extraordinary consequence was to follow so extraordinary an interruption of the usual silence of the place, like a child whose truant propensities were about to draw detection on his offence, and then the principal of the council furtively wiped the tears from his eyes, and resumed his gravity.
"Signori," he said, fumbling in a bundle of papers, "we must take up the matter of the fisherman--but we will first inquire into the circumstance of the signet left the past night in the lion's mouth.