Messeurs Iffven and Gaudian

    "Oh no," replied the counsellor; "I can only discourse on
topics which every one should understand."

    "Modestia is a beautiful virtue," said the man. "Moreover,
I must add to your speech mihi secus videtur; yet in this case
I would suspend my judicium."

    "May I ask to whom I have the pleasure of speaking?"

    "I am a Bachelor of Divinity," said the man. This answer
satisfied the counsellor. The title agreed with the dress.

    "This is surely," thought he, "an old village
schoolmaster, a perfect original, such as one meets with
sometimes even in Jutland."

    "This is not certainly a locus docendi," began the man;
"still I must beg you to continue the conversation. You must
be well read in ancient lore."

    "Oh yes," replied the counsellor; "I am very fond of
reading useful old books, and modern ones as well, with the
exception of every-day stories, of which we really have more
than enough.

    "Every-day stories?" asked the bachelor.

    "Yes, I mean the new novels that we have at the present
day."

    "Oh," replied the man, with a smile; "and yet they are
very witty, and are much read at Court. The king likes
especially the romance of , which
describes King Arthur and his knights of the round table. He
has joked about it with the gentlemen of his Court."

    "Well, I have certainly not read that," replied the
counsellor. "I suppose it is quite new, and published by
Heiberg."

    "No," answered the man, "it is not by Heiberg; Godfred von
Gehman brought it out."

    "Oh, is he the publisher? That is a very old name," said
the counsellor; "was it not the name of the first publisher in
Denmark?"

    "Yes; and he is our first printer and publisher now,"
replied the scholar.