Alas! I would the learned gentleman did but know how difficult it is
for us dealers in petty wares of antiquity to--
Pluck from our memories a rooted "legend,"
Raze out the written records of our brain.
Or cleanse our bosoms of that perilous stuff--
and so forth. It would, I am sure, move his pity to think how many old
dogs he hath set to learn new tricks, how many venerable parrots he
hath taught to sing a new song, how many gray heads he hath addled by
vain attempts to exchange their old _Mumpsimus_ for his new
_Sumpsimus_. But let it pass. _Humana perpessi sumus_--All
changes round us, past, present, and to come; that which was history
yesterday becomes fable to-day, and the truth of to-day is hatched
into a lie by to-morrow.
Finding myself like to be overpowered in the Monastery, which I had
hitherto regarded as my citadel, I began, like a skilful general, to
evacuate that place of defence, and fight my way through the adjacent
country. I had recourse to my acquaintance with the families and
antiquities of the neighbourhood, ground on which I thought I might
skirmish at large without its being possible for the stranger to meet
me with advantage. But I was mistaken.
The man in the iron-gray suit showed a much more minute knowledge of
these particulars than I had the least pretension to. He could tell
the very year in which the family of De Haga first settled on their
ancient barony.
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