“Ulpian, I think, from the style,” replied Miller; and Robin tacitly admitted Ulpian into the company of Early Fathers.
“I have a lot of these cards,” said Miller; “my friend supplies me with the Common Room anecdotes in this inexpensive manner. Here is another, which I give in English—for the sake of the Inspector:”
A certain undergraduate, erudite and devout, Puseyite and Augustan, went to his Father-Confessor; and, the secrets of his heart having been revealed, asked for absolution not without penance.
“Thou hast erred, my son,” said the priest, devout but not erudite; “go to thy chamber and recite the Attendĩte.”
“It is short, father,” said the young man shuddering.
“Then say it twice,” replied the Confessor with placid countenance.
“What is the Attendĩte?” I asked.
“The 78th Psalm, ‘Attendĩte, popule,’ ‘Hear My law, O ye people’; 15th evening, don’t you know?”
“Short!” said Goodfellow: “it’s 73 verses!”
And he hasn’t seen the joke yet.