"And what do I think which is not true?" exclaimed King Pedro, somewhat piqued.
"Well, your majesty thinks that I am the prior, and I am not."
The king was surprised at the ingenuity of the lay brother and pardoned the substitution, and heaped both with favours.
This proves that the fiercest men are overcome and appeased by the forces of ingenuity.
headpiece to The Captain's Exploit
THE CAPTAIN'S EXPLOIT
"What ruins are those which are to be seen on the top of that ridge?" asked a genteel captain of the policeman of a village.
"The accursed ruins!" answered the first authority of the village with extreme terror. "Many years ago," he said, "there used to be a fine castle there, inhabited by a feudal lord who was more avaricious than anybody in the world before. There stands his statue amidst the rubbish, and terrible stories are told about it which frighten all the neighbours.
"In the archives of the town several curious documents are kept, and if your worship, Sir Captain, wishes to read them, I will lend them to you with great pleasure."