nto _English_ by the Translator of the
First Volume. The Eleventh Edition. London: Printed for G. Strahan,
S. Ballard"--and a score of booksellers--"MDCCXLI." Heavens knows why he
read it; since he understood about one-half, and admired less than
one-tenth. The Oriental reflections struck him as mainly blasphemous.
But the Gaffer's religious belief marked down nine-tenths of mankind for
perdition: which perhaps made him tolerant. At any rate, he read on
gravely between the puffs of his short clay--

"_On the 19th of this Moon, the King and the whole Court were
present at a Ballet, representing the grandeur of the_ French
_monarchy. About the Middle of the Entertainment, there was an
Antique Dance perform d by twelve Masqueraders, in the suppos'd
form of_ Daemons. _But before they had advanc'd far in their
Dance, they found an Interloper amongst 'em, who by encreasing
the Number to thirteen, put them quite out of their Measure:
For they practise every Step and Motion beforehand, till they are
perfect. Being abash'd therefore at the unavoidable Blunders the
thirteenth Antique made them commit, they stood still like Fools,
gazing at one another: None daring to unmask, or speak a Word;
for that would have put all the Spectators into a Disorder and
Confusion_. Cardinal Mazarini _(who was the chief Contriver of these
Entertainments, to divert the King from more serious Thoughts) stood
close by the young Monarch, with the Scheme of the Ballet in his
Hand. Knowing therefore that this Dance was to consist but of
twelve Antiques, and taking notice that there were actually
thirteen, he at first imputed it to some Mistake. But, afterwards,
when he perceived the Confusion of the Dancers, he made a more
narrow Enquiry into the Cause of this Disorder. To be brief, they
convinced the_ Cardinal _that it could be no Error of theirs, by a
kind of Demonstration, in that they had but twelve Antique Dresses
of that sort, which were made on purpose for this particular Ballet.
That which made it seem the greater Mystery was, that when they came
behind the Scenes to uncase, and examine the Matter, they found but
twelve Antiques, whereas on the Stage there were thirteen . . ._"

"Let him say it. Let him say he didn't mean it, the rotten Irishman!"

Cooney flung a leg wearily over the side of his hammock, jerked himself
out,