170 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF FRAXCIS ARAGO. 



'' In a word, what country is it ?" 



I was afraid to answer, for tlie passports, steeped in viueg'ar, were in 

 the hands of the judge-instructor, and I had forgotten whether I was 

 from Schwekat or from Leoben. Finally I answered at all hazards: 



" I come from Schwekat.'" 



And this information happily was found to agree with that o-f the 

 passport. 



"You are as much from Schwekat as I am," answered the judge. 

 " You are Spanish, and, moreover, a Spaniard from the kingdom of 

 Valencia, as I perceive by your accent."' 



" Would you i)unish me, sir, because nature has endowed me with 

 the gift of languages? I learn with facility the dialects of those coun- 

 tries through which I ])ass in the exercise of my trade ; I have learned, 

 for example, the dialect of Iviza." 



" Very well, you shall be taken at your word. 1 see here a soldier 

 from Iviza ; you shall hold a conversation with him." 



" I consent ; I will even sing the goat song." 



Each of the verses of this song (if verses they be) terminates by, an 

 imitation of the bleating of the goat. 



I commenced at once, with an audacity at which I really feel aston- 

 ished, to chant this air, which is sung by all the shepherds of the island: 



Ah graciatla senora 

 Uua cauzo bouil canta 

 Be, be, be, be. 

 No sera gaira pulida 

 Nose si vos agiadara 

 Bh, hh, be, hh. 



At once my Ivizacan, upon whom this air had the effect of the ra??r 

 cles vachcs on the Swiss, declared, all in tears, that I was a native of 

 Iviza. 



I then said to the judge that if he would put me in communication 

 with a person knowing the French language, he would arrive at just as 

 embarrassing a result. An emigre oflicer of the Bourbon regiment offered 

 at dnce to make the experiment, and, after some phrases interchanged 

 between us, aflirmed without hesitation that I was French. 



The judge, rendered impatient, exclaimed, "Let us put an end to 

 these trials which decide nothing. I summon you, sir, to tell me who 

 you are. I i)romise that your life will be safe if you answer me with 

 sincerity." 



" My greatest wish would be to give an answer to your satisfaction. 

 I will, then, try to do so; but I warn you that I am not going to tell 

 you the truth. I am the son of the innkeeper at Mataro." "I know 

 that innkeeper; you are not his son." "You are right. I announced 

 to you that I should vary my answers until one of them should suit you. 

 I retract then, and tell you that lam a titiretero (player of marionettes) 

 and that I practiced at Lerida." 



