, COLLOQUY. 21 



"Who are you, Sir?" To this I did 

 not deign an answer, when he loudly 

 added, "What are you, Sir?" 



To this question I should have been 

 puzzled to give an answer to a more 

 polite inquirer ; but judging from the 

 man's appearance that he must be a 

 maniac, and knowing from experience 

 that it was better to please than to 

 tease either a fool or a madman, I 

 deliberately took off my hat, and bowing, 

 said 



" That can be of no importance to so 

 great a man." 



Upon this the crowd set up a loud 

 laugh, which I was willing to accept as 

 a sort of recognition of my ignorance of 

 the man's character, when he, turning 

 round, with a knowing shake of his head 

 to them, observed 



"He knows how to behave to his 

 superiors, you see." 



I have since heard many facetious 



