THE NIGHTINGALE. 229 



Extraordinary Slory. 



is true. The nightingales were placed separately, 

 so that each was shut up by itself in a dark cage. 

 It happened at that time, being the spring of the 

 year, when those birds are wont to sing indefati- 

 gably, that I was so afflicted with the stone that 

 I could sleep but very little all night. It was 

 usual then about midnight, when there was no 

 noise in the house, but all still, to hear the two 

 nightingales jangling, and talking with each 

 other, and plainly imitating mens' discourses, 

 for my part, I was almost astonished with won- 

 der, for at this time, when all was quiet else, they 

 held conference together, and repeated whatever 

 they had heard among the guests by clay. Those 

 two of them that were most notable, and masters 

 of this art, were scarce ten foot distant from one 

 another. The third hung more remote, so that 

 I could not so well hear it as I lay a-bed. But 

 it is wonderful to tell how those two provoked 

 each other; and by answering, invited and drew 

 one another to speak. Yet did they not con- 

 found their words, or talk both together, but 

 rather utter them alternately and of course. Be- 

 sides the daily discourse of the guests they 

 chanted out two stories, which generally held them 

 from midnight till morning; and that with such 

 modulations and inflections, that no man could 

 have taken to come from such little creatures. 

 When I asked the host if they had been taught, 

 or whether he heard them talking in the night, 

 he answered, no: the same said the whole family. 



