corsair's crew! At Rosas the
prisoners were brought before an officer for interrogation. It was now
Arago's turn. The officer begins:--

"'Who are you?'

"'A poor traveling merchant.'

"'From whence do you come?'

"'From a country where you certainly have never been.'

"'Well--from what country?'

"I feared to answer; for the passports (steeped in vinegar to prevent
infection) were in the officer's hands, and I had entirely forgotten
whether I was from Schwekat or from Leoben. Finally I answered at a
chance, 'I am from Schwekat;' fortunately this answer agreed with
the passport.

"'You're from Schwekat about as much as I am,' said the officer: 'you're
a Spaniard, and a Spaniard from Valencia to boot, as I can tell by
your accent.'

"'Sir, you are inclined to punish me simply because I have by nature
the gift of languages. I readily learn the dialects of the various
countries where I carry on my trade. For example, I know the dialect
of Iviza.'

"'Well, I will take you at your word. Here is a soldier who comes from
Iviza. Talk to him.'

"'Very well; I will even sing the goat-song.'

"The verses of this song (if one may call them verses) are separated by
the imitated bleatings of the goat. I began at once, with an audacity
which even now astonishes me, to intone the song which all the shepherds
in Iviza sing:--

Ah graciada Senora,
Una canzo bouil canta,
Be be be be.
No sera gaiva pulida,
Nose si vos agradara,
Be be be be.

"Upon which my Ivizan avouches, in tears, that I am certainly from
Iviza. The song had affected him as a Switzer is affected by the 'Ranz
des Vaches.' I then said to the officer that if he would bring to me a
person who could speak French, he would find the same embarrassment in
this case also. An emigre of the Bourbon regiment comes forward for the
new experiment, and after a few phrases affirms without hesitation that
I am surely a Frenchman. The officer begins to be impatient.

"'Have done with these trials: they prove nothing. I require you to tell
me who you are.'

"'My foremost desire is to find an answer which will satisfy you. I am
the son of the innkeeper at Mataro.'

"'I know that man: you are not his son.'

"'You are right: I told you that I should change my answers till I found
one to suit you. I am a marionette player from Lerida.'

"A huge laugh from the crowd which had listened to the interrogatory put
an end to the ques