nswering the bell, there were two which particularly pleased me, and
which belonged to an elderly yeoman and his wife, whom some little
business had brought to our law sanctuary. I believe they experienced
from me some kindness and attention, which won the old people's hearts.
So, one day, when their little business had been brought to a conclusion,
and they chanced to be alone with me, who was seated as usual behind the
deal desk in the outer room, the old man with some confusion began to
tell me how grateful himself and dame felt for the many attentions I had
shown them, and how desirous they were to make me some remuneration. "Of
course," said the old man, "we must be cautious what we offer to so fine
a young gentleman as yourself; we have, however, something we think will
just suit the occasion, a strange kind of thing which people say is a
book, though no one that my dame or myself have shown it to can make
anything out of it; so as we are told that you are a fine young
gentleman, who can read all the tongues of the earth and stars, as the
Bible says, we thought, I and my dame, that it would be just the thing
you would like; and my dame has it now at the bottom of her basket."

"A book," said I, "how did you come by it?"

"We live near the sea," said the old man; "so near that sometimes our
thatch is wet with the spray; and it may now be a year ago that there was
a fearful storm, and a ship was driven ashore during the night, and ere
the morn was a complete wreck. When we got up at daylight, there were
the poor shivering crew at our door; they were foreigners, red-haired
men, whose speech we did not understand; but we took them in, and warmed
them, and they remained with us three days; and when they went away they
left behind them this thing, here it is, part of the contents of a box
which was washed ashore."

"And did you learn who they were?"

"Why, yes; they made us understand that they were Danes."

Danes! thought I, Danes! and instantaneously, huge and grizly, appeared
to rise up before my vision the skull of the old pirate Dane, even as I
had seen it of yore in the pent-house of the ancient church to which,
with my mother and my brother, I had wandered on the memorable summer
eve.

And now the old man handed me the book; a strange and uncouth-looking
volume enough. It was not very large, but instead of the usual covering
was bound in wood, and was compressed with strong iron clasps. It was a
printe