over with hieroglyphics, stood a china vase. The eyes of the old man
were fixed upon it.

'Sit down,' said he, motioning me with his hand to a stool close by, but
without taking his eyes from the vase. 'I can't make it out,' said he,
at last, removing his eyes from the vase, and leaning back on the
chair--'I can't make it out.'

'I wish I could assist you,' said I.

'Assist me,' said the old man, looking at me, with a half smile.

'Yes,' said I, 'but I don't understand Chinese.'

'I suppose not,' said the old man, with another slight smile;
'but--but--'

'Pray proceed,' said I.

'I wished to ask you,' said the old man, 'how you knew that the
characters on yon piece of crockery were Chinese; or, indeed, that there
was such a language?'

'I knew the crockery was china,' said I, 'and naturally enough supposed
what was written upon it to be Chinese; as for there being such a
language--the English have a language, the French have a language, and
why not the Chinese?'

'May I ask you a question?'

'As many as you like.'

'Do you know any language besides English?'

'Yes,' said I, 'I know a little of two or three.'

'May I ask their names?'

'Why not?' said I. 'I know a little French.'

'Anything else?'

'Yes, a little Welsh, and a little Haik.'

'What is Haik?'

'Armenian.'

'I am glad to see you in my house,' said the old man, shaking me by the
hand; 'how singular that one coming as you did should know Armenian!'

'Not more singular,' said I, 'than that one living in such a place as
this should know Chinese. How came you to acquire it?'

The old man looked at me, and sighed. 'I beg pardon,' said I, 'for
asking what is, perhaps, an impertinent question; I have not imitated
your own delicacy; you have never asked me a question without first
desiring permission, and here I have been days and nights in your house
an intruder on your hospitality, and you have never so much as asked me
who I am.'

'In forbearing to do that,' said the old man, 'I merely obeyed the
Chinese precept: "Ask no questions of a guest;" it is written on both
sides of the teapot out of which you have had your tea.'

'I wish I knew Chinese,' said I. 'Is it a difficult language to
acquire?'

'I have reason to think so,' said the old man. 'I have been occupied
upon it five-and-thirty years, and I am still very imperfectly acquainted
with it; at least, I frequently find upon my crockery sentences the
meaning of which to