I made no answer.

'We of Rome,' said the man in black, 'know two or three things of which
the heretics are quite ignorant. For example, there are those amongst
us--those, too, who do not pretend to be philologists--who know what
"amen" is, and, moreover, how we got it. We got it from our ancestors,
the priests of ancient Rome; and they got the word from their ancestors
of the East, the priests of Buddh and Brahma.'

'And what is the meaning of the word?' I demanded.

'"Amen,"' said the man in black, 'is a modification of the old Hindoo
formula, Omani batsikhom, by the almost ceaseless repetition of which the
Indians hope to be received finally to the rest or state of forgetfulness
of Buddh or Brahma. A foolish practice, you will say, but are you
heretics much wiser, who are continually sticking amen to the end of your
prayers, little knowing when you do so that you are consigning yourselves
to the repose of Buddh? Oh, what hearty laughs our missionaries have had
when comparing the eternally sounding Eastern gibberish of Omani
batsikhom, Omani batsikhom, and the Ave Maria and Amen Jesus of our own
idiotical devotees.'

'I have nothing to say about the Ave Marias and Amens of your
superstitious devotees,' said I; 'I dare say that they use them
nonsensically enough, but in putting amen to the end of a prayer we
merely intend to express, "So let it be."'

'It means nothing of the kind,' said the man in black, 'and the Hindoos
might just as well put your national oath at the end of their prayers, as
perhaps they will after a great many thousand years, when English is
forgotten, and only a few words of it remembered by dim tradition without
being understood. How strange if, after the lapse of four thousand
years, the Hindoos should damn themselves to the blindness so dear to
their present masters, even as their masters at present consign
themselves to the forgetfulness so dear to the Hindoos. But my glass has
been empty for a considerable time, perhaps, Bellissima Biondina,' said
he, addressing Belle, 'you will deign to replenish it?'

'I shall do no such thing,' said Belle, 'you have drank quite enough, and
talked more than enough, and to tell you the truth, I wish you would
leave us alone.'

'Shame on you, Belle!' said I; 'consider the obligations of hospitality.'

'I am sick of that word,' said Belle; 'you are so frequently misusing it.
Were this place not Mumpers' Dingle, and consequently as free to the
fe