"Scandalous!" exclaimed the podestà, in hotter zeal than it was usual
for him to betray.

"Nay, worthy Vito Viti, it is even so," interrupted the deputy, with a
wave of the hand that was as authoritative as the concession was
liberal, and indicative of a spirit enlightened by study; "the fact must
be conceded. There is the fable of Hercules and the wagoner to confirm
it. Did our men first strive, and then pray, more would be done than by
first praying and then striving; and now, Signor Capitano, a word on
your language, of which I have some small knowledge, and which,
doubtless, you speak like a native."

"Sairtain_lee_," answered the captain, with perfect self-composure,
changing the form of speech from the Italian to the English with a
readiness that proved how strong he felt himself on this point; "one
cannot fail to speak ze tongue of his own muzzair."

This was said without any confusion of manner, and with an accent that
might very well mislead a foreigner, and it sounded imposing to the
vice-governatore, who felt a secret consciousness that he could not have
uttered such a sentence to save his own life, without venturing out of
his depth; therefore, he pursued the discourse in Italian.

"Your language, Signore," observed Andrea Barrofaldi, with warmth, "is
no doubt a very noble one, for the language in which Shakespeare and
Milton wrote cannot be else; but you will permit me to say that it has a
uniformity of sound, with words of different letters, that I find as
unreasonable as it is embarrassing to a foreigner."