DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70267#0317
VENTRILOQUISM.
2SI
As I was now aware of the cause, I believe, said I to him,
that you mean to speak to me as a ventriloquist. He re-
turned for .answer only a smile ; but while I was pointing
out to him the supposed direction of the voice, which to
me seemed to come through the floor from the top of the
opposite house, I again heard very distinctly the same
voice which said, it is not on that side, and seemed now to
proceed from the corner of the chamber where we were
sitting, .and to rise from the ground. I could not get the
better of my astonishment; the voice seemed to be abso-
lutely annihilated in the mouth of the ventriloquist; it ap-
peared as if shifting its quarters at his pleasure, and coming
and going as it had a mind. But if the foregoing scene
was singular, the following was infinitely more curious.
This ventriloquist happened to be walking with an old
military man, who always assumed a stately air as he went
along.—His discourse was ever about sieges and battles,
and he Jiimself was sure to be the hero of the campaign.
To repress this inordinate vanity, Gille took it into his
head to give him a dose in his own way ; since nothing is
more amusing than a vain man set in action. Being ar-
rived in a bye-place, near the borders of a forest, our sol-
dier imagined that he heard some one from the top of a
tree cry out, “ It is not every one that wears a sword
knows how to make use of it.” “ Who is that im-
pudent fellow7 ?” (asked the son of Mars.) “ Probably,
(rejoined the other) it is some shepherd a bird-nesting.”—
<£ Come hither, (then exclaimed the voice, which now
seemed to descend along the tree,) come hither, if
you be not afraid 1” “ As for that, (returned the soldier,
with a .most martial air, and setting himself in a posture
of attack,) I shall soon make you easy!” What
are you about then ? (cried Gille, taking him by the arm,)
Do not you know that you will be made game of ?” “ A
bullying air is not always the sign of true courage,” (in-
terrupted
2SI
As I was now aware of the cause, I believe, said I to him,
that you mean to speak to me as a ventriloquist. He re-
turned for .answer only a smile ; but while I was pointing
out to him the supposed direction of the voice, which to
me seemed to come through the floor from the top of the
opposite house, I again heard very distinctly the same
voice which said, it is not on that side, and seemed now to
proceed from the corner of the chamber where we were
sitting, .and to rise from the ground. I could not get the
better of my astonishment; the voice seemed to be abso-
lutely annihilated in the mouth of the ventriloquist; it ap-
peared as if shifting its quarters at his pleasure, and coming
and going as it had a mind. But if the foregoing scene
was singular, the following was infinitely more curious.
This ventriloquist happened to be walking with an old
military man, who always assumed a stately air as he went
along.—His discourse was ever about sieges and battles,
and he Jiimself was sure to be the hero of the campaign.
To repress this inordinate vanity, Gille took it into his
head to give him a dose in his own way ; since nothing is
more amusing than a vain man set in action. Being ar-
rived in a bye-place, near the borders of a forest, our sol-
dier imagined that he heard some one from the top of a
tree cry out, “ It is not every one that wears a sword
knows how to make use of it.” “ Who is that im-
pudent fellow7 ?” (asked the son of Mars.) “ Probably,
(rejoined the other) it is some shepherd a bird-nesting.”—
<£ Come hither, (then exclaimed the voice, which now
seemed to descend along the tree,) come hither, if
you be not afraid 1” “ As for that, (returned the soldier,
with a .most martial air, and setting himself in a posture
of attack,) I shall soon make you easy!” What
are you about then ? (cried Gille, taking him by the arm,)
Do not you know that you will be made game of ?” “ A
bullying air is not always the sign of true courage,” (in-
terrupted