Montanus.  No, little mother, he did something worse than that; he openly confounded materiam cum forma.

Nille.  Plague take him!

Montanus.  Does the fellow imagine that he can dispute?

Nille.  The devil he can!

Montanus.  Not to mention the mistake he made in his Proemio, when he said “Lectissimi et doctissimi auditores.”

Nille.  What a fool he must be!

Montanus.  For putting “lectissimi” in front of “doctissimi,” when “lectissimi” is a predicate, one can give a Deposituro.

Nille.  But didn’t you get a chance to talk with Jeronimus, my son?

Montanus.  No, just as I was about to go into the house, I saw the fellow passing by the gate, and as we knew each other, I went out to speak to him, whereupon we immediately began to talk of learned matters, and finally to dispute, so that I had to postpone my visit.

Nille.  I am very much afraid that Monsieur Jeronimus will be offended when he hears that my son has been in his yard, but went away without talking with him.

Montanus.  Well, I can’t help that.  When any one attacks philosophy, he attacks my honor.  I am fond of Mademoiselle Lisbed, but my Metaphysica and my Logica have priority.

Nille.  Oh, my dear son, what did I hear?  Are you engaged to two other girls in Copenhagen?  That will be a bad business in the matrimonial courts.

MONTANURS.  You don’t understand me; I didn’t mean it in that way.  They are not two girls, but two sciences.

Nille.  Oh, that is another matter.  But here comes the bailiff.  Don’t be angry any more.

Montanus.  I can’t be angry with him, for he is a simple, ignorant man, with whom I cannot get into a dispute.

SCENE 3

Enter Jeppe and Jesper the Bailiff.

Jeppe.  Serviteur, Monsieur.  I congratulate you on your arrival.

Montanus.  I thank you, Mr. Bailiff.

Jesper.  I am glad that we have such a learned man here in the village.  It must have cost you many a racking of the brain to have advanced so far.  I congratulate you, too, Jeppe Berg, upon your son.  Now, happiness has come to you in your old age.

Jeppe.  Yes, that is true.

Jesper.  But listen, my dear Monsieur Rasmus, I should like to ask you something.

Montanus.  My name is Montanus.

Jesper (aside to Jeppe).  Montanus? is that the Latin for Rasmus?

Jeppe.  Yes, it must be.

Jesper.  Listen, my dear Monsieur Montanus Berg.  I have heard that learned folk have such extraordinary ideas.  Is it true that people in Copenhagen think the earth is round?  Here on the hill no one believes it; for how can that be, when the earth looks perfectly flat?