Peer.  But if you can be convinced that what you believe is false, do you consider it a sin to give up your opinion?

Montanus.  Prove to me that it is false, and that methodice.

Peer.  That is an easy thing for me to do.  Now, a great many fine people live here in the village:  first, your father-in-law, who has become distinguished by the mere use of his pen; next, myself, unworthy man, who have been deacon here for fourteen full years; then this good man, the bailiff, besides the parish constable, and various other good men established here who have paid their taxes and land rent in both good times and bad.

Montanus.  That’s the deuce of a syllogismus.  What does all such nonsense lead to?

Peer.  I’m coming to that directly.  I say, just ask any one of these good men who live here in the village and see if any of them will agree with you that the world is round.  I’m sure a man ought to believe what so many say, rather than what only one says.  Ergo, you are wrong.

Montanus.  You may bring all the people on the hill and let them oppose me both in this matter and others, and I shall close the mouths of all of them.  Such people have no convictions; they must believe what I and other folk say.

Peer.  But if you should say the moon was made of green cheese, would they believe that, too?

Montanus.  Why not?  Tell me, what do the people here think you are?

Peer.  They believe that I am a good, honest man and deacon here in this place; which is true.

Montanus.  And I say it is a lie.  I say you are a cock, and I shall prove it, as surely as two and three make five.

Peer.  The devil you will!  Now, how can I be a cock?  How can you prove that?

Montanus.  Can you tell me anything to prevent you from being one?

Peer.  In the first place I can talk; a cock cannot talk; ergo, I am not a cock.

Montanus.  Talking does not prove anything.  A parrot or a starling can talk, too; that does not make them human beings by any means.

Peer.  I can prove it from something else besides talking.  A cock has no human intelligence.  I have human intelligence; ergo, I am not a cock.

Montanus.  Proba minorem.

Jesper.  Aw, talk Danish.

Montanus.  I want him to prove that he has the intelligence of a human being.

Peer.  See here, I discharge the duties of my office irreproachably, don’t I?

Montanus.  What are the main duties of your office wherein you show human intelligence?

Peer.  First, I never forget to ring for service at the hour appointed.

Montanus.  Nor does a cock forget to crow and make known the hour and tell people when to get up.

Peer.  Second, I can sing as well as any deacon in Sjaelland.