OFTHEDIVERTINGANDIMPORTANTSCRUTINYWHICHTHECURATEANDTHEBARBERMADEINTHELIBRARYOFOURINGENIOUSGENTLEMAN
Hewasstillsleeping; sothecurateaskedthenieceforthekeysoftheroomwherethebooks, theauthorsofallthemischief, were, , thehousekeeperwiththem, andfoundmorethanahundredvolumesofbigbooksverywellbound, , andcamebackimmediatelywithasaucerofholywaterandasprinkler, saying, "Here, yourworship, senorlicentiate, sprinklethisroom; don'tleaveanymagicianofthemanythereareinthesebookstobewitchusinrevengeforourdesignofbanishingthemfromtheworld."
Thesimplicityofthehousekeepermadethelicentiatelaugh, andhedirectedthebarbertogivehimthebooksonebyonetoseewhattheywereabout, astheremightbesometobefoundamongthemthatdidnotdeservethepenaltyoffire.
"No," saidtheniece, "thereisnoreasonforshowingmercytoanyofthem; theyhaveeveryoneofthemdonemischief; betterflingthemoutofthewindowintothecourtandmakeapileofthemandsetfiretothem; orelsecarrythemintotheyard, andthereabonfirecanbemadewithoutthesmokegivinganyannoyance." Thehousekeepersaidthesame, soeagerweretheybothfortheslaughterofthoseinnocents, butthecuratewouldnotagreetoitwithoutfirstreadingatanyratethetitles.
ThefirstthatMasterNicholasputintohishandwas "ThefourbooksofAmadisofGaul." "Thisseemsamysteriousthing," saidthecurate, "for, asIhaveheardsay, thiswasthefirstbookofchivalryprintedinSpain, andfromthisalltheothersderivetheirbirthandorigin; soitseemstomethatweoughtinexorablytocondemnittotheflamesasthefounderofsovileasect."
