XV + 

How the Warden Interpreted God’s Commandments + 

On the evening of this unlucky day the Dean and the Warden came to talk for an hour or two with Heraclius in his study. The Doctor straightway told them of his embarrassing position and explained to them how quails and other edible animals were now prohibited to him just as ham was to a Jew. Whereupon the Dean, who no doubt had had a bad dinner, lost all control and blasphemed in such a terrible way that the poor Doctor, although he respected him even while deploring his blindness, did not know where to hide himself. As for the Warden, he entirely approved of Heraclius’ scruples pointing out to him that a disciple of Pythagoras who fed on the flesh of animals would expose himself to the risk of eating his father’s ribs garnished with mushrooms or the truffled feet of his ancestor; and he quoted in support of his case the Fourth Commandment of the Christian God: + 

“ ‘Honour thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long in the land⁠ ⁠…’ ” + 

“It is true,” he added, “that I, who am not a believer, rather than let myself die of hunger, would prefer to change the divine precept slightly⁠—or rather to replace it by this: + 

“ ‘Devour thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long in the land.’ ” + 