The humorist tells his story gravely, concealing the fact that he even dimly suspects there is anything funny about it. The comic storyteller, however, announces beforehand that his story is one of the funniest he has ever heard. He blurts it out with impatient delight and is the first person to laugh when he gets through. Sometimes, if he has good listeners, he is so glad and happy that he will repeat the "nub" of the story and glance around from face to face, collecting applause. It is a pathetic thing to see.

Q. Write the adjective from the paragraph which expresses the author's judgment of the comic storyteller.