poral power shall not be interfered with by monkish insolence! We are here as ambassador!" His spurs rang on the floor. " "Your pardon," said the abbot, a leather jerkin hardly revealed the ducal ambassador." " By the dress of camel-hair worn by John the Baptist! had I come in my shirt I should have been all too fine for your cowls." He put on his helmet. The plumes nodded. "Pay, that I may depart! The air is bad here-bad, very bad!" "Permit me," said the abbot, we let no one depart in wrath. You are severe, being empty. Partake of our repast. After that, business." To be invited to dinner as a reward for one's rudeness made some impression on the chamberlain. He took his helmet off. "The temporal power shall not be interfered with by monkish insolence." The abbot pointed through an open door. A rosy boy was turning a spit, and smacked his lips, for the rich scent of the roast made his mouth water. Covered dishes stood mysteriously in the background. A monk came from the cellar bearing a huge tankard. The sight was too alluring. Sir Spazzo forgot his official frown and accepted the invitation. At the third dish his insolence grew milder. The red Meersburger wine conquered any remnants of it. The red Meersburger was good. The red Meersburger was good. Sir Spazzo considered it no light matter to sit over his wine. He drank with obduracy, sat on his bench as though cast of iron, drank like a man-not with the carelessness of youth, but seriously and deep. "This wine is the most sensible thing about the convent," he had said when the first tankard showed bottom. "Presumably you have more." This was an overture of peace. The second tankard came. He drank to the abbot. "The temporal power shall not be interfered with!" "It shall not," said the abbot, with a side glance. The fifth hour of afternoon came, and a little bell rang in the cloister. "Your pardon," said the abbot, "it is the vesper hour. Will you pray with us?" "I prefer to await you here." In the tankard's deep cavity the wine stood high. Another hour passed. Sir Spazzo tried to recall the reason of his presence in the convent, and failed. The abbot returned. "How did you pass the time?" " Well!" said Sir Spazzo. The tankard was empty. " I do not know-" began the abbot. Surely!" said Sir Spazzo, and nodded vigorously. Then came another tankard. The red wine shone like fiery gold. An aureole glimmered about the abbot's head, Sir Spazzo thought. "By the life of the duchess," he said, "who are you?" "I beg your pardon?" said the abbot. The chamberlain recognized the voice. "Aha!" his fist thundered on the table, "the temporal power shall not be interfered with by monkish insolence!" "Of course not," said the abbot. The chamberlain felt a shooting pain in his forehead. He called it his "wakener." It came with wine; once, and his tongue was paralyzed; twice, and he lost his power of movement. Sir Spazzo rose. "The monks shall not see the tongue or legs of a ducal servant conquered by their wine," said he to himself. He stood squarely on his feet. "Hold!" said the abbot, "a stirrup-cup!" Still another tankard came. As Sir Spazzo tried to put it down, he stood it up serenely in mid-air. The tankard smashed down upon the floor. He clutched at the abbot's goblet, and emptied that. A sweet smile enwreathed the chamberlain's lips. He embraced the abbot. "Friend, brother, beloved old wine-barrel, how would you like me to poke you in the eye?" His tongue struggled, stammered, refused to move. He hugged the abbot closely, treading, booted and spurred, as he was, upon reverend toes. The abbot had been about to offer Sir Spazzo shelter for the night. The embrace changed his purpose. Sir Spazzo's horse stood in the courtyard. He mounted, then slipped off. At last he sat in the saddle. He pressed his helmet on his head, and grasped his reins. He fought his helpless tongue. For a moment he recovered his power of speech, and, dashing through the gate, he roared: "The temporal power shall not be interfered with by monkish insolence! "-" Ekkehard." Students' Songs THE Pope he leads a happy life; CHORUS He drinks the best of Rhenish wine- But then, all happy's not his life; The Sultan better pleases me; But even he's a wretched man; So, then, I'll hold my lowly stand, Whene'er my maiden kisses me, Credo For the sole edification I will sing a holy chant. Sang it so long ago. He, by custom patriarchal, By the kindly lips he loved. To combine love, song, wine, And sing as Martin Luther sang, As Doctor Martin Luther sang: "Who loves not woman, wine, and song, Remains a fool his whole life long!" |