others reap the credit.  Recently the Bishop of Arras even asked you to write in German what he dictated in French, although you are in the regent’s service, and just at that time you were transposing the old church songs for the boy choir.  I regret to see you do such tradesmen’s work without adequate reward.  Why, even if her Majesty would give you a fat living or appoint you to the imperial council which directs musical affairs in the Netherlands!  Pardon me, Sir Wolf!  But give people an inch, and they take an ell, and your ever ready obligingness will injure you, for the harder it is to win a thing the higher its value becomes.  You made yourself too cheap at court here people will surely know how to put a higher value upon a man who is equally skilful in Netherland, Italian, and German music.  In counterpoint you are little inferior to Maestro Gombert, and, besides, you play as many instruments as you have fingers on your hands.  We all like to have you lead us, because you do it with such delicate taste and comprehension, and, moreover, with a vigour which one would scarcely expect from you.  You will not lack patrons.  Look around you here or elsewhere for a position as leader of an orchestra.  Goinbert, to relieve himself a little, would like to have de Hondt come from Antwerp to Brussels.  His place would be the very one for you if you find nothing worthy of you here, where you have a house of your own and other things that bind you to the city.”

“Here I should probably be obliged to crowd somebody else out of one in order to obtain a position,” replied Wolf, “and I am unwilling to do so.”

“You are wrong,” cried the violinist.  “The course of the world causes the stronger—­and that you are—­to take precedence of the weaker.  Learn at last to give up this modest withdrawal and elbow your way forward!”

“Pressing and jostling are not in my nature;” replied Wolf with a slight shrug of the shoulders.  “Since I may hope to be relieved of anxiety concerning my daily bread, I am disposed to leave the court and seek quiet happiness in a more definite circle of duties at home.  You see, Massi, it is just the same with us human beings as with material things.  There is my man cutting the rope from yonder package with his sharp knife.  The contents are distributed in a trice, and yet it was tiresome to collect them and pack them carefully.  Thus it would need only a word to separate myself from the court; but to join it again would be a totally different affair.  There have been numerous changes in this city since I went away, and many a hand which pressed mine in farewell is no longer here, or would perhaps be withdrawn, merely because I am a Catholic and intend to stay here among the Protestants.  Besides—­lay the roll on the table, Janche—­besides, as you have already heard, the final decision does not depend upon myself.—­Take care, Jan.  That little package is breakable!”

This last exclamation was addressed to Wolf’s Netherland servant, who was just unpacking his master’s leather bag.