to the teeth, sword in hand and lance on thigh, we fight, and we are the finest fellows in the land!’ So they said when they saw the poor devil dragging himself on foot after their horses’ heels, shivering in winter and sweating in summer, rusting and decaying in old age.  Well, what has happened?  That flea, that vermin, has kept them in the memory of men longer than their castles stood, long after their arms and their armour had rusted in the ground.  I love those old parchments.  I respect and revere them.  Like ivy, they clothe the ruins and keep the ancient walls from crumbling into dust and perishing in oblivion!”

Having thus delivered himself, a solemn expression stole over his features, and his own eloquence made the tears of moved affection to steal down his furrowed cheeks.

The poor hunchback evidently loved those who had borne with and protected his unwarlike but clever ancestors.  And after all he spoke truly, and there was profound good sense in his words.

I was surprised, and said, “Monsieur Knapwurst, do you know Latin?”

“Yes, sir,” he answered, but without conceit, “both Latin and Greek.  I taught myself.  Old grammars were quite enough; there were some old books of the count’s, thrown by as rubbish; they fell into my hands, and I devoured them.  A little while after the count, hearing me drop a Latin quotation, was quite astonished, and said, ’When did you learn Latin, Knapwurst?’ ‘I taught myself, monseigneur.’  He asked me a few questions, to which I gave pretty good answers. ‘Parbleu!’ he cried, ’Knapwurst knows more than I do; he shall keep my records.’  So he gave me the keys of the archives; that was thirty years ago.  Since that time I have read every word.  Sometimes, when the count sees me mounted upon my ladder, he says, ‘What are you doing now, Knapwurst?’ ’I am reading the family archives, monseigneur.’  ‘Aha! is that what you enjoy?’ ‘Yes, very much.’  ’Come, come, I am glad to hear it, Knapwurst; but for you, who would know anything about the glory of the house of Nideck?’ And off he goes laughing.  I do just as I please.”

“So he is a very good master, is he?”

“Oh, Doctor Fritz, he is the kindest-hearted master! he is so frank and so pleasant!” cried the dwarf, with hands clasped.  “He has but one fault.”

“And what may that be?”

“He has no ambition.”

“How do you prove that?”

“Why, he might have been anything he pleased.  Think of a Nideck, one of the very noblest families in Germany!  He had but to ask to be made a minister or a field-marshal.  Well! he desired nothing of the sort.  When he was no longer a young man he retired from political life.  Except that he was in the campaign in France at the head of a regiment he raised at his own expense, he has always lived far away from noise and battle; plain and simple, and almost unknown, he seemed to think of nothing but his hunting.”

These details were deeply interesting to me.  The conversation was of its own accord taking just the turn I wished it to take, and I resolved to get my advantage out of it.