sly utilized in preparing mythological figures and devising
new ideas for the exhibitions at which we have to furnish the music.
This affords plenty of labour, but 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 tric