In the midst of the
smoke, the young boor recognized Godfather Stringstriker. He was sitting
upon a crystal throne, a-squat, with his crooked legs tucked under him,
smoking with exquisite complacency a pipe as thick as his arm,
terminating in a bowl as large as his head. He seemed wholly occupied in
tracing the progress of the massive curls of smoke, which gushed
abundantly from his capacious mouth, and took no notice of his godchild.
It was left to young Nicholas, therefore, to commence the colloquy.

"'Good even, godfather!' said the lad, not quite at ease. 'I hope you
enjoy your evening pipe. You need something to keep yourself warm and
comfortable. The air strikes chilly hereabouts!'

"A smile diffused itself over the whole breadth of the dwarf's face, and
he puffed away for his life.

"'You're i' th' right, Godson Klaus. I like my bit of pipe! That I can
say, and honestly. It's good tobacco, too; a little dear, no doubt, but
fairly earned. Wilt try a Whiff?'

"'I--I--I am much obliged, Godfather Stringstriker, but I am no great
smoker, and I like to stick to one sort--Porto-rico--threepence a
packet. Would you like to taste it?'

"'Cabbage!' rejoined the Dwarf, contemptuously. 'Tobacco, to be good,
must smell like mine. Here, put your nose to it. It's Hungarian of the
best!'

"The Dwarf pushed out his broad hand, and Klaus stooped towards it. His
heart leaped into his throat as he gazed upon a dozen or two of the
purest Kremnitz ducats. He darted at them like a tiger; but the Dwarf
was prepared for him.

"'Not so, not so!' replied the latter, drawing his hand back. 'Ere thou
have them, we must strike a bargain.'

"And with these words the Dwarf took up his pipe, which only a moment
before he had laid aside. The attention of young Nicholas was drawn more
closely to it by the movement, and he perceived, for the first time,
that the colossal bowl was neither more nor less than a bald, smooth,
and perfectly white human skull. A closer inspection convinced him that
it was that of his own deceased and venerated parent. Above, upon the
forehead, there was a moveable clapper, through which the superfluous
smoke ascended; the tube was fixed in the mouth, and the eye-holes were
continually supplied with gold pieces by a couple of thousand of
indefatigable dwarfs, twenty or thirty of whom tugged along one ducat,
and were sorely put to it to bring it to the proper place. Klaus was
almost unsettled by the discovery.