aring a jerkin and hose of fiery yellow, greatly
puffed out at his arms and thighs, and profusely dotted with small red
tufts, sewed on, which looked as if innumerable tongues were protruding
from him. His breast and back were padded with cushions of black cloth,
against which hung his drum. He had on his head a flat, round black cap,
which in roundness and flatness was equaled by his face, and the latter
was also in keeping with his dress, being an orange-yellow, spotted with
red pimples, and distorted into a gaping grin. So the fellow sat and
drummed to the melody of a song which the Flagellants had sung at the
Jewish massacre, while he gurgled, in a coarse, beery voice--

"Our dear Lady true
Walked in the morning dew,
Kyrie eleison!"

"Hans, that is a terrible tune," cried a voice from behind the closed
gate of the Jewish quarter. "Yes, Hans, and a bad song too-doesn't suit
the drum; doesn't suit it at all--by my soul--not the day of the fair
and on Easter morning--bad song--dangerous song--Jack, Jacky, little
drum--Jacky boy--I'm a lone man--and if thou lovest me, the Star, the
tall Star, the tall Nose Star--then stop it!"

These words were uttered by the unseen speaker, now in hasty anxiety,
now in a sighing drawl, with a tone which alternated between mild
softness and harsh hoarseness, such as one hears in consumptive people.
The drummer was not moved, and went on drumming and singing--

"There came a little youth,
His beard had run away, in truth,
Halleluja!"

"Jack," again cried the voice of the invisible speaker, "Jack, I'm a
lone man, and that is a dangerous song, and I don't like it; I have my
reasons for it, and if you love me, sing something else, and tomorrow we
will drink together."

At the word "drink" Jack ceased his drumming and singing, and said in
friendly tone, "The devil take the Jews! But thou, dear Nose Star, art
my friend, I protect thee; and if we drink together often enough I shall
have thee converted. Yea, I shall be thy godfather, and when thou art
baptized thou shalt be eternally happy; and if thou hast genius and wilt
study industriously under me, thou mayest even become a drummer. Yes,
Nose Star, thou mayest yet become something great. I will drum the whole
catechism into thee when we drink together tomorrow. But now open the
gate, for here are two strangers who wish to enter."

"Open the gate?" cried Nose