ow, when he
was seventeen, he had run away with a canoness, egad! who was afterwards
locked up in a convent, and grew to be sixteen stone in weight; how
he remembered the time when ladies did not wear patches; and how the
Duchess of Marlborough boxed his ears when he was so high, because he
wanted to kiss her.

All these important anecdotes took some time in the telling, and were
accompanied by many profound moral remarks; such as, "I can't abide
garlic, nor white-wine, stap me! nor Sauerkraut, though his Highness
eats half a bushel per day. I ate it the first time at Court; but when
they brought it me a second time, I refused--refused, split me and grill
me if I didn't! Everybody stared; his Highness looked as fierce as
a Turk; and that infernal Krahwinkel (my dear, I did for him
afterwards)--that cursed Krahwinkel, I say, looked as pleased as
possible, and whispered to Countess Fritsch, 'Blitzchen, Frau Grafinn,'
says he, 'it's all over with Galgenstein.' What did I do? I had the
entree, and demanded it. 'Altesse,' says I, falling on one knee, 'I ate
no kraut at dinner to-day. You remarked it: I saw your Highness remark
it.'

"'I did, M. le Comte,' said his Highness, gravely.

"I had almost tears in my eyes; but it was necessary to come to a
resolution, you know. 'Sir,' said I, 'I speak with deep grief to your
Highness, who are my benefactor, my friend, my father; but of this I
am resolved, I WILL NEVER EAT SAUERKRAUT MORE: it don't agree with me.
After being laid up for four weeks by the last dish of Sauerkraut of
which I partook, I may say with confidence--IT DON'T agree with me. By
impairing my health, it impairs my intellect, and weakens my strength;
and both I would keep for your Highness's service.'

"'Tut, tut!' said his Highness. 'Tut, tut, tut!' Those were his very
words.

"'Give me my sword or my pen,' said I. 'Give me my sword or my pen,
and with these Maximilian de Galgenstein is ready to serve you; but
sure,--sure, a great prince will pity the weak health of a faithful
subject, who does not know how to eat Sauerkraut?' His Highness was
walking about the room: I was still on my knees, and stretched forward
my hand to seize his coat.

"'GEHT ZUM TEUFEL, Sir!' said he, in a loud voice (it means 'Go to the
deuce,' my dear),--'Geht zum Teufel, and eat what you like!' With this
he went out of the room abruptly; leaving in my hand one of his buttons,
which I keep to this day. As soon as I was alone, amaz