in
in his knapsack. The travelling musicians who, to save a few pennies,
had begun to eat bread, cheese, and radishes, instead of the warm
meals provided for the others, let their knives drop and set down the
wine-jugs. The traders, who were hotly arguing over Italian politics and
the future war with Turkey, were silent. The four monks, who had leaned
their heads against the cornice of the wide, closed fireplace and, in
spite of the flies which buzzed around them, had fallen asleep, awoke.
The vender of indulgences in the black cowl interrupted the impressive
speech which he was delivering to the people who surrounded his coffer.
This group also--soldiers, travelling artisans, peasants, and tradesfolk
with their wives, who, like most of those present, were waiting for the
vessel which was to sail down the Main early the next morning--gazed
toward the door. Only the students and Bacchantes,--[Travelling
scholars]--who were fairly hanging on the lips of a short, slender
scholar, with keen, intellectual features, noticed neither the draught
of air caused by the entrance of the distinguished arrivals and their
followers, nor the general stir aroused by their appearance, until Dr.
Eberbach, the insignificant, vivacious speaker, recognised in one of the
group the famous Nuremberg humanist, Wilibald Pirckheimer.

CHAPTER II.

At first Dietel, the old waiter, whose bullet-shaped head was covered
with thick gray hair, also failed to notice them. Without heeding their
entrance, he continued,--aided by two assistants who were scarcely
beyond boyhood,--to set the large and small pine tables which he had
placed wherever he could find room.

The patched tablecloths which he spread over the tops were coarse and
much worn; the dishes carried after him by the two assistants, whose
knees bent under the burden, were made of tin, and marred by many a
dent. He swung his stout body to and fro with jerks like a grasshopper,
and in doing so his shirt rose above his belt, but the white napkin
under his arm did not move a finger's width. In small things, as well as
great ones, Dietel was very methodical. So he continued his occupation
undisturbed till an inexperienced merchant's clerk from Ulm, who wanted
to ride farther speedily, accosted him and asked for some special dish.
Dietel drew his belt farther down and promptly snubbed the young man
with the angry retort; "Everybody must wait for his meal. We make no
exceptions here."

Inte