to complain of your brother," here
put in Parson Willing, who had entered the room together with Inspector
Sylvan, a slight fair man with interesting but unclerical features, who
looked as if he willingly played chess, but unwillingly preached the
Gospel. "Magister Laurenzano acts in a modest manner, as befits a
foreigner, he is a pleasant companion, and he does not love Calvinists
any better than we do, therefore may he play secretly at popery. Ten
Bishops would never have plagued us as does this one Olevianus."

"Yea verily," continued here Neuser, "I speak of him and of all the
starvelings who have tumbled down on our fair Palatinate like a sow on
a bag of oats, and are now so full of grub that nothing is good enough
for them. Do you know, what that Silesian Ursinus lately wrote in a
report to the Kurfuerst, when His Grace stopped at Amberg? 'To answer in
a few words,' he wrote, 'it is my belief as a Christian that there are
not six competent clergymen in the whole of the Palatinate.' Those were
his own words. May the Koenigstuhl and Heiligenberg fall on his proud,
Silesian pate, if we are not christian enough for him."

"Then must cursing be a part of Christianity," murmured the waiter,
angry with the Parson, who in order to lay more emphasis on his
concluding words, came down so heavily with his fist on the table that
the glasses jumped and part of the contents of his beaker ran over.

"Ho, ho, do not be so peppery, beloved Colleague," here piped in a
squeaky voice a fat little man, who funnily resembled a dressed out
porpoise, and who was introduced to Felix as Parson Suter of
Feudenheim. He added politely taking his seat next to Inspector Sylvan:

"Under the protection of my Inspector the Luetzelsachsener tastes like
Ingelheimer. But is not the way in which our Adam is treated,
shameful," he continued clapping Neuser on the back, "a man, without
whom the Hirsch could not exist."

"And who has the largest congregation in Heidelberg," snarled out
Klaus.

"How the largest congregation?" asked the Inspector.

"Yes, of all who do not go to Church." The others laughed, Neuser
however cast an angry look at the Fool. "Go to thy barrel, thou
wine-spigot."

"He who fiddles the truth, catches it over the head with the bow,"
rejoined Klaus in leaving, while the room re-echoed with the laughter
of the clerics at the anger of their already somewhat intoxicated
colleague. By this time the pale face of Master Laurenzano