t? Go round and ask. Where are the mills? Where are
the young men that should be working? Where is the currency? All
paralysed. No, sir, it is not equal; for I suffer for your faults--I pay
for them, by George, out of a poor man's pocket. And what have you to do
with mine? Drunk or sober, I can see my country going to hell, and I can
see whose fault it is. And so now, I've said my say, and you may drag me
to a stinking dungeon; what care I? I've spoke the truth, and so I'll
hold hard, and not intrude upon your Highness's society.'

And the miller reined up and, clumsily enough, saluted.

'You will observe, I have not asked your name,' said Otto. 'I wish you a
good ride,' and he rode on hard. But let him ride as he pleased, this
interview with the miller was a chokepear, which he could not swallow.
He had begun by receiving a reproof in manners, and ended by sustaining a
defeat in logic, both from a man whom he despised. All his old thoughts
returned with fresher venom. And by three in the afternoon, coming to
the cross-roads for Beckstein, Otto decided to turn aside and dine there
leisurely. Nothing at least could be worse than to go on as he was
going.

In the inn at Beckstein he remarked, immediately upon his entrance, an
intelligent young gentleman dining, with a book in front of him. He had
his own place laid close to the reader, and with a proper apology, broke
ground by asking what he read.

'I am perusing,' answered the young gentleman, 'the last work of the Herr
Doctor Hohenstockwitz, cousin and librarian of your Prince here in
Grunewald--a man of great erudition and some lambencies of wit.'

'I am acquainted,' said Otto, 'with the Herr Doctor, though not yet with
his work.'

'Two privileges that I must envy you,' replied the young man politely:
'an honour in hand, a pleasure in the bush.'

'The Herr Doctor is a man much respected, I believe, for his
attainments?' asked the Prince.

'He is, sir, a remarkable instance of the force of intellect,' replied
the reader. 'Who of our young men know anything of his cousin, all
reigning Prince although he be? Who but has heard of Doctor Gotthold?
But intellectual merit, alone of all distinctions, has its base in
nature.'

'I have the gratification of addressing a student--perhaps an author?'
Otto suggested.

The young man somewhat flushed. 'I have some claim to both distinctions,
sir, as you suppose,' said he; 'there is my card. I am the li