thing they want. Some of my guests, however, are always tormenting and making a fool of me, by bowing and scraping perpetually, concealing what they think, and talking without any meaning. In fact, they try to flatter one with smooth words, and they conduct themselves like silly women. When I say, Come, eat! they help themselves with great reluctance to a mere bone, that I should be ashamed to offer to my dog: and if I tell them to drink, they just moisten their lips, as if they held good wine in contempt, and cared not for the bounty of Heaven, not they. Truly, they carried their follies to such a length, that I no longer knew what to do, until I fell into a passion, seized some of them by the collar, gave them a sound cudgelling, and turned them out of doors. This is now my plan, and whenever I meet with a sorry fellow of the kind, I make bold to chastise his folly: I keep a rod for the fool’s back; but such a guest as you will always be welcome; you spoke your mind freely and boldly, as the good citizens of Bremen always do. Let me entertain you, then, on your return, fear nothing; and now, fare you well!”
After this explanation, Frank rode on with fresh courage and alacrity towards Antwerp, wishing in his heart that he might every where find so good a reception as at the castle of the Knight of Bronckhost. On first entering the foremost among the
