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Allthiswhile，andinthemidstofaclamourandconfusion，whichwouldbetterhavebecomeaGermantavernduringafair，thanthetentofasovereignprince，theArchdukewaswaiteduponwithaminutenessofformandobservance，whichshowedhowanxioushewastomaintainrigidlythestateandcharactertowhichhiselevationhadentitledhim。Hewasservedontheknee，andonlybypagesofnobleblood，feduponplateofsilver，anddrankhisTokayandRhenishwinesfromacupofgold。Hisducalmantlewassplendidlyadornedwithermine，hiscoronetmighthaveequalledinvaluearoyalcrown，andhisfeet，easedinvelvetshoes(thelengthofwhich，peaksincluded，mightbetwofeet)，resteduponafootstoolofsolidsilver。Butitservedpartlytointimatethecharacteroftheman，that，althoughdesiroustoshowattentiontotheMarquisofMontserrat，whomhehadcourteouslyplacedathisrighthand，hegavemuchmoreofhisattentiontohis_spruch-sprecher，_thatis，hismanofconversation，or_sayerofsayings，_whostoodbehindtheDuke’srightshoulder。
Thispersonagewaswellattired，inacoatanddoubletofblackvelvet，thelastofwhichwasdecoratedwithvarioussilverandgoldcoins，stitcheduponit，inmemoryofthemunificentprinceswhohadconferredthem，andbearingashortstaff，towhichalsobunchesofsilvercoinswereattachedbyrings，whichhejingledbywayofattractingattention，whenhewasabouttosayanythingwhichhejudgedworthyofit。Thisperson’scapacityinthehouseholdoftheArchduke，wassomewhatbetwixtthatofaminstrelandacounsellor；hewasbyturnsaflatterer，apoet，andanorator；andthosewhodesiredtobewellwiththeDuke，generallystudiedtogainthegood-willofthe_spruch-sprecher。_
Lesttoomuchofthisofficer’swisdomshouldbecometiresome，theDuke’sothershoulderwasoccupiedbyhis_hoff-narr，_
orcourtjester，calledJonasSchwanker，whomadealmostasmuchnoisewithhisfool’s-cap，bells，andbauble，asdidtheorator，ormanoftalk，withhisjinglingbaton。
Thesetwopersonagesthrewoutgraveandcomicnonsensealternately，whiletheirmaster，laughingorapplaudingthemhimself，yetcarefullywatchedthecountenanceofhisnobleguest，todiscernwhatimpressionssoaccomplishedacavalierreceivedfromthisdisplayofAustrianeloquenceandwit。Itishardtosaywhetherthemanofwisdomorthemanoffollycontributedmosttotheamusementoftheparty，orstoodhighestintheestimationoftheirprincelymaster；butthesalliesofbothseemedexcellentlywellreceived。Sometimestheybecamerivalsfortheconversation，andclangedtheirflappersinemulationofeachother，withamostalarmingcontention；but，ingeneral，theyseemedonsuchgoodterms，andsoaccustomedtosupporteachother’splay，thatthe_spruch-sprecher_oftencondescendedtofollowupthejester’switticismswithanexplanation，torenderthemmoreobvioustothecapacityoftheaudience；
sothathiswisdombecameasortofcommentaryonthebuffoon’sfolly。Andsometimes，inrequital，the_hoff-narr，_withapithyjest，wounduptheconclusionoftheorator’stediousharangue。
Whateverhisrealsentimentsmightbe，Conradetookespecialcarethathiscountenanceshouldexpressnothingbutsatisfactionwithwhatheheard，andsmiledorapplaudedaszealously，toallappearance，astheArchdukehimself，atthesolemnfollyofthe_spruch-sprecher，_andthegibberingwitofthefool。Infact，hewatchedcarefullyuntiltheoneorothershouldintroducesometopic，favourabletothepurposewhichwasuppermostinhismind。
ItwasnotlongeretheKingofEnglandwasbroughtonthecarpetbythejester，whohadbeenaccustomedtoconsiderDickonoftheBroom(whichirreverentepithethesubstitutedforRichardPlantagenet)asasubjectofmirth，acceptableandinexhaustible。Theorator，indeed，wassilent，anditwasonlywhenappliedtobyConrade，thatheobserved，The_genista，_orbroom-plant，wasanemblemofhumility；anditwouldbewellwhenthosewhoworeitwouldrememberthewarning。’’
TheallusiontotheillustriousbadgeofPlantagenetwasthusrenderedsufficientlymanifest，andJonasSchwankerobserved，thattheywhohumbledthemselveshadbeenexaltedwithavengeance。
Honouruntowhomhonourisdue，’’
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