He then dashed it down, sighed, and shook
himself.
'Rare news! the Kaiser's come: he'll be in Cologne by night; but first he
must see the Baron, and I'm post with the order. That's to show you how
high he stands in the Kaiser's grace. Don't be thinking of upsetting
Werner yet, any of you; mind, now!'
'That's Blass-Gesell,' said the voice in the wain, as the trooper trotted
on: adding, ''gainst us.'
'Makes six,' responded the driver.
Within sight of the Eck, they descried another trooper coming toward
them. This time the driver was first to speak.
'Tribute! Provender! Bread and wine for the high Baron Werner from his
vassals over Tonnistein.'
'And I'm out of it! fasting like a winter wolf,' howled the fellow.
He was in the act of addressing himself to an inspection of the wain's
contents, when a second flask lifted in air, gave a sop to his curiosity.
This flask suffered the fate of the former.
'A Swabian blockhead, aren't you?'
'Ay, that country,' said the driver. 'May be, Henker Rothhals happens to
be with the Baron?'
'To hell with him! I wish he had my job, and I his, of watching the
yellow-bird in her new cage, till she's taken out to-night, and then a
jolly bumper to the Baron all round.
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