"For example, your excellency, the councilors of the cities of Berlin and
Cologne, then the states of the duchy of Cleves, and--"

"Enough, enough! I see well that these lords have paid you to put me in
mind of them, and I shall therefore have the complaisance to do honor to
your intercession."

"Alas! most gracious lord, I swear to your grace, that nobody has paid me,
that--"

"Silence! I know you all!" cried the count contemptuously. "I know that
every audience day brings as much money to you lackeys as it prepares
discomfort and weariness for me. Pocket your money quietly, honest
Balthazar; you are no worse than all the rest of the servant brood and
therefore I despise you no more than the rest. Go, conduct hither the
military gentlemen named through the corridor, and meanwhile I shall take
a walk through the audience chamber and you collect your pay."

The gold-bedizened lackey left the cabinet with reverential and submissive
air. But outside, he remained standing before the closed door, and boldly
lifting up his head, with wholly altered face, hurled a look of hatred and
defiance at the door.

"No worse than all the rest of the servant brood!" he muttered, raising
his fist in a threatening manner--"no worse than yourself, you should have
said, proud lord. You receive bribes as well as we, take money wherever
you can get it, lend upon pledges, and practice usury like any Jew! Ah! we
know you, haughty count, the whole Mark of Brandenburg knows and detests
you, and it is a sin and shame that we must bow down before the Catholic