He had a table
placed beneath it, and I and the students, and even the young girl,
were invited to sit down around it upon the casks and packages.
The reverend gentleman now produced cold meat and bread and butter,
which had all been carefully wrapped in paper, and took from a case
several bottles of wine and a silver goblet, gilt inside, which he
filled, tasted first himself, then smelled, tasted again, and finally
presented to each of us in turn. The students sat bolt upright on
their casks, and only sipped a little, so great was their awe. The
girl, too, just dipped her little beak in the goblet, glancing shyly
first at me and then at the students; but the oftener she looked at us
the bolder she grew.
At last she informed the reverend gentleman that she was leaving her
home for the first time, to go into service at a certain castle, and
as she spoke I blushed all over, for the castle she mentioned was
that of the Lady fair. "Then she is my future lady's maid!" I thought,
staring at her, and feeling almost giddy. "There is soon to be a grand
wedding at the castle," said his reverence. "Yes," replied the girl,
who would have liked to learn more of the matter; "they say it is an
old secret attachment, but that the Countess could never be brought to
give her consent." His reverence replied only by "hm! hm!" refilling
his goblet, and sipping from it with a thoughtful air.
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