ded him to the acquisition of his
mastership in all branches of knowledge. But the noblest wine is grown
upon congealed lava. What recks the thirsty traveller that the grapes
which quench his thirst are nourished by the very fires of hell? I can
profit and delight myself by the masters deep knowledge and skilful
tuition without asking further questions, only assimilating so much of
it as a pure and pious heart may accept."

"'Wolfframb went off at once to Eisenach. When he came in front of the
citizen Helgrefe's house, he found a crowd of people assembled, all
staring, in eager expectancy, up at the balcony. He recognized amongst
them many young men, scholars of the singer's craft, who kept on
quoting this or that saying of the great master. One of them had
written down the words he uttered when he went into Helgrefe's house;
another knew exactly what he had had for dinner; a third averred that
the master had actually looked at him with a smile, because he knew him
to be a singer by his barret-cap, which he wore just as Klingsohr did
his. A fourth began a song which he said was in Klingsohr's "manner."
In short, it was a great excitement and commotion.

"'Wolfframb of Eschinbach at last succeeded in forcing his way with
difficulty through the crowd, and in getting into the house. Helgrefe
welcomed him courteously, and, at his desire, went upstairs to announce
to the master his arrival. The master, however, was engaged in his
studies, and could not receive any one just then. He might come back in
a couple of hours. Wolfframb had to swallow this rebuff. He came back
in some two hours' time, and had to wait an hour longer. After this,
Helgrefe was allowed to usher him in. A strange-looking servant,
dressed in silks of many colours, opened the door of the room, and
Wolfframb went in. He saw before him a tall stately man, dressed in a
robe of dark-red samite, with wide arms, richly trimmed with sable,
pacing up and down the chamber with long solemn steps. His face was
much like that which classical sculptors have given to their
representations of Jupiter, such a domineering gravity sat on the brow,
such a formidable fire flashed out of the great eyes. His cheeks and
chin were covered by a black curling beard, and on his head was what
was either a barret-cap of strange form or a cloth wound round it in a
peculiar fashion; it was hard to determine which. He had his arms
folded over his breast, and, as he paced up and down, he