t brought all his neighbours to pay their
respects to us. There was first the schoolmaster, a stout short man,
highly impressed with the idea of his own dignity, and a determined
smoker. There was the miller, the smith, the butcher, the
sexton,--everybody, in short, who had a groschen or two to spend, and a
stock of curiosity to be gratified. Nor did they come alone. Their
wives and children followed them _en masse_, till the tap-room was
crowded. What could we do? To devour our fish in the sight of the
multitude, without offering to share it with them, might have impressed
them with an unfavourable opinion of our country, while to afford even
a morsel to each individual present, would have required thrice the
amount cooked and even caught. We therefore adopted a middle course,
seldom either a wise or a fortunate one, but in the present instance
the only course within our reach. We distributed the trout among the
parties who had occupied seats at our table; and won the hearts of the
old soldier and his wife, the miller and his wife, the blacksmith and
his wife, with all their children; who, seeing their mothers begin to
eat, set up such a clamour that we were fain to hand over for their use
all the bones, with such portions of flesh as chanced to adhere to
them. Then followed sundry small flasks of schnaps, some cans of beer,
and two or three bottles of sour country wine; under the influence of
which the tap-room became, ere long, a scene of extraordinary hilarity.
The old soldier raved about the "guten Anglesisch soldaden," and
pronounced "der Hertoch von Wellington," worthy to take rank with
Blucher himself. This, of course, drew from me sundry compliments to
the valour and discipline of the Prussian army, till in a few minutes
we were sworn brothers. "The French! what could the French do, or
indeed all the world besides, against the English and Prussians united,
who between them had restored peace to Europe, and dethroned
Buonaparte;" but I am not quite sure that we decided the question by
whom the battle of Waterloo was won,--a matter concerning which my
friend appeared to be sensitive, and I, in the consciousness of having
fact to fall back upon, felt altogether indifferent.

For an hour or two the scene was highly diverting, though I cannot say
that it had the effect of confirming me in my opinions touching the
constitutional sobriety of the German people. The good folks round me
drank like fishes, and I must do t