go down well. That's how I sing a bit now and again."
And he began to bellow out a noisy hunting ditty with its hollas! and
hoy, boys! and he imitated the yelping of the hounds and the shrill
shouts of the hunters in such a clear, keen, stentorian voice that
the huge casks rang again and all the workshop echoed. Master Martin
held his hands over his ears, and Dame Martha's (Valentine's widow)
little boys, who were playing in the shop, crept timorously behind the
piled-up staves. Just at this moment Rose came in, amazed, nay,
frightened at the terrible noise; it could not be called singing
anyhow. As soon as Conrad observed her, he at once stopped, and leaving
his bench he approached her and greeted her with the most polished
grace. Then he said in a gentle voice, whilst an ardent fire gleamed in
his bright brown eyes, "Lovely lady, what a sweet rosy light shone into
this humble workman's hut when you came in! Oh! had I but perceived you
sooner, I had not outraged your tender ears with my wild hunting
ditty." Then, turning to Master Martin and the other journeymen, he
cried, "Oh! do stop your abominable knocking and rattling. As long as
this gracious lady honours us with her presence, let mallets and
drivers rest. Let us only listen to her sweet voice, and with bowed
head hearken to what she may command us, her humble servants." Reinhold
and Frederick looked at each other utterly amazed; but Master Martin
burst out laughing and said, "Well, Conrad, it is now plain that you
are the most ridiculous donkey who ever put on apron. First you come
here and want to break everything to pieces like an uncultivated giant;
then you bellow in such a way as to make our ears tingle; and, as a
fitting climax to all your foolishness, you take my little daughter
Rose for a lady of rank and act like a love-smitten Junker." Conrad
replied, coolly, "Your lovely daughter I know very well, my worthy
Master Martin; but I tell you that she is the most peerless lady who
treads the earth, and if Heaven grant it she would honour the very
noblest of Junkers by permitting him to be her Paladin in faithful
knightly love." Master Martin held his sides, and it was only by giving
vent to his laughter in hums and haws that he prevented himself from
choking. As soon as he could at all speak, he stammered, "Good, very
good, my most excellent youth; you may continue to regard my daughter
as a lady of high rank, I shall not hinder you; but, irrespective of
tha