ry fine dust. And after stripping many a
venison rib, Ludwig the Fat has had his own polished and bleached in
the Valley of Death; yea, and his cranium chased with corrodings, like
the carved flagon once held to its jaws."

"My lord! my lord!"--cried Abrazza to Media--"this ghastly devil of
yours grins worse than a skull. I feel the worms crawling over me!--By
Oro we must eject him!"

"No, no, my lord. Let him sit there, as of old the Death's-head graced
the feasts of the Pharaohs--let him sit--let him sit--for Death but
imparts a flavor to Life--Go on: wag your tongue without fear,
Azzageddi!--But come, Braid-Beard! let's hear more of the Ludwigs."

"Well, then, your Highness, of all the eighteen royal Ludwigs of
Franko--"

"Who like so many ten-pins, all in a row," interposed Babbalanja--
"have been bowled off the course by grim Death."

"Heed him not," said Media--"go on."

"The Debonnaire, the Pious, the Stammerer, the Do-Nothing, the
Juvenile, the Quarreler:--of all these, I say, Ludwig the Fat was the
best table-man of them all. Such a full orbed paunch was his, that no
way could he devise of getting to his suppers, but by getting right
into them. Like the Zodiac his table was circular, and full in the
middle he sat, like a sun;--all his jolly stews and ragouts revolving
around him."

"Yea," said Babbalanja, "a very round sun was Ludwig the Fat. No
wonder he's down in the chronicles; several ells about the waist, and
King of cups and Tokay. Truly, a famous king: three hundred-weight of
lard, with a diadem on top: lean brains and a fat doublet--a
demijohn of a demi-god!"

"Is this to be longer borne?" cried Abrazza, starting up. "Quaff that
sneer down, devil! on the instant! down with it, to the dregs! This
comes, my lord Media, of having a slow drinker at one's board. Like an
iceberg, such a fellow frosts the whole atmosphere of a banquet, and
is felt a league off We must thrust him out. Guards!"

"Back! touch him not, hounds!"--cried Media. "Your pardon, my lord,
but we'll keep him to it; and melt him down in this good wine. Drink!
I command it, drink, Babbalanja!"

"And am I not drinking, my lord? Surely you would not that I should
imbibe more than I can hold. The measure being full, all poured in
after that is but wasted. I am for being temperate in these things, my
good lord. And my one cup outlasts three of yours. Better to sip a
pint, than pour down a quart. All things in moderation are good;
w