. Necklace, a string of
garnets and gold coins. Her skirt was of thickly pleated brown cloth,
and she wore a sort of toy white apron, with a huge leather pocket at
one side and a bunch of huge keys at the other. In short, she was the
very picture of a worthy matron of Mainz or Coblentz, of the years
immediately preceding the Thirty Years War. Six jolly companions
followed her, dressed in the same fashion as my friends who were
already seated, and all with their wigs somewhat awry. How politely
Bacchus led his lady-love to the table! how politely she bowed to the
company as she sat down! As for her fat little sweetheart, Balthasar
had to put a great pillow under him, or he would not have been able to
get his nose above the table. When all were seated I realised that they
were indeed the spirits of those mighty Rhinewines that I had tasted an
hour before; the twelve Apostle-casks, Bacchus and the old Rose.

'Well, well, it's a long while since 1700, Mistress Rose,' said one of
them, 'but we seem to be all in pretty good condition, and I vow you
are as young and handsome as ever. Here's good luck and long life to
your sweetheart and yourself, my dear.' 'Rosa, Frau Rosa, the Rose,
long life and health to her!' shouted all, and Bacchus tossed off two
quarts at a gulp, which had the visible effect of making him look more
like an inflated bladder than ever.

'Thank you, most honoured apostles and cousins,' said she, bowing
graciously; 'but when you refer to my sweetheart I don't know whom you
mean; you confuse a modest maiden.' The modest maiden sought refuge in
a mighty draught of wine. 'Sweetheart,' said Bacchus, looking tenderly
at her and pressing her hand, 'be not coy, sweetheart; you know well
whose heart has been yours any time these 200 vintages; and I don't
mind proving it to you by this chaste salute'--and he bent forward to
kiss her. 'If all these young people were not here,' she murmured--but
amid shouts of laughter from the young people she allowed him to take
his due by force and with interest. Then he tossed off a bowl or two
and began to sing in a rich mellow voice:

There's not a palace in the land
So fair as this of Bremen,
Its spacious floors, its halls so grand
A king would feel no shame in:
And sure 'tis decked with everything
To take the fancy of a king;
But the thing that best would win it
Is the Lady fair within it.

Her eyes like sparkling Rh