nearer and nearer, and Leporello comes back screaming and the
statue of the governor stalks in to supper, as he was bidden? So this
figure: gigantic, with measured echoing tread, a huge sword in hand, in
full armour, but unhelmeted, it stalked into the room. It was of stone,
yet the stony lips moved, and said, 'Greeting, dear vine-spirits from
my beloved river: greeting to you on your birthday, fair child of my
neighbour; greeting, My Lady Rose, may I take a seat in your assembly?'

All looked in amazement at the figure. But Rosa clapped her hands with
joy, and cried, 'Why, it's Roland! the great stone Roland that has
stood in the square at Bremen for ever so many years! This will indeed
be a memorable night when you do us so much honour, sir. Put your
shield and sword away, and make yourself comfortable. Will you take a
seat by my side? Oh, how glad I am!'

The wooden Bacchus, who had been growing fatter and fatter all this
time, cast discontented looks now at Roland and now at the Lady of his
heart, who had expressed her pleasure so loudly and unrestrainedly. He
murmured something about 'uninvited guests being a bore,' and stamped
his legs impatiently. But my Lady appeased him with sweet looks and
pressed his hand under the table. Room was made for Roland on her other
side, and the latter laid down his spear and shield in a comer, and sat
down rather awkwardly on a chair. But, alas! the chair was made for the
cushioned forms of the burghers of Bremen town, not for a stone giant,
and it at once cracked and fell in pieces under him, leaving him
sprawling. 'Vile race of weaklings,' he cried, as he rose, 'that puts
together such furniture as this, whereon in my time a tender lady could
not have sat in safety!' But Balthasar rolled a huge cask up to the
table, and persuaded the knight to try it; a couple of staves cracked,
but the cask held firm. It was the same with his wine. The glass that
Balthasar offered him he shivered to fragments as he grasped it.
'Well,' said the latter rather angrily, 'you might have taken off your
stone gauntlets.' A silver goblet of the tumbler-shape holding about a
quart escaped with a few unimportant dents, and the knight tossed off
its contents.

'How do you like the liquor?' said Bacchus; 'it must be dry work up
there on your pillar. I suppose you haven't tasted wine for years?'

'It is good, by my sword, very good. What growth is it?'

'Red Ingelheimer, noble sir,' said Balthasar.