that in some of the biggest and juiciest grapes seeds had been found
at times which were of pure gold."

"Now only look!" rejoined the stranger; "Can one wish for more than
this? Gold not only grows as a mineral, but even as a plant. However I
know a still better story. Once upon a time, when the weather was very
damp, a man dropt some ducats in the rocky ground at a short distance
from Cremnitz. In spite of every search they were not to be found.
They must have fallen down among the stones, and have been buried in
the rubbish. What came of it? Some years after, when no human being,
not even the owner himself, thought any more of the loss, a strange
sort of shrub was seen, which not a soul in the country had over met
with. It flowered with wonderful beauty, and then formed a number of
little pods. The pods soon after split like the fruit of the
winter-cherry; and, when people went to look at it closelier, every
skin contained a bright new Cremnitz ducat. Some fifty came to
perfection; a good many, that had been nipt by the frost, were mere
thin gold leaf. The oddest thing of all was that the ducats were
always markt--for they took good care not to root up the beautiful
weed--with the date of the year in which they ripened. Of late a wish
has been entertained, if it were but possible, to graft a branch of a
tree which peradventure might bear doubloons, on this lucrative bush,
with a view of ennobling the fruit."

The very peasants laught at this; for they fancied they saw the jest:
Conrad, however, though he perceived it, misunderstood it so far that
he did not answer a single word, but drunk with beer and rage only
lifted up his fist, and thrust it so violently into the storyteller's
face, that he instantly tumbled from his stool to the ground, and a
stream of blood gusht out from his mouth and nostrils. On getting up
again the stranger, though evidently the weaker, wanted to take his
revenge; but the peasants rusht in between, and brought about a peace
at least for the moment. This was the easier, as some travelling
musicians were just come with their instruments into the inn, where
Conrad in his drunkenness immediately took them into his pay.
Notwithstanding the remonstrances of the host and hostess, he made
them first play some songs, then some dances, and gave no ear to those
who admonisht and reminded him that the music might be heard up in the
great house.

"Why should I trouble myself," he cried, "about the ol