been Assistant to the deceased
Cannabich, and was now out of work, says: "I had not the least thought
of profiting by this vacancy; but what happened? The Herr Graf von
Werthern, at Schloss Beichlingen, sent his Steward [LEHNSDIRECTOR,
FIEF-DIRECTOR is the title of this Steward, which gives rise to
obsolete thought of mill-dues, road-labor, payments IN NATURA], his
Lehnsdirector, Herr Kettenbeil, over to my LOGIS [cheap boarding
quarters]; who brought a gracious salutation from his Lord; saying
farther, That I knew too well [excellent Cannabich gone from us,
alas!] the Pastorate of Hemmleben was vacant; that there had various
competitors announced themselves, SUPPLICANDO, for the place; the Herr
Graf, however, had yet given none of them the FIAT, but waited always
till I should apply. As I had not done so, he (the Lord Graf) would
now of his own motion give me the preference, and hereby confer the
Pastorate upon me!"--

"Without all controversy, here was a VOCATIO DIVINA, to be received with
the most submissive thanks! But the lame second messenger came hitching
in [HALTING MESSENGER, German proverb] very soon. Kettenbeil began
again: 'He must mention to me SUB ROSA, Her Ladyship the Frau Grafin
wanted to have her Lady's-maid provided for by this promotion, too; I
must marry her, and take the living at the same time.'"

Whew! And this is the noble Lady's way of thinking, up in her fine
Schloss yonder? Linsenbarth will none of it. "For my notion fell at
once," says he, "when I heard it was DO UT FACIAS, FACIO UT FACIAS (I
give that thou mayest do, I do that thou mayest do; Wilt have the kirk,
then take the irk, WILLST DU DIE PFARRE, SO NIMM DIE QUARRE); on those
terms, my reply was: 'Most respectful thanks, Herr Fief-judge, and No,
for such a vocation! And why? The vocation must have LIBERTATEM, there
must be no VITIUM ESSENTIALE in it; it must be right IN ESSENTIALI,
otherwise no honest man can accept it with a good conscience. This were
a marriage on constraint; out of which a thousand INCONVENIENTIAE might
spring!'" Hear Linsenbarth, in the piebald dialect, with the sound
heart, and preference of starvation itself to some other things!
Kettenbeil (CHAIN-AXE) went home; and there was found another Candidatus
willing for the marriage on constraint, "out of which INCONVENIENTIAE
might spring," in Linsenbarth's opinion.

"And so did the sneakish courtly gentleman [HOFMANN, courtier as
Linsenbarth has it], who grasped w