He delighted the world with his wisdom, and made an honourable
figure at the coronation of Duke Rudolphe. Count Ludwig had him inclosed
in a cold roast peacock, served up in all his plumage. It was at that
time one of the greatest delicacies, served up garnished all round with
sucking pigs, gilded and silvered. During the banquet Otto kept spreading
the peacock's tail, and all the lords, courtiers, and ladies of high
birth were astonished and delighted at this wonderful piece of mechanism.
At last he came out, sword in hand, and shouted with a loud voice--"Long
live Duke Rudolphe!" and the cry was repeated with acclamations by the
whole table. Bernard Herzog makes mention of this event, but he has
neglected to inform us where this dwarf came from, whether he was of
lofty lineage or of base extraction, which latter, however, is very
improbable, for the lower sort of people have not so much sense as that."
I was astounded at so much pride in so diminutive a being, yet my
curiosity prevented me from showing too much of my feelings, for he alone
could supply me with information upon the portraits that accompanied that
of Hugh Lupus.
Pages:
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79