Allthiswhile，andinthemidstofaclamourandconfusion，whichwouldbetterhavebecomeaGermantavernduringafair，thanthetentofasovereignprince，theArchdukewaswaiteduponwithaminutenessofformandobservance，whichshowedhowanxioushewastomaintainrigidlythestateandcharactertowhichhiselevationhadentitledhim。Hewasservedontheknee，andonlybypagesofnobleblood，feduponplateofsilver，anddrankhisTokayandRhenishwinesfromacupofgold。Hisducalmantlewassplendidlyadornedwithermine，hiscoronetmighthaveequalledinvaluearoyalcrown，andhisfeet，easedinvelvetshoesthelengthofwhich，peaksincluded，mightbetwofeet，resteduponafootstoolofsolidsilver。Butitservedpartlytointimatethecharacteroftheman，that，althoughdesiroustoshowattentiontotheMarquisofMontserrat，whomhehadcourteouslyplacedathisrighthand，hegavemuchmoreofhisattentiontohis_spruch-sprecher，_thatis，hismanofconversation，or_sayerofsayings，_whostoodbehindtheDuke’srightshoulder。
Thispersonagewaswellattired，inacoatanddoubletofblackvelvet，thelastofwhichwasdecoratedwithvarioussilverandgoldcoins，stitcheduponit，inmemoryofthemunificentprinceswhohadconferredthem，andbearingashortstaff，towhichalsobunchesofsilvercoinswereattachedbyrings，whichhejingledbywayofattractingattention，whenhewasabouttosayanythingwhichhejudgedworthyofit。Thisperson’scapacityinthehouseholdoftheArchduke，wassomewhatbetwixtthatofaminstrelandacounsellor；hewasbyturnsaflatterer，apoet，andanorator；andthosewhodesiredtobewellwiththeDuke，generallystudiedtogainthegood-willofthe_spruch-sprecher。_
Lesttoomuchofthisofficer’swisdomshouldbecometiresome，theDuke’sothershoulderwasoccupiedbyhis_hoff-narr，_
orcourtjester，calledJonasSchwanker，whomadealmostasmuchnoisewithhisfool’s-cap，bells，andbauble，asdidtheorator，ormanoftalk，withhisjinglingbaton。
Thesetwopersonagesthrewoutgraveandcomicnonsensealternately，whiletheirmaster，laughingorapplaudingthemhimself，yetcarefullywatchedthecountenanceofhisnobleguest，todiscernwhatimpressionssoaccomplishedacavalierreceivedfromthisdisplayofAustrianeloquenceandwit。Itishardtosaywhetherthemanofwisdomorthemanoffollycontributedmosttotheamusementoftheparty，orstoodhighestintheestimationoftheirprincelymaster；butthesalliesofbothseemedexcellentlywellreceived。Sometimestheybecamerivalsfortheconversation，andclangedtheirflappersinemulationofeachother，withamostalarmingcontention；but，ingeneral，theyseemedonsuchgoodterms，andsoaccustomedtosupporteachother’splay，thatthe_spruch-sprecher_oftencondescendedtofollowupthejester’switticismswithanexplanation，torenderthemmoreobvioustothecapacityoftheaudience；