All he knew was that there
were ortolans at Ser Lorenzo's table; and he and the rest of them
talked over wines as many and as hard to call as the roll of AEneas's
comrades; and when each one must drink to her he loved best, and I
said I loved none like my sweet mother, they gibed me for a simple
dutiful mountaineer. Yea, and when the servants brought a bowl, I
thought it was a wholesome draught of spring water after all their
hot wines and fripperies. Pah!"
"The rose-water, Ebbo! No wonder they laughed! Why, the bowls for
our fingers came round at the banquet here."
"Ah! thou hast eyes for their finikin manners! Yet what know they of
what we used to long for in polished life! Not one but vowed he
abhorred books, and cursed Dr. Faustus for multiplying them. I may
not know the taste of a stew, nor the fit of a glove, as they do, but
I trust I bear a less empty brain. And the young Netherlanders that
came with the Archduke were worst of all. They got together and
gabbled French, and treated the German Junkern with the very same
sauce with which they had served me.
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