"He may be stolen from me for aught I care," calmly replied Felix.
"The gentlemen may prepare themselves for severe trials," now began Chancellor Probus raising his voice to call attention. "The introduction of the Genevese Church discipline is almost a foregone conclusion. Presbyteries are to be formed which together with the ministry will carry out the Church excommunication. To sweep before strange doors will now be a profitable occupation. 'The office of the elders,' say Calvin's ordinances, 'consists in watching the life of others.' The quarters of the town will be divided among the elders, who will have to inspect the different houses and verify whether the fathers and the mothers have thoroughly studied the new Catechism, whether the family lives in peace, whether the husband gets drunk, or the wife rails at her neighbors, whether every one goes to Church and Communion, whether dice or cards are in the house, and whether the daughters dance round dances. The Parsons themselves will see to the reform of those denounced. In a word the observance of public order passes from the hands of the officials to those of the clerics."
"That will cause some trouble, as the sparrow said, when called upon to lay a goose's egg," called out a shrill but somewhat husky voice.
The Chancellor wrinkled his brow. "Aha, our Klaus falls again into his rôle of fool," said the Inspector apologetically.
"He is not so wrong. Children and fools speak the truth," now spake out Erast, rubbing with his yellow wash-leather glove the lame arm which was paining him. "The clergy will not be strong enough to keep public order. The authorities will be there, but still under the orders of the Theologians. If the Magistrate Hartmann Hartmanni can preserve order by Olevianus' directions, I cannot see why he should not have been able to do so before. For one thing is certain, that the riotous living now carried on in Heidelberg can no longer be tolerated, the noise in the streets till late at night, that everlasting firing, music, and rioting. This the Magistrate could put a stop to without the clergy, were he not himself a gallivanter, and in every respect a boon companion, not to mention also, that he considers himself to be quite a humanist, and makes verses instead of sitting in the Court house."
"Verily a little discipline is necessary in Heidelberg," said Probus confirmingly, "and now punishment follows after its neglect."
The clerical gentlemen returned no answer but looked rather confused. An angel, or even two angels had time to pass through the room, before that the Philosopher Pithopöus helped these gentlemen to give expression to their thoughts, by jokingly remarking. "Then shall we not see our spiritual friends any more in the Hirsch, for if the Theologians must break the members of their flocks of the habit of sitting in taverns, they themselves must set the example."
"Thus, Herr Neuser, the whole advantage of an early morning service is lost to you, and all these nice free hours from eight o'clock on," added Xylander with an amused glance from under his eyebrows.
"If Olevianus' propositions take effect," said the Chancellor Probus, "you yourself will also be spared that trouble, Professor. The taverns will be closed, and in their place we shall have monasteries in which the unmarried citizens will be allowed to meet together of an evening under the supervision of Olevianus, Ursinus, or Zanchi. None will receive anything to eat or drink, till he has said 'Grace,' or as the Gospel has it, prayed in the corners, A resolution of the Presbyterium fixes the number of glasses."
A general groan of disapproval followed this incredible statement.