The young Baron, too, looked far more awake and alive than he used to do at Bonn; and he was dressed in a kind of uniform that rather became him. He was overjoyed at our arrival, and kissed K. I. and James on both cheeks, and made them look very much ashamed before all the people.
"Never was my poor castle so much honored," said he, "since the King of—somewhere I forget—came to pass the night here with my ancestor, Conrad von Wolfenschafer; and that was in the sixth century."
"Begad, it's easy to see you have had no encumbered estates court," said K. I., "or you would n't be here to tell us that."
"My ancestor did not hold from the King," said he. "He was not what you call a vessel!"
K. I. laughed, and only said, "Faith, there's many of us mighty weak vessels, and very leaky besides."
After that he conducted us through two lines of his menials.
"I do detest to have so many 'detainers'"—he meant retainers. "I hope you are less annoyed in this respect."
"You don't dislike them more than I do," said K. I.; "the very name makes me shudder."