"You live in a very isolated spot, mine host," said he.
"Ja," was the laconic reply.
"Have you no nearer neighbours than those of the township?" demanded his guest.
"Nein," grunted the ogre.
"And do you enjoy this solitary existence?" pursued the traveller.
"Ja!" was the inevitable monosyllabic response.
"I shall not get much out of him," said my ancestor to himself, and again there was silence for the space of five minutes.
As if searching for some topic wherewith to renew the conversation, the student cast his eyes round the apartment, taking in at a glance the minutest article of furniture or other commodity that the room contained.
It was a homely, undecorated apartment, built after the fashion of the period, and differed little from most other apartments of the sort. If it was remarkable for anything, it was for its extreme simplicity, not to say nakedness, but there was one object hanging on the wall that at once attracted the traveller's eye. It was a two-handed sword of peculiar shape, and appeared bright and sharp as if ready for use.
"Aha!" exclaimed the Englishman, fixing his eye on the object, "you have been a soldier, I see."