I was confused for a moment: how was I to remember what I had never known? However, I had to reply, so I stammered what I thought the most probable:
"We drank to each other, your grace."
"By heaven, you are right, lad! That is what we did! But, do you also remember our wager?"
I ventured another guess, and answered:
"Each wagered he could drink the other under the table."
"Ha, ha, ha! Right—right!" shouted his grace, embracing and kissing me. "That's what we wagered—and the devil fly away with me if I don't match you again this very moment! Ho, there, fetch the bratina."
The bratina is a huge golden beaker that holds two quarts. This was brought to me, filled with Hegyaljaner wine.
Now, I had fasted for many hours, and was both hungry and thirsty, so that it did not require much of an effort on my part to empty the bratina at a draught—to the supernaculum!
"The devil fetch me!" roared the jovial duke. "If I had not recognized you already, I should know you now!"
I had no difficulty drinking his grace under the table; and from that hour I became an important member of his household.