The Adventurous Simplicissimus: being the description of the Life of a Strange vagabond named Melchior Sternfels von FuchshaimGrimmelshausen, Hans Jakob Christoph von
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The Adventurous Simplicissimus: being the description of the Life of a Strange vagabond named Melchior Sternfels von Fuchshaim
Grimmelshausen, Hans Jakob Christoph von
German fiction -- Translations into English; Thirty Years' War, 1618-1648 -- Fiction
So as soon as Herzbruder could ride we despatched our money (for now we
had but one purse in common) by way of banker's draft to Basel,
equipped ourselves with horses and servants, and made our way up the
Danube to Ulm and thence to the Spa before mentioned, for now 'twas May
and pleasant travelling. There did we hire a lodging: but I rid to
Strassburg, not only to receive in part our money which we had conveyed
thither by way of Basel, but also to inquire for the medicos of
experience that should prescribe for Herzbruder recipes and the manner
of his taking the baths. These came to me, and were of opinion that
Herzbruder had indeed been poisoned, yet was the poison not strong
enough to kill him offhand, and therefore it had made its way into his
limbs, from whence it must be evacuated by drugs, antidotes and
sweating-baths, which cure would last some eight weeks or so. At that
Herzbruder remembered at once when and by whom that poison had been
given him; namely, by them that would have had his place in the army:
and when he further learned from the physicians that his cure needed no
spa, then was he assured the field-surgeon had by his enemies been
bribed to send him so far away: yet did he resolve to complete his cure
there at the spa, for 'twas not only a healthy air but also there was
cheerful company among the bathing-guests.
This time would I not waste: for I had a desire to see my wife once
more: and since Herzbruder needed me not greatly, I did open to him my
project, which he did praise, and advised me I should visit her, giving
me also certain trinkets of price which I should on his behalf present
to her, and therewith beg her pardon for that he had been the cause why
I had not before sought her out. With that I rode to Strassburg, and
not only provided myself with moneys but inquired also how I might
prosecute my journey in the safest way: whereupon I found 'twas not to
be accomplished by a horseman riding alone; for the roads were made
unsafe by the parties sent out from so many garrisons of the two
contending armies. So I got me a pass for a post-rider of Strassburg,
and drew up certain letters to my wife, her sisters, and her parents,
as I would send him with them to Lippstadt: yet feigned to be of a
different mind, took back the pass from the messenger, sent back my
horse and servant, and disguised myself in a red and white livery: in
that I journeyed by ship to Cologne, which was at that time neutral
between the two parties.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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