"Your proofs, sir," said he, "are sufficiently clear and striking; but don't take it amiss, your excellency, if I remark, that there is yet wanting a certain equality and consistency, according to all particulars. If you wish that I should take the unright for the right, the irregular for the regular, your proofs, at least, must be equally proportioned." I perfectly understood the rascal, and directly laid another ducat on the table. "Now," said the Judge, "I perceive, indeed, that I had done you injustice by my suspicions. Travel on, sir, in God's name; but observe (as you are probably well accustomed) to avoid, as much as possible, the high roads, till you get rid of your present peculiarity of appearance." He then opened the door as wide as he could, and called aloud to the people, "The gentleman here is a man of rank and quality, according to all particulars. He has satisfied us the Judge, in a private audience, that he travels _incognito_, that is to say, unknown; and that you, good people, have with this nothing to do.--Now, sir, _bon voyage_!" Accordingly, my horse was brought from the stable, and as I essayed to mount, the _bauers_, in respectful silence, took off their caps. I wished to get away from them, and to ride as quickly as possible through the gate; but to my extreme confusion, my horse was restive, and began to snort and rear, while my utter ignorance and want of practice in riding rendered it quite impossible for me to bring him forward. Indeed, I soon lost all self-possession; for he wheeled round in circles, till at last, amid the loud laughter of the peasants, I was thrown off into the arms of the innkeeper and the Judge. "That is a devil of a horse, sir," said the Judge, with a suppressed grin. "A devil of a horse, indeed!" answered I, beating the dust from my clothes, for I had slipped through their arms to the ground. They now joined in assisting me once more to mount; but, for the second time, the horse behaved just as before, snorting and foaming; in short, would by no means be brought through the gate. At last an old man among the crowd cried out, "See, there! see, there! the old witch _Elise_ is sitting at the gate, and won't let the gentleman pass, because he has not given her _groschen_." For the first time now I perceived an old beggar sitting, coiled up like a ball, in a corner by the gate, and with the grin of idiotcy on her features. "Will the d--d witch not get out of the way?" cried the Judge. Hereupon the old woman croaked out, "The bloody brother--the bloody brother has given me no groschen!--Do you not see the dead man there lying before him?--The murderer cannot get over him, for the dead man raises himself up; but I will crush him down, if the bloody brother will give me a groschen!"