"Just as the Emperor was about to finish his anchovy and drink up his tankard of beer, the angel's trumpet sounded, and straightway he had to betake himself to the air again, grumbling at this sudden interruption of his repast. High aloft he mounted through space, I following close behind; and as he went he hiccuped with fatigue, and coughed asthmatically, even vomited now and again; for death had come upon him at a time when he was suffering from a fit of indigestion. Thus ceaselessly we soared aloft like arrows shot from a bow of cornel-wood. The stars glimmered all around us, and time and again we saw them detach themselves and fall headlong, tracing long strokes of fire upon the sky. Once more the angel's trump resounded, very shrill and powerful. Each fanfare seemed to cleave for itself a pathway through the cloudy air, scattering the mists asunder like a hurricane that has begun to blow from near at hand. And by this means our track was marked out clearly for us, till at length, when we had been carried up and up a thousand leagues and more, we beheld Christ Himself in His glory, seated upon a throne of stars. And at His right hand was the angel who records the deeds of men upon a register of brass, and at His left hand stood Mary His Mother, she that for ever implores mercy for poor sinners. "Claes and the Emperor knelt down together before the throne. And the angel took off the crown from the head of the Emperor, and cast it away. "'There is only one Emperor here,' he said. It is 'Christ!' "His Sacred Majesty could not conceal his annoyance; yet managed to assume a humble tone of voice as he begged to be allowed to keep his anchovy and his tankard of beer, for that he had come a long way and was very hungry. "'Hungry you have been all your life,' said the angel, 'nevertheless, you may go on with your eating and drinking if you want to.' "The Emperor emptied the tankard of beer and took a nibble at the anchovy. Then Christ addressed him with these words: "'Do you present yourself to judgment with a clean soul?' "'I trust so, dear Lord,' answered Charles the Emperor, 'for I have confessed my sins and am well shriven.' "'And you, Claes? You do not seem to be trembling like the Emperor.' "'My Lord Jesus,' answered Claes, 'there is no soul that is clean, and how should I be afraid of you, you that are sovereign good and sovereign justice. Nevertheless, I am afraid of my sins, for they are many.' "'Speak, carrion!' said the angel, addressing himself to the Emperor. "'I, Lord,' said Charles, in an embarrassed tone of voice, 'I am he that was anointed with oil by your priests, and crowned King of Castile, Emperor of Germany, and King of the Romans. It has ever been my first care to maintain that power which was given me by you, and to that end I have done my best by hanging and by sword, by burning and by burying alive, by pit and by fire to keep down all Reformers and Protestants.' "But the angel said: