No! said he, dropping his reins upon his mule’s neck, and laying both
his hands upon his breast, the one over the other in a saint-like
position (his mule going on easily all the time) No! said he, looking
up—I am not such a debtor to the world——slandered and disappointed as I
have been—as to give it that conviction——no! said he, my nose shall
never be touched whilst Heaven gives me strength——To do what? said a
burgomaster’s wife.
The stranger took no notice of the burgomaster’s wife——he was making a
vow to _Saint Nicolas_; which done, having uncrossed his arms with the
same solemnity with which he crossed them, he took up the reins of his
bridle with his left-hand, and putting his right hand into his bosom,
with the scymetar hanging loosely to the wrist of it, he rode on, as
slowly as one foot of the mule could follow another, thro’ the
principal streets of _Strasburg_, till chance brought him to the great
inn in the market-place over-against the church.
The moment the stranger alighted, he ordered his mule to be led into
the stable, and his cloak-bag to be brought in; then opening, and
taking out of it his crimson-sattin breeches, with a
silver-fringed—(appendage to them, which I dare not translate)—he put
his breeches, with his fringed cod-piece on, and forth-with, with his
short scymetar in his hand, walked out to the grand parade.
The stranger had just taken three turns upon the parade, when he
perceived the trumpeter’s wife at the opposite side of it—so turning
short, in pain lest his nose should be attempted, he instantly went
back to his inn—undressed himself, packed up his crimson-sattin
breeches, &c. in his cloak- bag, and called for his mule.
I am going forwards, said the stranger, for _Frankfort_——and shall be
back at _Strasburg_ this day month.
I hope, continued the stranger, stroking down the face of his mule with
his left hand as he was going to mount it, that you have been kind to
this faithful slave of mine—it has carried me and my cloak-bag,
continued he, tapping the mule’s back, above six hundred leagues.
——’Tis a long journey, Sir, replied the master of the inn——unless a man
has great business.——Tut! tut! said the stranger, I have been at the
promontory of Noses; and have got me one of the goodliest, thank
Heaven, that ever fell to a single man’s lot.
Whilst the stranger was giving this odd account of himself, the master
of the inn and his wife kept both their eyes fixed full upon the
stranger’s nose——By saint _Radagunda_, said the inn-keeper’s wife to
herself, there is more of it than in any dozen of the largest noses put
together in all _Strasburg!_ is it not, said she, whispering her
husband in his ear, is it not a noble nose?
’Tis an imposture, my dear, said the master of the inn——’tis a false
nose.
’Tis a true nose, said his wife.
’Tis made of fir-tree, said he, I smell the turpentine.——
There’s a pimple on it, said she.
’Tis a dead nose, replied the inn-keeper.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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