I must relate yet another of his tricks, which, however, he played off
in another university city directly before he came to Heidelberg. An
innocent youth, who was just come raw from the school, recognised in
Herr von Plauen a countryman, and begged of him, as he would go away
the next day, that he would accompany him to one of the professors, in
order to enter himself as an attendant of his lectures, as he really
did not know how it was proper to conduct himself on such an occasion.
"With pleasure," answered Von Plauen, gave the Fox at once his arm, and
conducted him to one of the professors, who was completely deaf. As
they entered the room, the rogue presented the new-comer, with the
words,--"Here, thou old Philistine! I bring thee a young gentleman who
will do thee the favour to listen to thy lectures. Take care, however,
that thou art not too tedious with him, for he is my friend."
The startled Fox seemed to have dropped at once out of the clouds as he
heard his friend speak in this manner, and his astonishment mounted to
its height as he heard him again say, as he took his leave--"Farewell,
old Camel!" which salutation the professor answered with a very
gracious bow.
"But for God's sake, then," asked the Fox, "may one then speak in this
manner to a professor of the university?"
"So, and no otherwise," replied he, "must you address them all; they
are accustomed to nothing else; and moreover, they soon lose all
respect for him who does not cock his thumb a little at them. Besides
this, I have been particularly civil to-day, that I might not astonish
thee too much, as is the case generally with youths when they first
come from the school. But thou wilt quickly acquire the proper tone."
"O! if it comes to that," said the Fox, "I'll soon be ready for the
gentlemen."
Von Plauen laughed in his fist as he rode forth the next morning
through the city-gate; and he soon learnt by letters that his protégé,
in proceeding to enter himself with the next professor, whom he
addressed in the same style, was speedily sent head foremost down the
steps, as he had unluckily happened to come across a professor who not
only had an excellent pair of ears, but a very fiery temper.
Some pranks which our hero permitted himself afterwards, laid the
commencement of his fall. Once he feigned himself delirious, raged and
cried out, for no purpose, but to have the pleasure of spitting in the
face of the physician who was called in, having, as it is asserted by
some, betted a considerable wager on this point.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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