Page:Select Popular Tales from the German of Musaeus.djvu/150

136 betrayed such perfect ignorance in the selection, that the whole company of cooks found it impossible to restrain their laughter. He did not trouble himself, however, about that, locked himself into a separate kitchen, kindled, for appearance sake, a large fire, opened out his table-napkin, and called for the desired specimen, prepared in a masterly manner. Instantly the savoury mess appeared in the usual old vase; he took it, placed it prettily in a silver dish, and gave it to be tried by the chief-taster, who took a little on his tongue with suspicion, lest he should injure the delicate organization of his palate by a spoiled dish. But, to his astonishment, he found it excellent, and acknowledged it as worthy to be placed on the King’s table. The King showed, from his indisposition, little desire to eat, but scarcely did the odour of the noble dish reach him, when his brow smoothed, and its horizon indicated fair weather. He desired to taste it, emptied one plate after another, and would have consumed the whole had not a feeling of kindness to his spouse and her daughter prompted him to send some remains of it to them. The spirits of the monarch were so invigorated and excited, and their majesties were so cheerful after dinner, that they deigned to work with the minister, and even to undertake, of their own accord, the thorny affairs of their high seat. The great spring-wheel of this so happy revolution of affairs was not forgotten; the well-skilled Amarin was invested with splendid clothes, he was led from the kitchen before the throne, and, after a long exordium on his talents, was named the King’s head-cook, with the rank of field-marshal. In a short time his fame reached its highest summit.

So resplendent a meteor in the kitchen horizon disturbed, beyond measure, the heart of the Princess. She had hitherto been able to do everything with her father, and held him in the leading-strings of her pleasure; but now she feared to lose her power and consequence through the unexpected favouritism. Since the kitchen revolution, which Amarin’s table-napkin wrought, the culinary skill of the Princess lost its fame. She had sometimes had the daring to compete with the major domo, but always to her disadvantage; for, instead of triumphing over Amarin’s dish, hers was commonly removed untouched, and became the perquisite of waiters and parasites. Her invention wearied in the preparation of costly viands; Amarin’s skill could be surpassed only by itself. In this so critical a conjuncture the Lady Urraca made a resolution to venture an attack on the heart of the new favourite, in order to draw him into her interests through love. She called him in secret to her, and, through the all-persuasive power of her charms, easily induced him to grant her what she wished. He promised her, on the approaching birthday of the King, a dish which should surpass all that had ever previously flattered the sense of taste.

The two men now played the most conspicuous part in the